Fit has terrible brakes?
Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 80
From: belfast
That's funny, I actually thought more people would complain about how non-linear the Fit brake pedal is. My GD1 has never had ABS since day 1, and depending on tire compound it can get quite easy to induce a full lockup.
Different strokes I guess. It took me a bit of getting used to but now I have no problems with the pedal modulation - although wheel lockup literally is a misjudged spasm of the foot away. I can definitely say ABS helps a lot, and you guys in the Americas are lucky.
Different strokes I guess. It took me a bit of getting used to but now I have no problems with the pedal modulation - although wheel lockup literally is a misjudged spasm of the foot away. I can definitely say ABS helps a lot, and you guys in the Americas are lucky.
Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 293
From: Montréal, Québec
thats actually backwards
for repeated applications of the brakes, the system (fluid, pads, rotors) are the issue, not the tires.
all new cars have the braking strength to lock the front wheels. so it could be said that the tires are the always the limiting factor.
i digress from stopping distance (which it has been noted that the fit is not among the best) and make a comment on braking performance and feel. i like the linearity of the brakes. (previously i test drove GTIs which are mega touchy, then quickly grippy w/o any feedback). but i feel like there isnt enough power for immediate-pressure stops. i have the perception that if i needed to make emergency stops, i might hit something.
i try to not put myself in that situation.
for repeated applications of the brakes, the system (fluid, pads, rotors) are the issue, not the tires.
all new cars have the braking strength to lock the front wheels. so it could be said that the tires are the always the limiting factor.
i digress from stopping distance (which it has been noted that the fit is not among the best) and make a comment on braking performance and feel. i like the linearity of the brakes. (previously i test drove GTIs which are mega touchy, then quickly grippy w/o any feedback). but i feel like there isnt enough power for immediate-pressure stops. i have the perception that if i needed to make emergency stops, i might hit something.
i try to not put myself in that situation.
And I never felt like the brake pedal has a wrong feeling on the fit. I went to autoslalom yesterday with the car stock, the car did what I wanted without any surprise.
imo the Fit's brakes aren't terrible. what could've help me avoid a crash a few yrs ago was better tires. the shit ziex912's would just not grip well enough and got some abs noise lengthening my braking distance.
if i was on my current Fusion tires (by bridgestone) i could've easily avoided the minor fender bender.
so imho get better tires first, then upgrade your brakes.
if i was on my current Fusion tires (by bridgestone) i could've easily avoided the minor fender bender.
so imho get better tires first, then upgrade your brakes.
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,417
From: Capital Distric New York
Agree. There should be no mistake of the tires role in braking and over-all driving performance in general. The only place the rubber meets the road. The buck stops there.
Last edited by Krimson_Cardnal; Aug 23, 2010 at 05:35 PM.
lol, I wonder why. 
I think the stock brakes are just fine for daily driving. I have on times only given the brake pedal light pressure and it feels like it just bites and the car comes to a stop very quickly. When I do up grad my brakes I will probable just get some nice pads and rotors, braided lines and the rear disk conversion.
I think the stock brakes are just fine for daily driving. I have on times only given the brake pedal light pressure and it feels like it just bites and the car comes to a stop very quickly. When I do up grad my brakes I will probable just get some nice pads and rotors, braided lines and the rear disk conversion.
Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,888
From: Parañaque City, Philippines
Taken my GD1 to the track quite a few times and I like how honest the brakes are - no ABS. Around this point (after ~2 years driving the car) I had well and truly gotten used to the pedal effort.Apologies, I thought you were based in the US like most people here and assumed accordingly, but I saw "Belfast" on your location and now stand corrected
Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 80
From: belfast
i am indeed in the US and my fit does have ABS.
another point re: braking distances. braking distance isnt solely a function of tires (&constants of vehicle weight, suspension, speed)
if you jab at 80mph, it wont immediately skid. the car will slow down first, and then eventually skid (or activate ABS). i like to think of braking as a 2 phase process split by the point where the braking power exceed both the cars momentum and the traction.
before that point, the strength of the brakes plays a big role in slowing the car down. so just because the car can skid on application of the brakes, does not mean its braking performance is hampered solely by the tires
another point re: braking distances. braking distance isnt solely a function of tires (&constants of vehicle weight, suspension, speed)
if you jab at 80mph, it wont immediately skid. the car will slow down first, and then eventually skid (or activate ABS). i like to think of braking as a 2 phase process split by the point where the braking power exceed both the cars momentum and the traction.
before that point, the strength of the brakes plays a big role in slowing the car down. so just because the car can skid on application of the brakes, does not mean its braking performance is hampered solely by the tires
i am indeed in the US and my fit does have ABS.
another point re: braking distances. braking distance isnt solely a function of tires (&constants of vehicle weight, suspension, speed)
if you jab at 80mph, it wont immediately skid. the car will slow down first, and then eventually skid (or activate ABS). i like to think of braking as a 2 phase process split by the point where the braking power exceed both the cars momentum and the traction.
before that point, the strength of the brakes plays a big role in slowing the car down. so just because the car can skid on application of the brakes, does not mean its braking performance is hampered solely by the tires
another point re: braking distances. braking distance isnt solely a function of tires (&constants of vehicle weight, suspension, speed)
if you jab at 80mph, it wont immediately skid. the car will slow down first, and then eventually skid (or activate ABS). i like to think of braking as a 2 phase process split by the point where the braking power exceed both the cars momentum and the traction.
before that point, the strength of the brakes plays a big role in slowing the car down. so just because the car can skid on application of the brakes, does not mean its braking performance is hampered solely by the tires
another funny experient done at another forum was a guy buying new BBK for his 370Z. his braking distance lengthened because his new brakes would try to lock up easier than stock confusing the abs system. if the tires (although RE050 is one of the best street tires that come from the factory) grip better for his brakes, obviously the abs would not need to over-react.
so tires first, then brakes.
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