Wet Brakes

[YikeGrymon]

Wondering if ALL of us (or some) experience a second of Holy Shet! sometimes when the brakes are really wet. As in for one example a steady highway cruise, having not touched the brakes in a while (so they're about as wet as they'll get), and then coming to a stop sign at the end of an off-ramp.

I can't remember if I've experienced this in other cars I've owned, or if I'm just forgetful lately or what. So I thought I'd ask.

Also wondering if there's anything to be done about it, other than be better at remembering.

Rotors are "OEM slotted" from ECS, pads are Porterfield R4-S. This at both ends of the car. I'd think the slots would in fact help the situation. But again, I can't remember having this elsewhere....

EDIT: Just to be clear and avoid accusations of being vague, I meant Holy Shet! as in the brakes are way less there for a second. I've been trying to remember if any car does this but I can't recall.

[g60racer]

It's your pad compound. Responds well in dry. Not so much in wet.

OEM pads don't have that issue.

[im no hero x]

It's your pad compound. Responds well in dry. Not so much in wet.

OEM pads don't have that issue.

I have OEM pads on my B6 3.6 Passat and my .:R but they both act up like that on occasion.

It never really happens on the highway for me though. Only when it's been raining steadily and I start driving down the steep hill on my street and I start slowing down for the stop sign. For a second it's like "OmGz, I haZ nO BRaKes!" but then it's like "...oh, okay. Cool."

[Budgeezer]

Check out this thread: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...ght=wet+brakes

[YikeGrymon]

Check out this thread: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...ght=wet+brakes

Ah. Good insight.

[BOUDAH]

Simply Tap the brakes before u want to really stop... problem solved.

[YikeGrymon]

Simply Tap the brakes before u want to really stop... problem solved.

Well, yeah. I'm more concerned with when I have no heads-up, and was just wondering if anyone else has this. It's really not THAT bad, just gives me a start for a second sometimes.

I suppose the only thing to do, other than change pads maybe, is be better at teaching myself not to forget. And keep greater distance between myself and whatever's in front of me when it's wet out. This last part is not always easy because, where I live anyway, if you leave some good space in front of you on the highway, various a-holey people tend to fill it in and just hover there.

[Redhouse86]

I also have this problem. I am almost due for front brakes at 81k should be about its second set I would think, I have had it sence 68k. I was thinking slotted rotors may help with the water?

[rajuncajun37]

OEM rotors, OEM pads and stationed in TEXAS. I don't have this issue, just saying. Rain all you want, I'll stand on these brakes with 100% confidence. Love the OEM setup for daily driving. If people daily drive on race pads or aggressive street pads I guess it could get scary.

GOOD LUCK


Not my car, I just like the picture.

[EIPtuningR32]

i use Red stuff pads and yeah... it is sketchy every day until the pads warm up. with water it is even worse. i seem to notice it more with people in the car....

[MatadoR32]

OEM pads and rotors; yeah it happens. Solution is to just tap the brakes for a sec to clear or get slotted rotors. Some have said to just keep pressing the brake until it grabs but I find it takes too long for me at least.

[speedbump2]

OEM rotors, OEM pads and stationed in TEXAS. I don't have this issue, just saying. Rain all you want, I'll stand on these brakes with 100% confidence. Love the OEM setup for daily driving. If people daily drive on race pads or aggressive street pads I guess it could get scary...

It's the weather. It probably doesn't get cold enough where you are to make much of a difference.
It's usually when temps are in the forties, and there's a cold rain falling.

I had the ECS OEM slotted rotors on front & rear, and it helped, but did not completely eliminate the problem. Whenever I was faced with those conditions, I would just touch the brake pedal every once in a while to wipe off the water and put a little heat into the rotors.

--Chuck--

[speedbump2]

...OEM pads don't have that issue.

Maybe the OEM pads don't have that issue in San Diego, but they certainly do in the Northeast.

--Chuck--

[VAsteve]

Maybe the OEM pads don't have that issue in San Diego, but they certainly do in the Northeast.

--Chuck--

Agreed.
Once I switched to Hawk pads, the problem went away..

[nachtmusik]

Wondering if ALL of us (or some) experience a second of Holy Shet! sometimes when the brakes are really wet. As in for one example a steady highway cruise, having not touched the brakes in a while (so they're about as wet as they'll get), and then coming to a stop sign at the end of an off-ramp.

Funny you should ask...that was me this morning

[Sump]

i use Red stuff pads and yeah... it is sketchy every day until the pads warm up. with water it is even worse. i seem to notice it more with people in the car....

Same, I have red stuffs as well (bought the car with them) and they're terrible until warmed up and annoying after that for around town use. Only time they've been worth it was when I went to the dragon this year where I thought they performed well.

[BOUDAH]

Same, I have red stuffs as well (bought the car with them) and they're terrible until warmed up and annoying after that for around town use. Only time they've been worth it was when I went to the dragon this year where I thought they performed well.

I was just about to buy those pads.. Thats now not happening. I have Hawk HPS and used those on the dragon, they re nice.

[Sump]

I was just about to buy those pads.. Thats now not happening. I have Hawk HPS and used those on the dragon, they re nice.

