[Euchre]

If the size of the brakes don't matter, why do race cars have serving platter sized rotors with massive calipers and heaps and tons of swept area? Yes, brake size DOES matter. My point was if you can't get bigger brakes, your only choice with what you have is engine braking. The gain is much less, but its more than nothing - and the added wear and tear is not the disaster some make it out to be. Also, don't compare a race car directly to a street car in all regards - most race cars aren't expected to keep brakes for 30k miles. You treat brakes as per race disposables. Race grade engines and transmissions are far less expendable. A street car's engine and trans are designed with much more long term durability, instead of outright performance. Costs a lot less in a race car to swap pads every race than to replace a high output but relatively fragile engine every few races.

 

[Mi_ka]

... in a modern automobile, tires and/or traction available are your limiting factors in a panic stop, not the size of the brakes.

In low speeds yes, in high speeds no. Panic stopping from 150kph (illegal yes but not uncommon traveling speed around here) is much better accomplished with big brakes than small ones. And CVT paddles would be a big aid in such a

 

[stevieachi]

Subaru got back to me via email from my question through the website;

Thanks for your patience as I researched engine braking in your 2013 Outback with CVT. I sent it to two separate Technical representatives. They both replied with similar feedback.

It is only recommended in situations where the engine braking would be needed, such as “when descending a grade." Normally, a driver would have no need to engine brake when just coming to a stop at a light or stop sign. Since the transmission is not designed to handle this, it would accelerate wear on the CVT.

I think that's enough for me to not make a habit of it. Thanks for all the input - good forum!

 

[Thai]

RobMunach is right. As long as the brake caliper(s) can stop a spinning wheel, the brake distance is mostly determined by tires and weight.

Big disc brakes are MAINLY there for fade resistance (aka heat dissipation). The faster your car is, the need for high quality caliper(s) increase. The more you use the brakes repeatedly, the more you need bigger disc brakes.

OB is not really a fast car, nor it is a track car....

 

[Thai]

In low speeds yes, in high speeds no. Panic stopping from 150kph (illegal yes but not uncommon traveling speed around here) is much better accomplished with big brakes than small ones. And CVT paddles would be a big aid in such a

How much do you have to downshift to make a difference at high speed??

 

[RobMunach]

If the size of the brakes don't matter, why do race cars have serving platter sized rotors with massive calipers and heaps and tons of swept area? Yes, brake size DOES matter. My point was if you can't get bigger brakes, your only choice with what you have is engine braking. The gain is much less, but its more than nothing - and the added wear and tear is not the disaster some make it out to be. Also, don't compare a race car directly to a street car in all regards - most race cars aren't expected to keep brakes for 30k miles. You treat brakes as per race disposables. Race grade engines and transmissions are far less expendable. A street car's engine and trans are designed with much more long term durability, instead of outright performance. Costs a lot less in a race car to swap pads every race than to replace a high output but relatively fragile engine every few races.

You are talking race cars and not street cars. The brake sizes on modern street cars are plenty big to take care of a single panic stop - maybe not multiple ones in a row - but that does not happen on the street. The lawyers would not have it any other way. A car stops so quickly from 60 mph nowadays, I doubt the transmission will have time to downshift and have it have a whole lot of effect anyway. I'd also like to see you turn off you ABS (if possible) and see if you can stop your car faster using the brakes and downshifting - good luck :>

 

[Mi_ka]

How much do you have to downshift to make a difference at high speed??

The most possible when a meter more is a meter into another vehicle.
I think that automatics with paddles are the only ones providing with the downshift option on a moment where you usually hold tight the wheel looking how to avoid the
But as already mentioned, the CVT assembly would not appreciate a habit of it.

 

[Novablue]

Subaru got back to me via email from my question through the website;

Thanks for your patience as I researched engine braking in your 2013 Outback with CVT. I sent it to two separate Technical representatives. They both replied with similar feedback.

It is only recommended in situations where the engine braking would be needed, such as “when descending a grade." Normally, a driver would have no need to engine brake when just coming to a stop at a light or stop sign. Since the transmission is not designed to handle this, it would accelerate wear on the CVT.

I think that's enough for me to not make a habit of it. Thanks for all the input - good forum!

In cases such as these it is much better to get the info from the horse's mouth, as they say. Thanks for posting this.

So many times people post their "feelings" and it is not always based on fact. Even I'm guilty of that sometimes.

 

[Harvey]

Subaru got back to me via email from my question through the website;

Thanks for your patience as I researched engine braking in your 2013 Outback with CVT. I sent it to two separate Technical representatives. They both replied with similar feedback.

It is only recommended in situations where the engine braking would be needed, such as “when descending a grade." Normally, a driver would have no need to engine brake when just coming to a stop at a light or stop sign. Since the transmission is not designed to handle this, it would accelerate wear on the CVT.

I think that's enough for me to not make a habit of it. Thanks for all the input - good forum!

Good work! Thanks.

 

[4wheeldog]

Subaru got back to me via email from my question through the website;

Thanks for your patience as I researched engine braking in your 2013 Outback with CVT. I sent it to two separate Technical representatives. They both replied with similar feedback.

It is only recommended in situations where the engine braking would be needed, such as “when descending a grade." Normally, a driver would have no need to engine brake when just coming to a stop at a light or stop sign. Since the transmission is not designed to handle this, it would accelerate wear on the CVT.

I think that's enough for me to not make a habit of it. Thanks for all the input - good forum!

****. I could have said that. In fact, I did say that. My wife tells me I was right once before, too.