Posted by Karl in KS on November 20, 2005 at 17:51:41 from 68.94.111.154
In Reply to: Braking problem... posted by Zolka on November 20, 2005 at 05:57:19:
You're seeing how the weight transfer that comes with heavy braking causes weight transfer. With weight off the rear wheels, they will lock up easier.
We've had the brake thread a few times in the past. generally someone wants to improve the front brakes, since they do most of the braking, and ignore the rears. What you are proposing would create a similar unbalance.
But the rear suspension geometry on our cars is such that the torque of braking pulls the rear end down to control braking dive. Unbalancing the brakes to have greater front braking would cause the front to dive more under braking, increasing the weight transfer, and making it easier to lock the rears.
The first thing to do if the braking is off is to make sure everything is working properly, bleed the brakes and make sure all calipers grab and release properly. You may have a front caliper piston sticking so you're not getting full braking in front. (FWIW I locked a front wheel braking into a corner last weekend) It's aldo possible that your front brakes are getting hotter under heavy braking, to the point where they start to fade before the rears. If so, you need higher performance brake pads.
Then learn threshold braking--learn the feeling when a wheel is about to lock and ease the pedal just 1mm to keep everything in control.