I had Hawks on my MKV GTI and liked them. I will prob get those and Luis Racing Brake setup next spring before WITW 13.

Pending I can cook these red stuffs off, that's one thing is they have 30k on them and there is a ton of pad left.

[EIPtuningR32]

I was just about to buy those pads.. Thats now not happening. I have Hawk HPS and used those on the dragon, they re nice.

they are great pads, but sometimes they need to be warmed up a little.... i never had any problem where i was like.. "damn i am changing these." i would probably buy them again or go with the new Blue Stuff....

[Gti Fly]

Wondering if ALL of us (or some) experience a second of Holy Shet! sometimes when the brakes are really wet. As in for one example a steady highway cruise, having not touched the brakes in a while (so they're about as wet as they'll get), and then coming to a stop sign at the end of an off-ramp.

I can't remember if I've experienced this in other cars I've owned, or if I'm just forgetful lately or what. So I thought I'd ask.

Also wondering if there's anything to be done about it, other than be better at remembering.

Rotors are "OEM slotted" from ECS, pads are Porterfield R4-S. This at both ends of the car. I'd think the slots would in fact help the situation. But again, I can't remember having this elsewhere....

EDIT: Just to be clear and avoid accusations of being vague, I meant Holy Shet! as in the brakes are way less there for a second. I've been trying to remember if any car does this but I can't recall.

Yes this is something that is norm, and I've commented on it several times

I've owned my R32 new since 2003, done 102,000 miles now.


I noticed the brakes don't work if it's raining heavily and I'm on the motorway cruising along.
The brakes won't stop the car when you first press them. The only thing to do is quickly release and reapply the brake pedal. It's bloody scary when you need to stop quickly

The only way around that was to periodically dab the brake pedal to 'wash' off the discs as it were.


Now I must say that this happened from new (and I've only ever used OEM brake discs)

It's happened on the factory set up from new
it happens with Mintex, Jurid and TEXTAR brake pads (all OEM stuff VW supply in UK)

for the past 15,000 miles I've been using EBC yellow stuff pads (I don' t think you guys have them in USA?) and they don't suffer from this problem.


Why? dunno, could be down to pad material, could also be because the yellow stuff pads have a slot cut down the middle?

Who knows, but for me the problem went away since using EBC yellow pads

[EIPtuningR32]

we can get yellow stuff here.

[Gti Fly]

This is what a UK car magazine said about their Long term test car, back in 2002-3 era,

A Bora v6 4motion ( I think you guys call it a Jetta?)

http://www.fastsaloons.com/newsstory...eld=204&type=2

quote:
The brakes appear to have a fault when wet - something found on the golf variants too.


I remember following the long term test of this car 10years ago, they always said the brakes were dangerous during wet motorway driving! Must be something to do with the design on the calipers/positioning or maybe it's down to the same crappy brake pad manufacturer of that time?

[jmh2002]

As has been mentioned numerous times in numerous threads already, this is a factor with large surface area brake rotors, particularly when not drilled, slotted, or otherwise, and its apparent regardless of manufacturer.

Its not a design fault of the R32, so we shouldnt start with comments that go down that road.

Its pretty common sense when you think about it, any large continuous surface area is going to be prone to such a problem like this, and thats why its reduced when there is any form of pattern on the rotor. I would imagine the RB design with open slots suffers even less, since there is somewhere for the water to be exhausted.

You can note that some later model cars actually have an auto wipe feature where the brakes are gently applied at intervals to reduce this problem.

But we are talking 2004, and back then its not as if the R32 was in the same league as an S Class Mercedes.

[rconn14]

Happens to me... as far as I know I'm on OEM pads as well.

[BOUDAH]

Happens to me... as far as I know I'm on OEM pads as well.

I've had a few o **** moments too when on oem setup. Happens w my hawks too

[YikeGrymon]

Hm, back from the dead I see. Recently dead. Back from the morgue, whatever.

No clue what it means that people have such varied experience with this, with various pad/rotor combinations. Maybe it's just quasi-"normal," and some folks are more aware of or concerned with it?

I guess I won't worry about it, and just do what I can to not forget about this effect. Had the R for three years now, had a MkIV GTI for nine before that (with OEM rotors and pads, then EBC Greenstuff after a while). Can't remember for the life of me if that car did this as well. Maybe it didn't, if this is mostly, as some have said, a matter of bigger rotors presenting more surface area.

[JohnsonGTI]

I have a IV GTI and never had this problem until I upgraded the front and rear brakes to 20th brakes. I also run hawk hps pads all the way around with plain smooth rotors. The first time I noticed it was on my way to Wookies in the Woods 2010. It started poring rain on the hwy when you first hit the mountains and when I tried to hit the brakes for the first time I dropped a nugget in the seat lol. I just wipe them every now and again when its raining but I do think it is because of the increased rotor size mostly. I never have this problem in my wifes TDI with those tiny rotors lol. On another note I do love the HPS pads they stop extremely well with only a slight squeal from the rear every once in a while under light pedal pressure.

[SpotVW]

The 13.1" rotors up front have a big surface area, which can collect water and cause your pads to hydroplane for a second. That's my bill nye input. Haha. I had drilled rotors on my Jetta, and that never happened again.

[SpotVW]

And then I read that jmh had just said that.