[Brake performance] Standard brakes on Roadster 2.5

[Doug_G]

A racing driver friend of mine recently drove the roadster in the local mountains, and pointed out that the brakes are usually cold! They stop just fine after a few uses.

That's an excellent point.

And yes your rotors do tend to get some crap built up on them over time, due to the light usage. Take your car out once in a while and do a bunch of hard stops; that will clean things up.

[vfx]

... they weren't going to get me to go that fast. I'm sure she's fast on her feet, if need be, but there's no doubt she's fearless!

So you were driving straight at her?

[Doug_G]

So you were driving straight at her?

Correct. The instructions were to drive straight at her. Only when she waved the flag left or right were we to do the avoidance maneuver. If someone started to lean one way or otherwise jump the gun she'd wave it in the opposite direction.

[Eberhard]

I think you are right.

I took the Roadster out for a drive yesterday and braked really hard a couple of times. Once the brakes were warmed up and all the dust and rust was off, the brake much better. But you have to slam them REALLY hard.

It seems like the brake-assistance isn't that hard, you have to do a lot your own. My M5 of course has hydraulic brake-assistance which is much more powerful.

You have to know you have to press the brakes that hard, otherwise you'll be surprised.

My idea is also that since you use the regen so much, the brakes start rusting and dusting?

This is my problem too. After 14 moth, i got my rear braking discs and pads replaced. After driving in humid conditions, the pads gets clued to the discs and i have to brake them free with pure force. have anyone an idea using different pads which don't get rusted with the disc together?

[frequencydip]

This is my problem too. After 14 moth, i got my rear braking discs and pads replaced. After driving in humid conditions, the pads gets clued to the discs and i have to brake them free with pure force. have anyone an idea using different pads which don't get rusted with the disc together?

This happens with just humidity? I always brake hard a few times or drag the brakes before parking if its raining out to make sure they are dry.

[Eberhard]

This happens with just humidity? I always brake hard a few times or drag the brakes before parking if its raining out to make sure they are dry.

Thats what I always do, but if don't drive for a few days this no longer helps if the humidity is too high.

[Roger Reid]

I also felt the brakes are under powering. I changed the pads to Carbotech AX6 they are much better initial bite but they squeal just a bit.

I have been running the Carbotech 6 compound for over a year now. These are the best stopping pads I have found for my 2.0. I highly recommend them.

It would be a shame to scrap an $100,000.00 plus car because you couldn't stop before the impact.

[brianman]

I find the Roadster's brake pedal takes a bit more force than most cars, which can give you the impression that they are weak. But they actually do stop quite fast...

Is there any official information (or educated guesses if not) regarding whether this is a Roadster-specific issue or whether we should expect similar human-calibration for the Model S and/or Model X?

A racing driver friend of mine recently drove the roadster in the local mountains, and pointed out that the brakes are usually cold! They stop just fine after a few uses.

Is this exacerbated by the use of regen much of the time vs. an ICE always using the brakes and thus they "warm faster"?

[strider]

Is there any official information (or educated guesses if not) regarding whether this is a Roadster-specific issue or whether we should expect similar human-calibration for the Model S and/or Model X?

As the Model S will be a "luxury car" vs a hard-edged sports car I would assume they will have stronger brake assist.

Is this exacerbated by the use of regen much of the time vs. an ICE always using the brakes and thus they "warm faster"?

Yes. On my 60-mile round trip commute I typically touch the brake pedal about 6 times - 2 stop signs, 2 stop lights, and pulling into my parking space/garage - and then it's only to stop the creep from 2mph or so to a stop. I use regen for all the slow and go on the freeway.

That being said, there was one of those classic Highway 101 "let's all slam on our brakes from 80mph" events the other day and I jammed on the brakes hard. The car stopped very quickly so the brake pads were biting just fine. But I did go through the brake bedding process I described above right after I got the car.