Left-foot brake checking; do you?

[DavidM]

I started doing it for big brake zones, but not sure if it would really detect an issue. As Greg said, if something is going to catastrophically fail then it probably won't happen till you jump on the brakes hard, which a tap isn't going to achieve. It does let you know the brakes are there and what kind of pedal you have. In that respect it instills some confidence. And if you have some sort of hydraulic leak then you'll know before you jump on the brakes hard.

David

[SMac92]

I tap the brakes before entering every heavy braking zone, and at the end of the race, almost every braking zone in general, all using my left foot. I eventually started just Left foot braking on accident. If I don't have to shift, there is no reason to tap the brakes with my Left foot, then actually brake with my Right foot a few seconds later, so I just started keeping my Left foot over the brake pedal after I checked the brakes. I first did this entering the chute at Summit Point (on accident) I figure if everything turned out fine then, it should be fine anywhere else.

Steven

[ulfelder]

I learned the exciting way at NJMP that anytime I hit a curb, my S2000's pads rattle back. That got me in the habit of doing a quick double-pump anytime I even suspect I've rolled over a curb. That, in turn, evolved into the same habit on any long-straight-into-braking-zone.

[darthmonkeyIT]

I discovered the usefuleness of tapping the brakes before heavy braking zones at Grattan last summer. The CRX (and maybe Honda's to a certain extent) are not so great on master cylinder displacement especially as your pads start to get worn down. I ended up having pads at roughly half life before the race started and while racing into turn 8 following a sweeping up and down straight the brake pedal punched to the floor.

Ultimately the brake pads had bumped out a bit and the master cylinder had run out of stroke to get the pads back to the rotor and apply sufficient force. Now at the end of every straight I double pump the brakes to make sure I have the pads to the rotors before I go inot heavy braking.

To date I have done this with my right foot basically tapping the pedal lifting and then punching the pedal for my braking zone. I have always just done this because I am used to right foot braking and I need my left foot to operate the clutch to shift. I can see a case though for using the left foot a little before the braking zone just to keep the right foot firmly planted on the acclerator.

Another path I am looking down is taking some used up brake pads, maching off the remianing brake pad material, and using the backing plate as a spacer to help with the pedal feel on the Honda. As the brake pads wear I notice a large change in the brake pedal travel verse fresh pads. Thinking that if I place a spacer in at roughly half wear that should help the pedal feel better during the later life of the brake pads. This also provides more surface area to heat sink to as the brake pads get thinner.

[erlrich]

Interesting replies. I had forgotten all about the issue some cars have with pad push back, so pumping makes perfect sense if that is happening. I guess I'm kind of spoiled, driving a modern car (only 22 years old ) that has decent brakes and a big enough reservoir. I'm also pretty anal about changing pads & rotors when the pads are 50% gone, so my biggest concern is a catastrophic failure.

That said, I can't really see any down side to checking the pedal. It's probably a good habit to get into; who knows, maybe some day I'll get the chance to take a Honda out for a spin

[iambhooper]

I'm just not able to pull off the physical aspect of heel toe, so I do left foot brake. I've had pedal's go to the floor in the Fiat, and the Honda had a pad fuse to the caliper piston, causing me to lap VIR with out brakes.

So yes, I have pumped brakes with my left foot. For what it was.

[timo944]

in the 944 I never felt the need, but in the 300ZX I am going to have to start. Last years ARRC, lap 1, in a freight train going in to turn ten, the pedal went straight to the floor making any kind of downshifting impossible, resulting in a forced spin and resultant loss of 4th place. Not that it wouild have mattered, since the ignition packed it in anyway...