re;fading brakes

[Calvin Krug]

At 11:14 PM -0500 1/16/01, eckfeldtg at snet.net wrote:
>
>My wife has been complaining about the 91 not having good brakes in the
>slushy weather lately that we have been having in the NE. We put new pads,
>nothing special, in last summer. She says that the first time she hits the
>brakes they don't grab and if she pumps them once then they are fine. She
>only has to pump when it is wet as they grab fine when dry. I know that the
>stock system, UFO, is known to be poor when wet.
>
>I don't want to do a brake upgrade (BIRA or ...) unless it is cost
>effective, I but would like to improve the braking for her. I don't think
>BIRA has found a rotor that works yet without changing the struts to an S4
>type. The rotors haven't been turned or replaced since I bought the car,
>99K, and it is at about 200K. What are the options? UFO replacements? Are
>these available slotted? Are there better pads? What is the optimum solution
>for getting improved braking when the roads are wet?
>

This sounds like a case of hydroplaning.  Not only tires have this 
problem.  When the brakes are first applied, a thin film of water 
gets trapped between the rotor and pad, and pumping the pedal helps 
to remove it.  I don't think anything will completely eliminate this, 
especially if you've just driven through a puddle.  (Common around 
here, as the engineers love building roads lower than the surrounding 
land, for some reason)
If the car didn't have UFO brakes, I would say that slotted rotors 
would be an easy solution.  Since that can't be done, maybe a 
different brand of pad, or one with a groove just to give the water a 
route of escape. Someone on the list might have some suggestions for 
pads to try.  Good luck.

Calvin Krug
-- 
Before I criticize a man, I walk a mile in his shoes. That way,
if he gets angry, he's a mile away -- and barefoot.