[Mgs] Brakes, big and small

[Rick Lindsay]

   Paul's comments, as usual, are right on.  This is
an area of great interest for me.  All that saves your
butt from disaster is four tiny tire-patches!  I think
about that when I am working with the Formula 1 cars. 
Same physics, just at four times the speed!

   The trick is to not confuse traction with friction.
 Traction is a nonlinear summation of friction AND the
deformation of rubber into the rugosity of the road
surface.  Otherwise, it would be impossible to exceed
1G of inline or lateral loading - which race cars do
routinely.
   The other benefit of big brakes is their heat
dissipating ability.  After all, the momentum of the
car is converted to heat by the brakes.  You have to
get rid of that heat somehow.  Big brakes dissipate
heat better so they work better in repeated use
situations - like on the track.  That's the only
advantage, to me, except for bragging rights perhaps.

rick - in houston

--- Paul Hunt <paul.hunt1 at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

> It isn't going to improve your stopping performance,
> and may even reduce it. 
> As long as the existing brakes will lock the wheels
> on dry tarmac with 
> progressive pressure they are working fine and
> 'bigger' brakes won't change 
> that.  It's the tyre to road contact patch that
> determines maximum 
> performance, so unless you change the tyre compound
> and/or contact area as 
> well you won't gain anything.  And if the 'bigger'
> front brakes mean that 
> you can lock the fronts with less pedal pressure,
> then that means less 
> hydraulic pressure to the rears, and so *lower*
> braking performance overall.
> 
> If your existing brakes can't lock the wheels, then
> there is something wrong 
> with them, so fix that.
> 
> PaulH.