Re: Horrible Audi brakes!

[David Ritter <dritter@mich.com>]

Marc Dexter writes:
 > Now there is something strange with the A4 brakes in the rain (at least
 > mine)... they do need to be pumped up before they work... once they bite
 > they work just like any other brake system in the wet.... but it feels to my
 > like the pads have been pushed back from the disk (not unlike after
 > resetting the brakes to put new pads in)... this could be wrong... but that
 > is what it feels like to me.... so the splash guard etc. argument could be
 > valid, as the water might somehow be pushing at the pads.....
 >  but then again it is probably something else....

This is sounding like my WMB brakes. I changed from the stock compound 
brake pads to a metallic type brake pad, brand forgotten, and began
similar symptoms. It was explained to me that the metallic pads need a 
higher temperature. The rain cools the rotor and pads down especially
well on the WMB as it has ducts built into the front end specificly
for that purpose. The symptom of no brake effectiveness is real enough 
and I am always careful to drag them a bit leaving the car wash.
Does the A4 have cooling ducts for the brakes? 
I was thinking that the "pumped up before they work" bit sounded alot
like my WMB brakes that need to be warmed up.
It would be interesting if someone who is experiencing the A4 horrible 
brakes could test this out. If it is pad compound then dragging them a 
little should work the same as pumping them IMHO. The brakes should
warm up a little either way.
Seems to me that this has been discussed here a while back, I'm
thinking that the quote was, "MetalMasters suck in the rain".

Just another $.02

David