Help: Why is the 197 so twitchy under braking?

Twitch under braking from your 197: Yes or No

  • 197 Full Fat - YES

    Votes: 16 28.6%
  • 197 Full Fat - NO

    Votes: 15 26.8%
  • 197 Cup - YES

    Votes: 7 12.5%
  • 197 Cup - NO

    Votes: 10 17.9%
  • 197 Lowered/Coilovers - YES

    Votes: 3 5.4%
  • 197 Lowered/Coilovers - NO

    Votes: 5 8.9%

  • Total voters
    56
Was driving last night and a car pulled out infront of me and I was doing 80mph odd, get on the brakes, a little bit of fade and the back end just sways from side to side under heavy braking, had me worried to say the least!

So... Went out today to have a play around slowing down for roundabouts leaving it late and the same again, even at 70mph, push the brakes hard and the back end twitches. Really feel a lack of control on the brakes at speed.

Anything I can do to solve the issue of the brake fade and twitchyness?

Had new pads fairly recently so unless they have glazed over I'm not sure what else is the problem. I'm fitting some KW V1's soon, will that make any difference?

I've also read on here about Dot 5.1 brake fluid and people using other pads, what are the advantages, will they make a dramatic difference, becuase if there's one thing I want perfect it's the brakes!!!

Hope you guys can help, thanks.
 
Shouldn't be twitchy, I'd start by checking tyre pressures and getting a full alignment (although that can probably wait if you're getting KW's on, as it'll need doing then).
 
sounds normal to me - dont forget you have esp/abs systems built in and the rear does go very light when heavy braking
as for the brake pads - may be worth taking them out and de-glazing the surface of the pads
 
They shouldn't be fading with stops like that, how old is the car/fluid ?

The back comes up because the fronts are so strong, brilliant for setting the car up properly for a corner.

Its very adjustable under heavy braking.

I think the brakes are more fun than the acceleration :lol
 
Thanks guys, I've never been caught in this situation before and it just caught me off guard.

I'll have a check of the pressures tomorrow and see but i'm pretty certain they're spot on.

I'll get the coilovers fitted in a week or so and have an allignment check as well as getting the pads de-glazed at the same time, i'll just drive a little more conservatively in the mean time!

The car's nearly 4 years old Mark, serviced every 12,000 on the button so i'm guessing it was changed at the last service which was only 3,000 miles ago. Need to have a look in the service book!
 
I Had to stop pretty sharpish on a country road and i was going some at the time , stopped perfectly my a**e went a bit the one in my trousers that is not the rear of the car
Front pads smoked and the idiot who crawled out in front of me went a bit white i have found the brakes to be really good in all conditions
 
The brake fluid hasn't actually been changed at all! Just looked at the service book on page 9 and under Renaulstport Clio brake fluid to be changed every 72,000 or 4 years?! Why so long?

It's nearly four years in september, So should I take it in and get it changed asap? And is it worth changing to dot 5.1 will it make any difference?
 
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Nice to know some people feel similar to me with the normal twitchyness, but some don't...doesn't make much sense!
 
I find the brakes 100% stable unless you're slamming them on at VERY high speed, by this I mean 100mph+
 
yeah i bet its just the weight shifting from back to front. the nose dives alot under heavy braking?

like ben says its pretty stable ive found if u brake heavy and turn that causes the twitch in a straight line i can brake from 120 to 30 and not feel a thing maybe just my seatbelt cutting into me lol
 
The nose dives for sure, and the back end feels weightless. It was on a pretty much straight road.

I'll get the brake fluid changed and the pads de-glazed and hope that that fixes it :smile: maybe it's just me not being used to slamming on the brakes in the clio, my old cars never had such powerful front brakes.
 
Mines the same if I break very hard at high speed the back end sways left to right and the nose dives hard, it's like that I think
 
...never noticed any weaving when hard on the breaks in the 197.....not done it yet in the 200....but would the Cup pack help...less nose diving etc? I always have my brake fluid done every service, regardless of the schedule!!
 
people dont forget......difference in road surfaces can cause a lot of issues - if your braking hard the abs could be backing off the rear brake pressure to stop wheel lock up on a less than ideal road surface
tyres will also play a factor in the stopping abilty of the car !!!
 
I've never found mine twitchy, and I've done many miles of hard braking. As Warren suggested, get everything checked out. Will be a weapon with the KW's on! :smile: