Brake pad life

[GUMPY]

I find it interesting just how much drivers use their brakes for bends when there is really no need to brake at all. What is needed is a bit of anticipation then all one has to do is lift off and cruise round the bend.
I guess that's why the front brake pads on my last Yeti were only 50% worn after 5 years and 70,000 miles of driving

 

[Hutch]

The Dynamics of a car and trailer braking, will be, the car slowing down, front of the car pitching down, the rear pitching up, or maybe staying level.. A trailer with a nose weight of say 50 kg, then compress the trailer hitch and give it a drop, and then the trailer a following a very slight, upward inertia. Lightening the load on the trailer wheels and also the brakes. Before equilibrium results.
This is almost instantaneous, but the initial braking load of the trailer, is taken by the car.

 

[Hutch]

I find it interesting just how much drivers use their brakes for bends when there is really no need to brake at all. What is needed is a bit of anticipation then all one has to do is lift off and cruise round the bend.
I guess that's why the front brake pads on my last Yeti were only 50% worn after 5 years and 70,000 miles of driving

I have found this, also entering to the road to home. I can slow down and Coast, quickly, int the road without braking. But following cars, catch up quickly, so have to brake urgently. So I now just "Dab" to make, to make sure , they are awake.

 

[ProfJohnL]

As per Hutch’s post, also if the caravan braking system (inc tyres) cannot match the cars deceleration then additional braking load would be applied to the car.

I agree, but under normal controlled braking that should not be the case.

 

[Beardy]

Also my vehicle has Auto Hold when the car stops, I don't know if my brake lights remain on when I take my foot of the brake. I would prefer not to unnecessarily dazzle drivers behind. I will work out if its possible to shut the brake lights off when stationary.

Mine do (Mercedes E Class), check the road behind your car in the wing mirrors when it's dark. They go off if I switch to 'park'.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The Dynamics of a car and trailer braking, will be, the car slowing down, front of the car pitching down, the rear pitching up, or maybe staying level.. A trailer with a nose weight of say 50 kg, then compress the trailer hitch and give it a drop, and then the trailer a following a very slight, upward inertia. Lightening the load on the trailer wheels and also the brakes. Before equilibrium results.
This is almost instantaneous, but the initial braking load of the trailer, is taken by the car.

In most cases the overrun hitch will be extended just before the brakes on the towing vehicle are applied.

As soon as the towing vehicle brakes are applied it will begin to slow down, but the trailer doesn't. It will continue to move forward and in doing so it will begin to "overrun" the tow vehicle and compress the overrun damper.

the closer the trailer moves towards the tow vehicle the thrust of the trailers momentum will be resisted by the tow vehicle. But that force will only be as big as the force need to move the overrun assemble into contact with the brake mechanism. As soon as the trailer brakes bite, the trailer will decelerate, but if the deceleration is not enough to stop it closing the gap to the tow vehicle any further shortening will actually cause the trailer brakes to bite harder until the trailers deceleration is greater than the tow vehicles and the gap between them will increase which reduces the trailer brake application, and this cycle continues until either the outfit become stationary or the tow vehicle stops decelerating.

( Edit)The function of the damper is to prevent the systems mechanically cycling and causing vibrations

At no time should the force needed through the overrun system exceeded the force needed to apply the brakes. However if the outfit is driven too fast or road conditions are slippy, different dynamics come into play when tyres lose grip with the road surface.

With properly adjusted and operating brakes a driver should barely feel the action of the trailer brakes. Any tugs or bangs felt through the hitch suggest loading or the brakes are not optimally set up.

 

[Dustydog]

Also my vehicle has Auto Hold when the car stops, I don't know if my brake lights remain on when I take my foot of the brake. I would prefer not to unnecessarily dazzle drivers behind. I will work out if it’s possible to shut the brake lights off when stationary.

My VW autohold works on the hydraulic brake system not the handbrake. Once engaged the brake lights remain on even with foot off the brake pedal. The AH disengages as soon as the throttle is touched. Not sure about other makes.

 

[otherclive]

My VW autohold works on the hydraulic brake system not the handbrake. Once engaged the brake lights remain on even with foot off the brake pedal. The AH disengages as soon as the throttle is touched. Not sure about other makes.

My KIA. dies the same as yours.

 

[ProfJohnL]

My KIA. dies the same as yours.

RIP?

I know how the Auto Hold works and yes mine also does the same, and it does as you suspect keep the brake lights on. However I have a hybrid, so when traveling and the Adaptive cruise control requires to brake to prevent over speed it first opts for regenerative electric braking, what I don't know is if this also activates the brake lights.

 

[GaryB]

However I have a hybrid, so when traveling and the Adaptive cruise control requires to brake to prevent over speed it first opts for regenerative electric braking, what I don't know is if this also activates the brake lights.

Blimey this grew arms & legs! Anyway, on my car (Volvo mild hybrid) the battery is charged during regenerative braking and when this is happening a battery icon appears. When this happens on a downhill stretch and cruise control is on, the brake lights do illuminate.

 

[Hutch]

Blimey this grew arms & legs! Anyway, on my car (Volvo mild hybrid) the battery is charged during regenerative braking and when this is happening a battery icon appears. When this happens on a downhill stretch and cruise control is on, the brake lights do illuminate.

Yes a simple mentioning about brake pads and 8t goes for 4 pages of answers, well done.

 

[Dustydog]

According to Consumer Reports
On average, we found that the brake lights of most EVs in our fleet illuminate when the regenerative braking system is slowing the car at about 0.1 g (g-force), which could be described as a slight but noticeable amount of braking force,” says Alex Knizek, CR's manager of auto testing and insights.
Looks like the Hybrids and EVs wil be brightening up our roads at night🤪

 

[otherclive]

According to Consumer Reports
On average, we found that the brake lights of most EVs in our fleet illuminate when the regenerative braking system is slowing the car at about 0.1 g (g-force), which could be described as a slight but noticeable amount of braking force,” says Alex Knizek, CR's manager of auto testing and insights.
Looks like the Hybrids and EVs wil be brightening up our roads at night🤪

So will the ICE cars on ACC too.

 

[Dustydog]

So will the ICE cars on ACC too.

👍