Yes, I'm bored again. Sorry.
Life without ABS. As you may know, the ABS on my Grand Am GT doesn't work. I haven't had any problems for the past few months that I've been driving it. That is until the past week or so... but first I'm going to tell you about a related issue.
My front tires. Back around the middle of summer, I had my rear tires replaced. The rear were worthless with holes, leaks, and very little thread. The front, however, were still in great condition. Over half of its thread left. They gripped better than the new ones put on the rears. So, my dad left them alone and on the front. Ofcourse, as some may know, the roads around my house suck. They're rough, eneven, cracked, tore up, multi layered, and are only 1.5 lanes wide with a terrible birm. They ate the front tires on my Parent's Blazer in less than 8 months... Since the right side one had to deal with the birm, it was worn down on the edges and to the wires. How have they been on my GA's tires? Good in comparision, but they're been worn down. They'll need to be replaced before the winter, that's for sure, though.
Why, you ask? Well, anyone in the Northeast will tell you that the weather has been absolutely crappy. Rain, rain, rain, snow, and more rain! Ugh! Combine this with my front tires and you have a recipe for... not a disaster, but close to it. I've been noticing that my front tires are sliding quite a bit. One turn I went around that had water running across it, the tires had zero traction. Luckily the water was in the middle of the turn and I was already turning. Its done this on more turns, as well. Usually not anything serious, but I can feel the disconnection. Ofcourse, however, I probably drive a bit too fast for wet roads.
Anyways, due to all of that above, I've had some intersting experiences with the brakes. As I said, no ABS. Well, I was coming down a steep hill. There's a stoplight right at the bottom. The roads are wet. I'm going the speed limit (35). Being that its steep, you have to get on the brakes hard regardless of your speed. I try hitting them early as to not get on them so hard, but I still end up having to. I'm toying with the limit, trying to get on them as hard as I can, but as lightly as I can. The car isn't stopping quickly enough. I lightly push harder and harder until my front wheels lock. Ooops... that didn't work. I finally slide to a stop. Just where I have move my head foward to see the light... a car length over the stopping line. Damn hill.
What was the point of this thread? I don't really know... I'm just bored. Hope you enjoyed it. :lol: :D :P