[Jayhawk]

Well, I am beginning to think that I could sell my life story to Hollywood, and they could make a movie that would star Ben Stiller. I am the kind of guy that could never cheat on his taxes or his wife becuase there would be no way that I could ever keep my story strait. If something unusual can possibly happen in a given situation, it WILL HAPPEN TO ME.

So anyway. I am driving to a patients house becuase I have a meeting with the social worker and the family. I am running a bit late, so I am pushing along a bit harder than normal. I am coming up Hwy 2 from Ripley MS to Reinzi. Since the most direct route is backroads, I start winding my way through the county.

SIDEBAR BEGIN HERE=> In Kansas, 99% of the roads are laid out on the section system Which means that for the most part, the county roads run in a generaly north south or east west direction and are prettty straight. I think the railroads had something to do with this becuase they laid out much of the area , and settlers other than indians were a relativly recent addition to the landscape. In MS, the roads are a bit older and follow old cow paths, indain trails or other well traveled routes. As a result, many roads meander through the country side and follow terrain.<END SIDEBAR

So I am heel/toe ing it (Brake Gas Brake Gas Brake Gas) and I make it to the house. As I get out of the car, I notice a small wisp of smoke that slowly is getting bigger. I crawl under the car and see a small flame that is flickering in the brake assembly of the left front wheel. I got the fire out and then was able to drive the thing home. I pulled the wheel off and cleaned it up and decided that I had over heated my brakes and that the wheel bearing assembly is leaking grease onto the rotor.

So this weekend I am in the process of replacing both front bearings, control arms, and I may try to install a set of cargo springs if I have time.


I have got to figure out a way to keep these brakes cooler. I know I will buy the best pads I can get from now on becuase I can feel these fade pretty quickly. Are there any pad suggestions? I have begun to suspect that the only difference in the "cheap" pads and the lifetime warranty pads is the price.

Has anyone tried running some sort of air intake from the air dam to funnel more airflow onto the brakes?

 

[GuillermoXR5i]

Fire

You may have caught some dry brush or small twigs in that general area and the hot brakes caught them on fire. To keep the brakes cooler for one yea, don't ride them often, but get a good set of rotors and DO NOT USE metallic pads on Tempo/Topaz. I'd get some carbon pads. I've heard there are porcelain type pads (something like that), they don't produce dust and will put up with heat........either way, I'd get NON metallic pads

 

[Jayhawk]

Thanks,


With the type of driving I do, it is hard to stay off of the brakes. I could slow down, but that is not as much fun.


Evan

 

[GuillermoXR5i]

Engine braking

This area is mountainous too. I quickly learned to use the engine to brake since the first time taking my Tempo down the mountain overheated them. Even though engine braking is a bit harder on the engine mounts, I'd still do it for safety sake. If you do a smooth engagement of engine braking then it shouldn't be too hard on the mounts. Is yours an automatic? Engine braking with a manual can be achieved in a smoother fashion by how you engage the clutch in a lower gear. If it's an automatic it's almost like a dump into a lower gear, but still safer than being left without brakes.

 

[Kakita]

The importance of brakes. This is kinda long but it kinda shows how important brakes are. last weekend me and a friend went on a car run with my car club, went over to mt st helens and took the 100 mile windy road up to get as close as it's possible to drive. we averaged about 60 miles per hour (35-25 MPH average speed limit) I was driving my friends 98 eclipse non turbo, and on the way back down we did a little bit of racing. I went to pass a couple cars on a straight away, passed the first car, the next car pulled out in front of me, so I hit the brakes then downshifted and hit the gas, we passed another 5 cars, then noticed a ford P/U coming at us. the only spot for us to sqeaze in was about 1 car size, and there were 2 of us. we both hit the brakes and took the cars diagonal at around 90 MPH. I stood on the brakes in my friends car. and the pedal just mashed down all the way to the floor. later on he told me that the brakes on the back were metal on metal, and the front brakes were the cheap ones from NAPA. I wasused to driving my cars and their brakes (EBC greenstuff) I have'nt gotten the brakes to fade, and can lock up the tires easily. Good brake pads are normaly not much more expesive than the cheap ones, and I feel a lot safer trusting my life to them.