Pouring Water on Hot Brakes while driving downhills

[Sniperr]

I have preferred to use low gear technique along with some braking while driving downhills but I have seen people pouring cold water on brakes of their cars when the brake pads gets hot while driving downhills and continuous engagement of brakes. So I want to ask if it is sensible to do it? Does the experts advise to do so?

[FarmBoy]

I am not an expert but I would prefer to do what you do. Lower gear. I think its usually said to use the same gear both ways. If you go uphill in 1st gear its better to use 1st gear when coming downhill on the same portion of the road where you used 1st gear going up.

About using water I can't say if its good or not but I have also seen people throwing soil on the tires when the brakes are hot.

Experts will tell you what is the right thing to do. Maybe I am wrong

[dani123]

I have preferred to use low gear technique along with some braking while driving downhills but I have seen people pouring cold water on brakes of their cars when the brake pads gets hot while driving downhills and continuous engagement of brakes. So I want to ask if it is sensible to do it? Does the experts advise to do so?

dont pour water on brakes pad let it cool den drive i did this method on my civic 2005 model but brakes pads creating strange noises den i bought new 1 set for her i mean civic den its alryt kindly dont do stupidtyyy

[istafa111]

Not advisable. When you pour cold water on hot metal, it may change its shape from the surface. It would result in strong vibrations in the steering while braking hard.

In simple mechanic words... Disc, jisko tawwa kaha jata hai, woh deshape ho jata hai aur uss pe tool lagwana parta hai level karnay k liye.

[fullyloaded2]

pouring water on hot disc is THE MOST stupidest thing u could do.... sudden fall in temperature would not only deform the disc but will also cause minor fractures, which may cause the discs to crack when the applied strongly.... deforming is another issue which would result in vibration in steering and also loss in the effectiveness as the pads wont be able to grip them as they used to....

use lower gears nd try not to follow the speed of others... hav seen many people who would try to match pace with others not realizing the difference in cars nd models.... driving sensibly wont over heat ur breaks....

[n4nomi]

Informative ! I am leaving for Uphills Tomorrow!

[gr8qasim]

@op you will ruin your brakes by doing so.

[24spins]

Simple mechanics...but a glass bowl in the microwave for a couple mins, and take it out and throw it in cold water. Glass will shatter.

Physics point of view, the disc when hot, expands. Throwing cold water on the disc will bring the atoms close together and will contract the disc, therefore deshaping it and causing warping.

[immad100]

@poster when brakes become hot and you pour water on it the metal becomes harder and changes its chape which causes the change in the surface of disc i.e it becomes rough and when this happen nd u apply brakes after that...the brake pedal vibrates nd it indicates that ur hub surface is damaged nd then u'l have to send it to ''kharadiya''a machinest who'l rub the surface frequently through machines to make it smooth as it is required to be.

[lazers]

Informative ! I am leaving for Uphills Tomorrow!

Where are you going ? And y u need to pour water on brakes, just drive in low gear and there should be no need for any water. Brakes only heat up when u use them extensively on hilly areas which is not recommended.

[BackToCivicFaiez]

Simple mechanics...but a glass bowl in the microwave for a couple mins, and take it out and throw it in cold water. Glass will shatter.

Physics point of view, the disc when hot, expands. Throwing cold water on the disc will bring the atoms close together and will contract the disc, therefore deshaping it and causing warping.

the glass wouldnt survive the microwave unless its unbreakable in which case the cold water wouldnt break it either....

@poster: if ur car has ceramic brakes, then no need to worry. If it doesnt, the only way to cool it is to drop ur car in water ( that way, the brakes will cool off evenly ) OR wait for it....

[Hunainsq]

I have preferred to use low gear technique along with some braking while driving downhills but I have seen people pouring cold water on brakes of their cars when the brake pads gets hot while driving downhills and continuous engagement of brakes. So I want to ask if it is sensible to do it? Does the experts advise to do so?

do not pour water on the brakes it will totaly ruin ur brakes
it is much much wiser to use the low gear technique while driving downhill

[chinyoti]

Stick to the low gear thingy, and dont apply brakes unless you feel using them, As when they get hot, "due being used continusly, They might not work when needed"

[brownrose78]

let it cool naturally

[bluespark]

Low gears! Please!

[BackToCivicFaiez]

Stick to the low gear thingy, and dont apply brakes unless you feel using them, As when they get hot, "due being used continusly, They might not work when needed"

this way you'll be burning ur clutch and gears instead of brakes...

this wud be more expensive and is not recommended...

[lazers]

this way you'll be burning ur clutch and gears instead of brakes...

this wud be more expensive and is not recommended...

That is the basic rule for driving in hilly areas :P, i m not saying to drive in 1st gear but def do not drive in 4 and 5th gear. What do others say ?

[devils_smile]

this way you'll be burning ur clutch and gears instead of brakes...

this wud be more expensive and is not recommended...

Wrong advise....using low gears is the right way when going uphill and downhill. no1s telling u to max out the cars engine rpm in each gear. driving at a reasonable speed will keep both ur engine(uphill) and brakes(downhill) cool. and NEVER pour cold water on hot brakes. ul just screw ur brakes. and CERAMIC brakes dont come in pakistani cars KEEP THAT IN MIND

[devils_smile]

That is the basic rule for driving in hilly areas :P, i m not saying to drive in 1st gear but def do not drive in 4 and 5th gear. What do others say ?

agreed 100%

[daniyalahmad]

Use low gears while driving downhill.
Never pour water on the brake discs,
They will warp out and you will feel abnormal vibrations while applying brakes.
In worst cases you,ll have to replace the discs.