Brake assistance

[rf860]

Quick question for you guys. For the past week i've been driving a grande punto 1.4 and can't help but notice how much more powerful the brakes appear compared to my fr tdi. Now i do know that the brakes on my car will actually be better, but the servo assistance is just a little but too little for my liking. I notice in vagcom that there is a module for 'brake assistance' or similar and was wondering if anybody has changed the assistance provided by the servo and if so, how do i go about doing it?

 

[m0rk]

Brake assist is when you emergency brake, and it brakes a bit more for you

Quite clever, but you shouldn't need it ever.

Changing the brake assist functionality on VCDS wouldn't be top of my list...

 

[rf860]

Brake assist is when you emergency brake, and it brakes a bit more for you

Quite clever, but you shouldn't need it ever.

Changing the brake assist functionality on VCDS wouldn't be top of my list...

yeah i know what that feature is. I'm talking about how much you have to press the brake pedal to get the brakes to slow the car. Maybe what i'm asking is'nt clear.

 

[m0rk]

Spongey pedal?

 

[Dubbed]

how much is left on your pads? when was the las time you had a brake fluid change?

 

[rf860]

Spongey pedal?

No, the breaks work ok, i would just like there to be more assistance from the servo if possible.

how much is left on your pads? when was the las time you had a brake fluid change?

There is plenty of life left on the pads and disks. The brake fluid was changed 2 months ago.

 

[m0rk]

So you want a firmer pedal that works sooner?

 

[.Phase]

I think they call it 312's

 

[rf860]

So you want a firmer pedal that works sooner?

Not so much firmer, working sooner yes.

I think they call it 312's

Yeah that would be nice, just now right at the moment ha ha. Might as well wait until the current disks are worn down anyway.

 

[vroomtshh]

312s won't give him better initial bite. All they will do is resist fade better and provide very slight better clamping force

 

[FR_MATT]

I've found they aren't very sharp, which after driving a car with sharp brakes, doesn't inspire confidence in the Ibiza ones.


Depends whether you would take the 312mm ones off when you're selling up then you may want the old ones to replace them with (and not buy new pads/discs)

 

[rf860]

I've found they aren't very sharp, which after driving a car with sharp brakes, doesn't inspire confidence in the Ibiza ones.


Depends whether you would take the 312mm ones off when you're selling up then you may want the old ones to replace them with (and not buy new pads/discs)

You have summed it up very well Tbh, the standard brakes are ok for what i need. Surely 24mm can't make that much of a difference anyway...

 

[Blanco92]

I've been trying to think of ways to make the initial bite of the brakes stronger.

I've recently driven an 09 plate Clio 1.5dci and a 2003 Audi A6 1.9 TDI and both have a much greater initial bite than the Ibiza. The braking power of the Ibiza isn't bad it's just the brakes seem to have a rather progressive feel.

I've done a brake fluid change with fresh DOT4 and put OEM pads in to replace the ECP Pagid ones... neither have made any real difference.

 

[Jordanwaterhous]

EBC pads? Maybe a set of Yellowstuff would give them a better bite, and less brake dust?

 

[vroomtshh]

Changing pads and fluids won't help with initial bite. The cars servo assistance is set up that way. It gives you more feel over the pedal.

Its not a bad thing

 

[rf860]

Think i'm getting used to the progressive brakes now after driving the punto. I suppose the idea of it is to make the car feel sporty....

 

[mgrays]

The Cupra with 312 has too much initial bite and is hard to get a smooth stop when coasting at 1-2mph up to lights but I have know even worse (Volvo traditionally and Cophen today). IMHO as a brake engineer it is "over servoed" already but then so are most cars today. Very hard to get a progressive set in a car today as they are all designed to be driven in high heels in traffic (!!) and not on a fast A road with good brake balance and control.

Anyway the brake assist just allows air pressure in the back of the servo to pull the brakes on .. MB designed it 20 years ago when I still did brakes! It will not give you grabbier brakes;
1. Better pads can help - cheap ones do not grab well.
2. 312mm calipers will help
3. metal braided hoses will make it firmer at medium braking
4. Bigger servo or smaller master cylinder would do something after lots of engineering..

Never had FR so not sure how poor they are.. suspect they are VAG typical i.e. not the best but adequate. The Cupra 4 pots really are very effective but somehow my old VR6 Golf with 312 cast iron set up was a better setup for brakes.

 

[great_kahn]

Ibiza has what i would call old school brakes.. where the harder you press increases the amount of actual braking.. not these new over sensitive setups. Drove a C2 vts once, and anything more than a slight prod on the pedal and you get emergency braking and your indicators start flashing.

 

[rf860]

The Cupra with 312 has too much initial bite and is hard to get a smooth stop when coasting at 1-2mph up to lights but I have know even worse (Volvo traditionally and Cophen today). IMHO as a brake engineer it is "over servoed" already but then so are most cars today. Very hard to get a progressive set in a car today as they are all designed to be driven in high heels in traffic (!!) and not on a fast A road with good brake balance and control.

Anyway the brake assist just allows air pressure in the back of the servo to pull the brakes on .. MB designed it 20 years ago when I still did brakes! It will not give you grabbier brakes;
1. Better pads can help - cheap ones do not grab well.
2. 312mm calipers will help
3. metal braided hoses will make it firmer at medium braking
4. Bigger servo or smaller master cylinder would do something after lots of engineering..

Never had FR so not sure how poor they are.. suspect they are VAG typical i.e. not the best but adequate. The Cupra 4 pots really are very effective but somehow my old VR6 Golf with 312 cast iron set up was a better setup for brakes.

Thanks you for your advice, it is very imformative. I think i'll just put up with them as i highly doubt i will be upgrading the brakes tbh.

 

[FR_MATT]

I wouldn't rule out 312mm ones off a TT I got calipers, carriers, hoses, new discs and pads (although stored so there's a little tarnish) for £120 delivered. Not that much more than new discs and pads would cost