Special thanks to RedPlanet and Chevrolet, you saved me!
 

Yesterday I was on my way to pick up the kids in the SS, driving at about 50-55mph down a two-laner when a Alero pulled out directly in front of me.

She was coming from a side street on the opposite side of the road and pulling into a driveway, so I'm broadside on to this thing and only have enough time to hit the brakes. Entering the oncoming lane to dodge is not an option, and the road has lots of trees near the shoulder so going around her that way isn't a good idea - not to mention the fact that her car is blocking that route.

So, it's a full-on "mash the brakes" and pray deal.

The ABS kicked in, and the tires barked a bit, but the trusty SS wrenched to a stop with literally INCHES to spare. I mean inches. I couldn't see the lower part of her car when I stopped.

In any of my other cars, I would have hit her HARD.

So, three cheers for Chevrolet, and chalk one up to the performance of the F-cars for AVOIDING an accident.

Make the brakes as good on the 5th gen, if there ever is one.

good to hear everything worked out ok. I plan on getting an SS soon and this eases my mind a little bit subconciously.

Wow!
 

Did you have any choice words for her? Like, #*@&%$&@!

I've had some near misses like that as well. The F-body is indeed a great road machine! :bow:

Glad your okay!

BBURN

The Boach ABS system on my Impala is hands-down the best system I've ever experienced. It's just plain perfect :thumb: Even during track days, it does exactly what I would want it to do, and it avoids kicking-in until it's really needed. I simply can't believe the performance of this "low-end" system.

We won't talk about the Kelsey-Hayes system on my '96 GMC :)

Yep, those engineers rarely get the credit they deserve.

I was following a car (about 2 sec. behind at 65 mph) on the highway when they did a quick lane change and left me looking at a lay-z-boy chair in the middle of the lane! About 100-200 feet in front of me.

Thank goodness the next lane over was clear! Hard on the brakes and a quick glance at the next lane. I must have missed it by an inch. It was so close that when I stopped I checked for damage.

Brakes and suspension saved me from a big headache that day.

yup, I had a handful of similar experiences...


The f-bod is definantly a great road machine, especially for weekend roadtrips. Windows down, t-tops off, stereo turned up, exhaust burbling while you are cruising down the highway or ripping down a backroad....

Had a similar situation when I was living in Honolulu, but I was driving my 1st T-Bird SC. That's when I garnered a true amazement for their handling & road holding. Fortunately, I haven't had a repeat experience in the Z.

But don't forget, the tires you choose have as much to do with your accident avoidence as the ABS.

My Impala on stock-sized (255/50-17) Bridgestone RE730s does a 60-0 stop in 117 ft* according to my G-tech; my friend's Caprice with that thing's stock-sized (235/70-15) Michelins does the same stop in 134 ft as measured with the same unit. This would seem to reinforce your statement that tires do indeed make a huge difference.

Oddly enough, another friend's Jeep Wrangler stops in only 135 ft (wonderful for an SUV!) without ABS and with BFG All-Terrains. Those tires must be vulcanized by the Big Guy himself to perform this well on this type of a vehicle.

*Those that doubt this number can note that Motor Trend's test of the 1994 Impala SS resulted in a 120 ft 60-0, and that was on the underwhelming stock BFG Comp T/A ZR4s.

The Comps are great for lateral roadholding in dry (My Z initially came with those), but they aren't the greatest for acceleration or stopping.

Glad you are OK, Pacer X!

Good to hear your Camaro came through for you in a tight pinch.

I've been on the road for work the last week and a half... logging quite a few miles. I've forgotten how STUPID some drivers are. :mad:

Is that a RWAL ?
 

If so, it may be the same as on my ' 91 Suburban 4 x -

Who thought of that junk ? :death:

O.K. - let's see - we can let the rears lock up & slide, or we can control the rears & let the fronts lock up, taking out your steering control in the process. :mad:

HMMM ... :think:

!^@#$%&* !!!!

Bad part is, the SS has 4 wheel ABS & so does the Saturn. You really get spoiled ( used ) to good brakes, and have to relearn some of your driving habits when it is not there for you ! :eek:

Note that this was not a problem w/ any of my vehicles that were non anti-lock - you knew what to expect.

I'd disconnect the dam thing on the Sub, but just can't bring myself to subvert a "safety" feature ...

Back to the general topic - great brakes, crappy rotors !! :cry:

Fix that on the next one, and we are in good shape.

Is it just the F's that have this joy ( warped rotors ) , or do other GM products have the same issues ?


Britt

Ditto on the rotors!
 

My brakes stop pretty good, as I said above, but they could be much better with good rotors. I smoked a couple of ricers last night and the shut down from 130 was not pretty. I think I left quite a cloud of burning brake dust for them to sniff as they passed through it licking their wounds. :D

The Z's got quite a shake to it when slowing from sub-light speed!!! I need to fix them up over the three day weekend but I'm not prepared. Anyone have any thoughts about aftermarket rotors? I don't want/need anything for racing applications. Just a good quality, non-warping street rotor will do. I may just have the stockers turned again?!?!?

Thanks,

BBURN

I've got 15,000 miles now and no warped rotors with some pretty intense stops. I generally take the first turn-off at the end of the quarter mile, and you guys know how quickly that one comes up.

I had the stock tires on when I made this latest panic-stop, so the thanks still go to NAO engineering - they specified them.

Thank you for your post and for the compliment. We aren't perfect...but we sure try to be. ONe other thing I'd mention....(and I'm sure some are not going to agree with this.......)

It is my personal opinion that if you are going to drive your Camaro everyday in all kinds of weather....it is a good idea to stick with the tire brands we use. Are they 'perfect? No....but they give the best all-around handling and performance in all kinds of conditions. By tire brands: I mean the F-1 on SS, and the RSA on the Z28...................

(please don't start the flaming....I'm tired......just trying to help and give good advice.............)

Red,

You'll get no argument from me, quite to the contrary.

Every time I swap out a stock part for an aftermarket one I remember what your specifications look like. No aftermarket company ever even comes close to the amount of thought that goes into your stock parts.

I'm an automotive industry engineer, so I see those specifications regularly. Everybody out there should realize that every possible contingency has been addressed in one way or the other - and if it wasn't thought of, it is caught the next time around by a mechanism known as the Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA). No person or system is perfect, but GM is as close to having a flawless working system as any I have seen.

I can say, categorically from 10+ years of experience, that GM is the hands-down winner in the specifications area. Chrysler and Ford's specs are never as detailed or well thought out, the Asian manufacturers UNDER specify and the Europeans tend to over-specify (yep, you read that right... that's why the Japanese had a HUGE problem with unserviceable seat belt latches a few years back, they would fail the "Coke" test, meanwhile the Fisher Body seat belt latch could have nearly anything poured down it and still work like a charm - never heard about that one, did ya? - it happened...).

So, next time you decide to change tires, or any other part, have the idea clearly in your head that you are sacrificing SOMETHING relative to the stock part when you do it. You might not care what it is (like tire wear or wet traction on a drag radial or extra noise or droning/rasping for a cat-back exhaust), but the sacrifice is there. Sometimes the sacrifices are far more significant than the two little things I just mentioned.

Best regards Red, and thanks again!

Dan

PS - I work in the Tech Park in Pontiac behind the truck plant next to TTP, would love to meet ya for lunch sometime if you are in the area.

prsce22@hotmail.com