Posted by peter mooney on November 21, 2005 at 07:07:14 from 64.52.69.98
In Reply to: Re: Braking problem... posted by Karl in KS on November 20, 2005 at 17:51:41:
As a follow up to Karl and Adams responses...
I have a dash mounted Wilwood proportioning valve. I adjusted it by doing some high speed stops on a nicely surfaced road at dawn. (no traffic). Hit the brakes progressively harder until the the front or rears lock up. If the rears lock up first turn down the bias just until the fronts start to lock up first. That's your setting for "ideal" conditions. Make a mark on the valve at this setting. The next rainy day you have go out and do another test session. Make a mark. If you have smow where you live repeat the procedure for those conditions.
Of course any time you change suspension, tires or the braking system you will have to repeat the process.
Shocks and spring rates also have an effect as noted by Karl. You want weight transfer during braking. If your suspension is set up very stiff you won't get the desired transfer and your front brakes, that do 90% of the work, won't work at their maximum potenial (lock up). Race cars that are very stiff with limited suspension movement compensate for this by putting more bias towards the rear and beefing up the rear brakes so that they do more of the overall braking.