Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: how much brake pedal pressure is OK?
smart51

posted on 15/6/10 at 11:30 AM Reply With Quote
how much brake pedal pressure is OK?

Correction

The front piston diameter I had was wrong. Redoing the calculations gives me a 30.3 kg pedal force with a 4:1 pedal in order to get 100% braking effort at the front and 60% at the rear. A 5:1 pedal needs 24.2kg to achieve the same.

Original Text

I've just done the brake calcs for my 3 wheeler and with a 4:1 pedal ratio, 48.3kg of brake pedal force gives 100% brake effort on the front wheels and 95% on the rear wheel. A 5:1 pedal needs 38.6kg to do the same. (thats 67 and 53 lbs in old money). Is this OK?

By 100 percent brake effort, I mean the stopping force applied by the tyre to the road is equal to the weight of the vehicle on the tyre. This is assuming a 0.3 coefficient of friction for the brake pads and 100% tyre grip.

How much pedal force is about right?

[Edited on 15-6-2010 by smart51]






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
turbodisplay

posted on 15/6/10 at 12:19 PM Reply With Quote
A bit subjective, best way of looking at it is what is the weakest person to use the vehicle. Ie a femle would be 40 - 70 % of the effort of a man.
Pedal effort realy is what is within your best control range, ie you can be progrssive. For me i guess 20 - 30 kg, more or less than that there is less feel.

You do what i did and put a pressure gauge in the brake line and work out what is comforatble. I produces 80 bar standing as hard as I could, no servo, slightly lower pedal ratio than donor tin top.

Darren

NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
hughpinder

posted on 15/6/10 at 12:50 PM Reply With Quote
sounds high to me - I have in my mid about 50lbs for a road car and 80 for a track car as being recommended maximums ( but I can't think where from - maybe a guide on rally design or burton power?)

Regards
Hugh

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Fred W B

posted on 15/6/10 at 01:55 PM Reply With Quote
Sit across a passage with a bathroom scale between your foot and the wall. Push on the scale and by reading the scale you can get a feel for it.

I seem to recall reading that you can design for 70 kg for a panic stop.

cheers

Fred W B





You can do it quickly. You can do it cheap. You can do it right. – Pick any two.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
britishtrident

posted on 15/6/10 at 02:23 PM Reply With Quote
If above about 70 lbf (310 Newtons) is required for a 1g stop it is a bit unpleasant.

Then you have to allow for fade, if after 3 stops in quick succesion from 60 mph more than 90 lbf (400 Newtons) is required it would be difficult to have much faith in the brakes.





[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
smart51

posted on 15/6/10 at 02:29 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
If above about 70 lbf (310 Newtons) is required for a 1g stop it is a bit unpleasant.

Then you have to allow for fade, if after 3 stops in quick succesion from 60 mph more than 90 lbf (400 Newtons) is required it would be difficult to have much faith in the brakes.


So with the 5:1 pedal ratio, 53 lbs force, rising to 68 with fade, would probably be acceptable.






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
britishtrident

posted on 15/6/10 at 02:29 PM Reply With Quote
A Mu of O.3 is very low for road pads a teeny bit over 0.4 is nearer the mark.





[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
smart51

posted on 15/6/10 at 02:44 PM Reply With Quote
Mu of 0.4 gives me 22.7kg (60lbs) for a 4:1 pedal and 18.2kg(50lbs) for a 5:1 pedal. The 4:1 option might be the best bet then.

[Edited on 15-6-2010 by smart51]






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
NS Dev

posted on 15/6/10 at 03:10 PM Reply With Quote
Yea its very easy to get caught up in too much detail on this one.

On a light car built for driving pleasure rather than a daily half asleep commute, I would definitely go for the 4:1 pedal.





Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion retro car restoration and tuning

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.