It's a simple enough question, and barely merits an actual post, but here it is anyway.

This past season was my first in my RX-8, and I ran in STU. This year I'll be in STX. I relied on the ABS a lot under braking, and I'd like to hear what the experts on this site have to say about the practice.

The RX-8 is actually the first car I've autocrossed (for more than one event) that has ABS. My previous cars did not. In the past, 'too much' resulted in instant loss of grip and flat spots. Not the case any more, but I wonder if it's really a good idea.

Thanks.

 

Nick,

I typically rely on the ABS especially when I haven't autcrossed the car in a while. I do find that as the season goes on, I'm better able to thresh hold brake the car.

 

I don't have much AutoX experience (only 1 event). But in the advanced driving course last year the whole point of one of the exercises was to brake as hard as possible without engaging the ABS. They say it is a more efficient way to brake. Problem is obviously finding that treshold, as chiketkd mentioned.

 

Use it, it is the one nanny in new cars that works.

 

Cool. Thanks, dude. That's been my gut feeling. As long as I'm not actually driving, though, I might as well be talking about it.

 

braking too hard and too late is a bad habit i'm still working on, but when i ran 255/40-17s and 265/35-18s (both yokohama ad07s) in STU i never once activated the ABS except when a course at SJR was super sandy from construction work nearby.

what tires were you running in STU?

 

I hear you, dude. We all have bad habits we're fighting.

Personally, I have justified my reliance on the ABS two ways. One, if it increased the stopping distance on the car it wouldn't be there. Two, it's consistent and I have developed a feeling for how long it takes to slow the car without having to modulate the pedal. I can concentrate on other things.

I used 275/40-17 Azenis last year. I haven't decided what I'll use this year. I'm leaning towards the Dunlop, if only because it can be flipped later on in the season.