Cooling your brakes
Being from the east coast I've yet to encounter my brakes heating up enough to require pulling over to let them cool down, at least not that I know of. This summer/fall we're doing our first trip out ...
Forum Discussion
davisenvy wrote:Lynnmor wrote:2oldman wrote:Lynnmor wrote:No it isn't, and perhaps you are, but keeping your brakes cool is of utmost importance. Riding them is a sure road to disaster.
The idea of repeatedly hitting the brakes hard and then coast back up to speed is nonsense. What you are doing is causing the brakes to go thru exaggerated heat/cool cycles.
Brakes are a heat device. There is no way to use brakes and keep them cool. If you want to slow a vehicle with the brakes, then you will generate heat. The quantity of heat will be the same regardless how you play with the pedal. To generate extreme heat for intermittent periods is a sure road to disaster.
WRONG! Advice like this will end up really messing someone up. Whatever you do, DO NOT RIDE YOUR BRAKES. Stab the brakes as mentioned and go down the mountain same gear it took you to get up it, or even a gear lower if concerned. I can ride behind most out of towners and smell their brakes burning. The whole time their brake lights are brightly lit.
Actually that is what is taught now to new truckers ,5 psi on the application gauge and ride it down the heat is identical.
I was taught 'stab em and roll' but think about it same weight same speed same energy to dissipate and the heat is even .Of course air brakes have no fluid to boil so it may be only valid in that truck application.
