It only happened at the first stop sign during my first attempt to press the brake pedal. There was snow on the ground, but it was less than an inch. I had to deal with three more stops like the first before I hit the freeway and it worked fine.

 

ditto...slow motion stop is a good way to describe my experience.

 

I would buy a set off all seasons if it was worth it. I think the most snow I saw in the last 2 or 3 years was maybe 4-6 inches. the most snow I've ever seen in my life since I can remember is is maybe 8-10". it's kind of a waste.

my girl friends car has the same size wheels and tires as the Evo 17x8. with some horride tires that have about 20k on them.

there's not any snow yet, but it's snowing a few counties over and it's on it's way. just wondering what would be safer. I'm just worried about my girlfriend. if she had her old car I wouldn't be scared. it was a hyundia with some all season tires. that little car would push the snow like a plow. I was just wondering what would be safer. her Nissan or My Evo. I'm not worried about the car. I just want her and myself to be safe. as much as I love my car. it's replaceable my girlfriend and myself aren't.


-Chad-

 

Take the mail truck!

 

alot of people dont realize this, abs isnt designed to make your stopping distance shorter. the purpose of abs is to allow you to steer in a panic brake situation. On ice and gravel abs actually increases your stopping distance. The first time i used abs it felt like the car started sliding more.

 

Actually, ABS does help you stop shorter in everything except snow and ice. The idea is based on the principle of Mu, or the coefficient of sliding friction. If you take an eraser, you'll see it takes more force to get an eraser to start sliding then it takes to keep it sliding. ABS tries to keep the rubber on the edge of slipping without actually doing it, this maximizes your braking performance. However, on ice, where Mu is low, locked wheels are better, as you said.

 

The noise was ABS.

 

Actually just to clarify something the nhtsa did a video in which they stated abs increases stopping distances in gravel and ice i watched that video in college while i was getting educated. I also watched gm videos where they stated the purpose of abs which is to allow you to steer in panic situations. I will trust gm and nhtsa over some internet warrior anyday. My brakes teacher also stated the same and he has been in the industry for over 40 years. So in this instance i am happy to say that you are wrong. What you said about the eraser is correct however that goes for everything, its one of the laws of physics. LoL i cant remember exactly what the law states but its something like an object at rest wants to stay at rest which means its always harder to get something moving that it is to maintain that movement. Thanks.

 

ice. melted spots through the ice created contact, then it went slick again as the wheel turned :-(

 

I'm thinking of putting in a toggle switch inline with the ABS circuit for snow/ice/gravel driving. I don't think I do it often enough to really need it, but it would save a trip under the hood when I do.

 

twinevo, I would tend to agree that what you heard probably was the ABS kicking in. When mine triggers in cold weather it tends to sound somewhere between a rough buzz and a light grind. I also live in MN and am familiar with the ABS.

Another possible factor that I've had problems with is gravel (from when the roads are salted) getting trapped between the brake pads and the rotors. That makes a terrible grinding noise and will also give a "slow motion" stop. It's nasty and generally only happens when the roads are wet or there is snow and mud (& salt) are getting all over everything.

 

I don't think that's true, in dirt and snow it is true because you rely on building up a barrier infront of the tires rather than the friction of the tire on the road.

This is true, since locked wheels do not steer very well. But also it reduces braking distances in panic situations. Your tires produce the most frictional force with the road at something like 15% lock up, ABS doesn't let you get there, it keeps you as close to 0% lockup as it can. However 0% lockup produces far more friction than say 20% lockup. So it is possible to stop faster without ABS than with it, and I think that with a little practice most people could stop faster without ABS than with it on an AutoX track. However I don't think that many people (myself included) could nail that 15% mark when a little kid jumps out in front of you and scares the hell out of you.

Wrong law I'm afraid, what was being talked about is that static friction is generally greater than sliding friction.

For the topic of the thread though, it was most probably the ABS you heard.