991GT3.1 Steels Braking

[throt]

So, was out in mine yesterday on the M40, raining, motorway super wet with loads of surface water and spray from other cars. I only went up to 80mph at the most due to the dreaded aquaplaning scenarios happening. However, on exiting the M40 going up the slip road on aproach to the roundabout / red traffic light I braked ( and braked early because of the conditions, it turned out thankfully ) and the steels were awful in response. it felt like ""brake fade"", just wasn't biting the disc's at all. Now, yes conditions were very wet but if I hadn't of braked early or someone swung over to the right in front of me the brakes wouldn't have done their job..I have noticed this before when I am out in the rain. Doesn't give much to confidence for just to a emergency braking situation on a wet motorway does it.

Post is to pick anyones brains and to also make you guys aware if your out in your GT3's.1 and .2's. As I say I have the steels. I may even talk to my OPC..

Tia,

[blackmamba]

Sounds very odd indeed. I have used steels in very wet conditions and the brakes are amazing. The tyres will / should give up well before the brakes.

[browngt3]

Agree, sounds odd. At the risk of stating the obvious, did you use the brakes much at all before this incident? Just wondering if any surface corrosion hadn't had a chance to be burned off. Was your car standing in the rain for some time before?

[throt]

browngt3 said:

Agree, sounds odd. At the risk of stating the obvious, did you use the brakes much at all before this incident? Just wondering if any surface corrosion hadn't had a chance to be burned off. Was your car standing in the rain for some time before?

It was on the front drive and would have had a slight corrosive substance from where i had my guy do its maintenance detail, plus along with rain prior to the drive. And thinking back, I had a pretty much clear of traffic run to the M40, so not a lot of braking used.

Maybe a combination of all caused it then.

Many thanks for your point then, its certainly a good thing to remember..

[Steve Rance]

Always good to have a little lfb before a braking zone if you are ending a long period without using brakes in very wet conditions. Steel or ceramic

[throt]

Cheers, guys.

Take it all onboard what has been said. Its was really surprising how awful they were. Definitely try to see if i can replicate it to learn.

Cheers again..

[ChrisW.]

Are the disc holes full of brake dust ??

[evilandy]

I've had the same with my GT3 which has ceramics. On one particularly cold and wet drive up the M6 I had to keep feathering the brakes just to be sure they were kept reasonably functional. Must have been annoying for those behind me. It may not be a GT3 thing, but it certainly has put me off using the car in heavy rain on motorways.

[IREvans]

throt said:

So, was out in mine yesterday on the M40, raining, motorway super wet with loads of surface water and spray from other cars. I only went up to 80mph at the most due to the dreaded aquaplaning scenarios happening. However, on exiting the M40 going up the slip road on aproach to the roundabout / red traffic light I braked ( and braked early because of the conditions, it turned out thankfully ) and the steels were awful in response. it felt like ""brake fade"", just wasn't biting the disc's at all. Now, yes conditions were very wet but if I hadn't of braked early or someone swung over to the right in front of me the brakes wouldn't have done their job..I have noticed this before when I am out in the rain. Doesn't give much to confidence for just to a emergency braking situation on a wet motorway does it.

Post is to pick anyones brains and to also make you guys aware if your out in your GT3's.1 and .2's. As I say I have the steels. I may even talk to my OPC..

Tia,

Your observation sounds pretty standard if it was indeed very heavy rain, and you'd not applied the brakes for a while. Discs will be relatively cold (due to no recent brake application) and will be wet. Your first pedal application will be wiping the discs dry, before the real braking effort becomes noticeable. The feel is much like brake fade. Brakes with some heat in them wont exhibit this phenomenon as water can't settle on hot discs. Worth applying a little left foot braking for confidence in these conditions...

[throt]

Cheers.

Its caution then if your cruising on a very wet motorway for many miles then all of a sudden there is a prang in front and you hit the pedal in an emergency.

As I stated, I applied the pedal early because of the conditions and the lack of braking went on for far too long as far as I was concerned. Surprised this hasn't been talked about more often. My GT3 can't be the only one to see very wet roads ..