Use of ABS

If learning a corner in a fairly stock car (2006 Porsche Cayman), do you apply the brakes hard enough to engage the ABS?

I would say not on purpose, but if ABS activates that should be a clue you are probably a bit too aggressive with the pedal pressure.

Personally, I agree with David, partly because at that point there is no more ability to balance the vehicle under braking while learning.In practice, I've had times where my normal practice of using brakes to aid turn in on a (different) production vehicle was severely compromised when I went a touch to hard on the brakes and ABS kicked in running me wide.

It can sometimes be difficult to gauge how close one is to locking an inner, so the ABS could be a useful aid for that - there are even race series that ban ABS, but teams use a warning light to indicate a locked wheel - the Aussie Supercars are an example.

However, I know of professional race drivers who have the "hit the brakes hard enough to trigger the ABS" philosophy, but they would have very well sorted vehicles already and be set for that style.

If you have a means of logging, it may give an additional tool for sorting out the best pad balance, with temp' paint on the discs - different manufacurers and their comound ranges can provide different co-efficients of friction (braking force) at different temperatures. EG, if the fronts trigger the ABS when the brakes are still coolish after a lap or two, and the rears after several hot laps, you may find an overall advantage with front pads that work better at the peak disc temperatures and/or rears that fall off a little at their operating temperature.

All the brake pad manufacturers should have co-efficient charts vs temperature for their various compounds. NOTE, pay attention to any comments about disc or pad wear, or dust - they usually mean it.

Thanks for the feedback.