Very noob-ish question, but how do you brake for repeated hard stops?

[boggysv]

Understand that they teach you to never coast while in driving school, but lets say you are at a track for example, what should you do? drove the S3 to track today, and I just cant figure out how to properly brake

Say you stomp on the brake pedal with the clutch engaged, IF the ABS steps in, wont that harm your engine/clutch/tranny since it's pulsing the wheels?

While coming down from higher speeds, when I get on the brake pedal, it'd feel normal at first, then a moment later (about a second), you can feel the pedal sink slightly, and then the car slows more (you can notice the car dip a second time). There's a faint vibration, but I dont think it's ABS. The hazards do not come on at all.

Anyone experience the same thing? totally stock car here. Dont think the fluid has boiled as well, because the car can still brake fine for some of the other corners. It only happens when I need to brake long.

Not sure if this pic can convey it properly.

 

[NHN]

There's a brake pedal calibration you can do with vagcom, go here & do the pedal pressure

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/index.php/Audi_A3_%288P%29_Brake_Electronics_%28MK60%29#Special_Procedures

 

[s3mike]

If you are suddenly getting more braking than expected it could be the EBA stepping in - thinking you are doing an emergency stop. I believe it applies full brake pressure if you 'panic brake'.

I did a track day the other week and brakes were fine. I certainly wouldn't stomp on the pedal or push the clutch in. I brake moderately to begin with to settle the car and then increase pressure, preferable just enough to not trigger the ABS. I always find ABS unsettles the car a bit and doesn't really help you stop faster in the dry.

You can also use the gears quite a lot to help you slow down which should put less stress on the brakes.

I limited my runs to 10 minute sessions and didn't experience any fade / overheating on an airfield circuit with a couple of big stops.

 

[boggysv]

nhn...tbh, I'm a bit paranoid about fiddling with my brakes using vag-com
The last time I played with it and erased my headlights leveling settings was enough to let me know i suck.

mike, my instructor was telling me to brake harder and not do the two stage thing. When he test drove my car,like you, he thinks it's the EBA causing the inconsistency. Any suggestions to fix the problem?

Would better pads help in this case? I do not have overheating problems, just need to slow the car down fast enough before the EBA/ABS comes in.

 

[s3mike]

Not sure really, I thought EBA was onlyl supposed to cut in if you really stamp on the brakes as it tries to detect an emergency situation.

I didn't really mean brake in two stages, just brake hard initially and then build up the pressure rather than just jumping on the pedal - in any case the instructor should know better than me!

Is your ABS cutting in? If the EBA has activated it should apply full braking force and you would feel the pedal pulsing with the ABS.

Not sure about pads, I haven't tried any others on mine.

 

[NHN]

Nothing to be paranoid about tbh, as long as you follow that guide & anything not sure of just ask someone about it on here is a good start.

As for braking better, I would say if you're intending on doing track days & want better brakes then look at possibly upgrading pads 1st, as a very cheap way of seeing if these would help, but I wouldnt say alot for what you want overall, I would be thinking along lines of upgrade in brake system mate, I have the same 345mm system you have & its alot better than my previous A3 spec one for sure, but for the S3 & tracks I would consider upgrade for sure, but if you have vagcom then do that calibration anyway, takes few minutes, easy enough mate.

Also if you think there's something amiss go to audi & ask them to check under warranty

 

[julians]

I've never experienced what you describe when driving my s3 on track. It could well be consistent with the EBA coming on, if your braking hard, but not as hard as the EBA would do, but I cant say I've ever experienced the EBA coming on in any scenario, so I dont know how it feels.

I guess just brake hard initially ,or build up to full braking power quicker than you are doing at the moment.

You'll soon stop worrying about that problem when you start getting brake fade.

 

[boggysv]

I guess just brake hard initially ,or build up to full braking power quicker than you are doing at the moment.

You'll soon stop worrying about that problem when you start getting brake fade.

Will try to stop pussy footing the brakes the next track day, I'm hooked now.

Funny enough, I was the only one running around that day without fade problems on stock brakes
Though there seems to be some weird blue spots on my disc the day after, and they dont seem to rust anymore (the rears are fully brown and the front seems fine), must have magically heat-treated them somehow.