Standard Brakes awful in the wet!

[spee]

When the brakes on my 197 get wet, which lets face it is a lot in this country, they are awful! I know this is the case for most cars but it's more pronounced than any car I've ever owned or driven. No braking as such for a second or two then they bite hard, and it doesn't have to be that wet to be honest.

My question is this, would drilled or slotted discs make a difference do you think? I've had them on other cars but as the other cars didn't have the pronounced wet weather issue, I don't really know if there was an advantage.

Oh, my brakes are fine! I've had them cleaned and serviced recently, all is well, the discs and pads have less than 4k on them and are OEM. Braking is superb in the dry, apart from the squealing!

Any thoughts?

G

 

[Foxspeed]

got slotted two parts discs on mine and no they dont help with the water getting on the disc surface.....was "interesting" coming off the m1 at j47 tonight :glare:

 

[chettle]

I always found as the standard set up, they had plenty of bite scrubbing the first 50odd mph off, its just that final "closure" that it struggles with?

Water shouldnt really make a difference because surely at operating temperatures the water would instantly evaporate?

 

[spee]

I always found as the standard set up, they had plenty of bite scrubbing the first 50odd mph off, its just that final "closure" that it struggles with?

Water shouldnt really make a difference because surely at operating temperatures the water would instantly evaporate?

Quite the opposite! In the wet mine have nothing, then wallop! The brakes aren't hot when you are trundling down the motorway for mile after mile. It's odd, really not come across this on any other car. Having thought about it since posting, I can say that it's worse since fitting 200 wheels with my winter tyres on them, I'm guessing the open design of the wheel isn't helping matters!

Inside lane driving for me in the wet!

 

[ECG1000]

Same happened when I had my 133. Nothing, brown trousers, then wham bite!

 

[spee]

Just been speaking to a guy who used to race Caterhams, he had a wet braking set up, he changed his Bias and fitted drilled discs when it was likely to be a wet race, reckons it was night and day difference and mostly down to the discs being drilled (cleared the surface water much quicker on initial contact under braking) Think I'll hunt down some drilled discs and give them a whirl.

 

[Lump]

They can be crud in the wet.
Had someone pull out from lane 1 into lane 2 without indicating this morning, I got alot closer to them then I'd have liked. Brakes where non existant for a good few seconds and them bam....anchors deployed

 

[deadmau5]

Mine are like this but it's not for a couple of seconds, more like half a second.

 

[Mentalpen]

if its quite cold, ice CAN form on the disc meaning you initially don't get the bite.

It can build up in relatively short space of time without touching the brakes.

It usually only happen if it is snowing or freezing rain though.

 

[henderson]

Just been speaking to a guy who used to race Caterhams, he had a wet braking set up, he changed his Bias and fitted drilled discs when it was likely to be a wet race, reckons it was night and day difference and mostly down to the discs being drilled (cleared the surface water much quicker on initial contact under braking) Think I'll hunt down some drilled discs and give them a whirl.

interesting this spee,suppose i have noticed the wet braking isn't as good now you mention it but i don't think mine is as bad as you've described yours,i have grooved front discs so wondering if they maybe help a touch...

 

[lewisflintham]

I thought it was just me. It is bad coming off motorway junctions. Quite worrying really.

 

[BenW]

I had this on my old fiesta, changed the pads and everything was fine.

Never had it on the clio with DS2500 pads and standard discs, always have loads of bite in cold and wet

 

[marshall]

Havent had decent braking for ages, wet or dry, just no feel Even after stripping them down every 6 months

 

[Chrisgti6]

This is weird, mine feel excellent in the wet. The only thng I have issues with is terrible tyres! The brakes work just fine, no delay or lack of feel at all.

That's with Pagid discs and Mintex pads

 

[Willis]

I've had these symptoms once.

Changed Pads, Discs, Fluid and Hoses. Not had any bother since doing that, there's less grip from the tyres in the wet, although the Conti's are very good in the wet, but can't say that the brakes feel too different from when it's dry out really...

 

[spee]

They can be crud in the wet.
Had someone pull out from lane 1 into lane 2 without indicating this morning, I got alot closer to them then I'd have liked. Brakes where non existant for a good few seconds and them bam....anchors deployed

This is exactly my issue, it's quite alarming!

 

[Foxspeed]

neglect your brakes so when the pads seize in the calipers there will be plenty of pad drag when off the pedal

 

[spee]

neglect your brakes so when the pads seize in the calipers there will be plenty of pad drag when off the pedal

That will certainly stop the water on the discs issue!