I know that repeated sudden stops at a medium-high rate of speed in semi-quick succession can be damaging to the average vehicle, but I’m curious as to how damaging, and in exactly what way.
I’m also curious, let’s say hypothetically I perform 6 emergency stops a week, 3 from 30MPH and 3 from 60MPH, we’ll say I’m doing 1 a day with 1 day off. What kind of short/long term damage should I be expecting from the added stress to the vehicle?
Sorry if this is a weird question. I had trouble finding a satisfying answer to both questions online. I’m not a technically inclined individual.
Thank you.
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If you’re hypothetically making 6 emergency stops a week you prob need to start paying attention when you drive, or just stop driving all together
Brakes and tires are a wear item. You will increase the load on them, therefore increasing the wear. But you will not damage anything.
It’s not damaging at all to the vehicle.
The brakes will wear out a little quicker than normal, but nothing is getting damaged.
I should add a caveat. This applies to a properly maintained vehicle. If you drive a rusted out shit box where the suspension is held together with hummus and cheesecloth, all bets are off.
A normal and decently maintained vehicle will not be damaged in any way from doing the occasional emergency stop. Your car is designed to stop without destroying itself.
Your brakes will wear a little faster if you did this daily, and the heat from doing it many times in quick succession will heat and wear your brakes very quickly, but that’s it.
Outside of a racetrack you aren’t going to be pushing your brakes to their limit at all, even with an emergency brake situation every day.
You’re fine. I tracked my car six times this year. 100 laps of the absolute hardest braking you could imagine from 110mph, and the brakes look just like the day I installed them. My tires though, that’s a different story. You’re fine.
Well to put it simply, it’s not damaging at all. Doesn’t harm a single damn thing.