Controversy regarding brake habit.

For a long time I have the habit of putting the shifter in N when stopped at light. I have done this to allow the brake pads to cool off after braking and not to warp the rotors/drums. I was told that is a big mistake and should keep the brake applied when stopping at light.
I only do this on my truck to protect it. On company vehicles I keep the brake engaged.
Good or bad?

 

You'll probably stop doing that when someone rear ends you and you end up in the middle of the intersection with cross traffic. Ask my friend how he knows that.

 

Easy, put it in N then engage the hand brake.

 

You have to worry about that with new pads until you have them bedded in. But that is a 10 minute process and only done with a pad change. The rotors and drums can handle the heat of daily driving/stopping. Definitely not something you need to worry about, just enjoy your truck.

 

I have a 2005 dodge truck and haven't had to replace rotors due to warping. Wife also has a 2000 minivan and have not had rotors replaced due to warping. Both of those vehicles we hold the brake at any stop. I also always keep my motorcycle in gear and hold the brake at a stop and havent had any issues.

How hard are you braking where they get that hot with normal driving?

 

This seems more of a hassle than driving stick shift...plus I would imagine constantly shifting can’t be any better for your transmission, not to mention that constantly engaging the e-brake while in neutral excessively would mean you need to retighten and adjust the brake cable more often...like the gentleman above said, just enjoy your truck...these things are work horses and last forever!

 

When I approach a light and see it turn red, I always put the truck in N, and if a brake is needed, use the nice hand brake next to me. I never leave my truck, wife's Subby or bike in gear when at a light.

 

I have a manual so I always put it in neutral at a stop so i can let out the clutch. As for letting off the brake I'll do occasionally it if no one is around, but for reason stated above I make sure my brake lights are on if someone is coming up behind me.

 

Check your state Motor Vehicle laws, in Oregon it's illegal to coast in neutral (OR 811.495). All you manual tranny guys turn yourselves in to the cops now!

 

Never admitted to coasting in neutral, stopped at a light is not coasting. Glad I live in Kansas where its only illegal to coast going down hill. Lucky for us we don't have hills, so I haven't done anything illegal.

 

The Oregon law speaks of coasting down hill as well, and while I'd never admit of committing a crime on an open forum, I may (or may not) have coasted downhill a time or two in neutral.

 

Wont save your rotors unless you were actually moving. The brake pad moves a very small amount, they are essentially still touching the disk. When you bed in brakes, you have to get them hot and then drive without stopping for 10 minutes or more. This is so the pads never sit in one spot on the rotor for too long.

More likely to prematurely wear your transmission. Plus you risk having someone push you if they hit you as others have said.

If you want to save your rotors, coast more and brake easier. Don't just go from gas to brake. Try and predict when traffic will slow or lights will turn. This will net much better fuel econ too.

Brakes are cheap and easy to repair. A transmission is not.

Us Manual guys that know how to drive never coast in neutral either (except maybe for the last few feet as we slide it in to neutral). Coasting in neutral wastes gas and requires more brake to slow.

 

Terrible idea. What happens if you need to take off/move out of the way real quick because you see someone is about to plow into you?

Also, you are prematurely wearing out your e-brake cables.

 

I only let off the brake for a sec to let the heat dissipate, that's all it really takes imo.
Been doing it for many years, I don't go thru a many brakes. In fact, I can't remember the last time I had to do brakes on any of my personal vehicles.

Having said that, doing that may not even matter, what does matter is the overall braking/ driving habits we all have. My son's gf needed brakes on her rav4 after only 28k. But you should see how she drives!!

My wife on the other extreme has over 50k on her T4R and she put most of the 180+k mileage on the previous T4R which was traded without a brake job and still the brakes weren't up to the wear indicators. And she does not let off the brake pedal at the lights like I do, but does not race to the light only to make panic stops.

Just my .02 contribution to braking issues today
Cheers!

 

Your wearing out your brake shoes doing that, all So most vehicles are about 70/30 front to rear stopping power.

 

Brakes heat from friction. If you're stopped, there is no friction happening, since there is no motion. Your brakes would cool regardless of what gear you're in.

BTW, I do usually shift to N when at a stop (after stopping, not while still rolling), but I still cover the brakes. Nothing to do with cooling the brakes, though.

 

Hope my tacos crash ratings are real. Honestly, in a manual transmission, you don't sit there in gear anyways, so I probably would be screwed anyways. And e-brakes freeze up if they are not used, and I don't tend to park in my drive way with the e-brake on, I leave it in gear.

 

Didn't realize so many opinions on this

 

It makes absolutely no difference. So, keep em on, let em off, put it in neutral, drive, park or reverse. Rotor temp is not going to change much in the minute you are sitting at a light regardless of what you do.