Austin-c230k

Someone pulled out of a stopsign infront of me today, and i had to slam on the breaks for the first time. What i was wondering about was, is it normal for the brakes to feel like your sliding over gravel after you stomp down on it? I was in a parking lot going about 20mph when this happend. No loose rocks or anything on the pavement that i could see. If i normally brake its pretty smooth no gravely feel to it at all. I tested this again and stomped on the breaks when i got home and it did the same thing, the last second right before i stopped i felt like i was trying to stop on gravel. The car does STOP quick when i do that, i just want to know if its normal. I don't think i've ever felt that happening in my parent's ML320.

-Austin

preyx

Yeah, that wierd vibration should be the ABS and/or BAS system kicking in. The vibration occurs because the ABS system is designed to rapidly pulse the brake pads against the disc to prevent the wheels from locking up and increasing your stop distance (not to mention shaving your tires to a bald spot).

Probably the ABS may kick in only at the end because the car is then going slow enough to have the potential of locking the wheels.

PoonerElRay

You are using H7 55W PIAA Xtreme White bulbs for your low beams? How long have you had them in there for?

Any problems so far?

preyx

LOL, sadly I just got them from my friend about a week ago, so I can't comment on bulb life.

The color looks really nice, and I think the bright white matches the silver color of the car much better than the yellow stock bulbs. Plus I got clear side-markers and swapped out my license plate lights for white lights too. My fog lights have also been swapped out for Xtreme White bulbs too. All that white seems to give the car a cleaner look, IMHO.

The next aesthetic mod I'm going for is tinting the taillights to black, so it's a more uniform black color than the stock red tint. Did anybody do this before?

PoonerElRay

PreyX

U mentioned replacing the license plate bulbs with white light bulbs. I have been looking for something like that but can't seem to find the right size and wattage.

5W super white bulbs??? Where did you buy them? What brand? How much? I'm excited...Got any pics at night???

preyx

The bulbs to replace the license plate lights and a few other interior lights is not that hard to find. Go to any ricer shop, and look for B1-Hybrid M-27(? memory a bit fuzzy) type bulbs. The bulb size is similar to those found in traditional ricer cars. Another side-effect of these bulbs is that because they're rated 10W each instead of the stock 5W, they won't pop the fuse but they will be very very bright!

The W5W is actually not that hard if you know what to look for. Not too long ago I went to one store and they consulted a bulb handbook to look them up, and apparently they are also traditional ricer bulbs. They are the side marker bulbs for Hondas and stuff. They're called position lights I think. They're the really tiny lights no bigger than the tip of a pinkie. They even make a variation of these lights that come with hyper-white LEDs inside instead of a filament, for even wierder effects. Go check them out.

A word of advice: replacing your fog lights is a pain in the butt. Be prepared to break out the jack stand.

PoonerElRay

So what u're saying is that the 10W bulbs for the license plates are ok? It won't get too hot to damage the lens?

Post some pics taken at night please???

preyx

With the 10W bulbs installed, the lenses get pretty toasty, but I haven't noticed any permanent damage... yet...

As for pix of the car, I'm unfortunately stuck taking summer school here at the university, and I had to leave my car back home, I'll try to get a website with all my car pix online ASAP, but none for now, sorry.

But the lights are bright enough to leave a visible patch on the ground and bumper, not to mention make your rear plate quite visible, keep that in mind.