Safety concerning brakes

[Roadster Renovations]

I am curious about something. My OEM floorboards on our '14 RTS have a breakaway section that is designed to rotate down in the event the the brake pedal drops below a certain point. I think this is a great idea and something obviously needed. I am a little concerned that the aftermarket floorboards that I'm seeing do not seem to have that function. So I am now wondering how important it is.

 

[Chupaca]

Opinions...??

In my opinion very important..!!. I don't use them but that would be a must if I ever did and I would probably lift the pad some to make sure I have enough brakes. I always consider I don't have a hand brake....jmo

 

[Doc - Riverside]

I am curious about something. My OEM floorboards on our '14 RTS have a breakaway section that is designed to rotate down in the event the the brake pedal drops below a certain point. I think this is a great idea and something obviously needed. I am a little concerned that the aftermarket floorboards that I'm seeing do not seem to have that function. So I am now wondering how important it is.

I believe back about a year ago Lamount posted on this subject. He was forced into a panic stop and was glad the break away feature was. It saved his butt.

 

[Orange Spyder Man]

it appears some of the after market floor boards have a built in legal problem... with all the hungry lawyers .. I would be wary of selling them..

osm

 

[billybovine]

I am curious about something. My OEM floorboards on our '14 RTS have a breakaway section that is designed to rotate down in the event the the brake pedal drops below a certain point. I think this is a great idea and something obviously needed. I am a little concerned that the aftermarket floorboards that I'm seeing do not seem to have that function. So I am now wondering how important it is.

This seems to be a touchy subject. I expressed my concern about this very topic a year or 2 ago and all I got in return was stupid answers to my questions and a very nasty pm.

 

[garb55]

I have stomped on my brake pedal as hard as I can and have not even come close to the floorboard
I believe it is so that if you hit the pedal with your foot at an angle it will break away and give your foot the travel room

 

[Lamonster]

I believe back about a year ago Lamount posted on this subject. He was forced into a panic stop and was glad the break away feature was. It saved his butt.

You're correct and that's why my highway brackets for the RT with floor boards allow for that feature to be used in full. I saw first hand a knockoff of my brackets that didn't do that as they hit the fin before the pedal could go all the way down. It is a needed feature IMHO

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

DO THIS

I made my own floor boards for my Basic 2014 RT....I simply removed the rubber Pads from the OEM pegs and added a 1/4 in alum. plate which has the same angle as the foot peg.......I was also concerned about not being able to completely compress the Brake Pedal.....To check it , I put a thick stick on the brake pad angled out to the edge of the floorboard....While Dee stepped on the stick I looked to see if the stick completely bottomed on the board.......It didn't, I could see the Brake pedal had at least 1/4 to 3/8 inch more to go before the stick would bottom.....I have no idea about the other aftermarket boards, but you could do this to check........Mike :thumbup:

 

[Frank G]

Every brake pedal has a range of motion, any device that prohibits the full range is an issue. There is no defense for installing a device that prohibits the full range of motion on a safety system (Brakes). :yikes:

 

[Lamonster]

The problem that most folks don't realize is the Spyder does not have full pedal or pressure on the first pump, it won't get a hard pedal until two or three pumps. All Spyders are like that and that's why BRP went through the trouble to add that safety feature on their boards.

 

[tip]

brakes and floorboards

I build my own floorboards ('14 RT ). They are lower than stock by about 2 1/2" - if the pedal bottoms out I have a lot more to worry about than whether or not the section fell away as intended.
I agree with Lamont about 2 ( or more ) pumps to have a full and hard pedal.
Know your ride and be safe,
Tip

 

[wyliec]

The problem that most folks don't realize is the Spyder does not have full pedal or pressure on the first pump, it won't get a hard pedal until two or three pumps. All Spyders are like that and that's why BRP went through the trouble to add that safety feature on their boards.

That's good to know. I have not read that before. I'll have to check my owner's manual again.

Thanks

I just checked my owner's manual on my 2008GS, and here's what it says:

Antilock Braking System (ABS)
The vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) as part of the Vehicle Stability System (VSS). For hard braking, press and hold the brakepedal. ABS will prevent wheels from locking.

Maybe I'm the only one that didn't realize the brakes had to be pumped. That's very important, and should have been mentioned in the owner's manual.

I have an SM5, so any quick stops up to this point have been with the combo of braking and downshifting.

 

[ARtraveler]

We have aftermarket floorboards on the 2011. Seals. They come with a riser for the brake pedal. We have not had any issue with the brake pedal bottoming out. Also have the brake pedal extender (wider) installed on both :ani29:'s.

The 2014 RT has the OEM breakaway floorboards.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

REALLY

The problem that most folks don't realize is the Spyder does not have full pedal or pressure on the first pump, it won't get a hard pedal until two or three pumps. All Spyders are like that and that's why BRP went through the trouble to add that safety feature on their boards.

This is contradictory to everything I have ever heard about ABS.....which BRP makes a big deal announcing as a Safety feature on the Spyders....So BRP's system REQUIRES ...PUMPING ....to work effectively.................I wonder if NHSTA is aware of this feature ???????.....Mike :thumbup:

 

[Bob Denman]

BRP doesn't mention pumping the brakes in the manuals.
It's just something that has been found out through the miles and years...

 

[ARtraveler]

BRP doesn't mention pumping the brakes in the manuals.
It's just something that has been found out through the miles and years...

Just a question: I am not a brake expert.

Doesn't pumping the ABS negate the computer input to properly stop you? All the instruction I have seen says to hang on to the brakes and let the computer do the job.

 

[Bob Denman]

You are exactly correct! :thumbup:
Mash the pedal, and hang on to your hats! :yikes:

But usage of the bikes, has shown that pumping the brakes does get you a bit stouter pedal...

 

[ARtraveler]

You are exactly correct! :thumbup:
Mash the pedal, and hang on to your hats! :yikes:

But usage of the bikes, has shown that pumping the brakes does get you a bit stouter pedal...

Yes, on that. :yes::yes:

 

[Pennyrick]

When I added the floorboards to my 2012 RT, I was concerned about pedal travel as it looked like a panic stop would put the pedal into the board very easily. I called the vendor to ask about it and a few other things that I didn't like about the boards and was very put off by the response. The customer service was awful and I think they are now out of business.... they were a sponsor on this board at one time.

So, I designed a spacer to fit under the brake pedal out of a block of aluminum.

A local machine shop made it up for me and I just lengthened the pedal mounting bolts a little bit and it raised the pedal about an inch but it was just enough to allow for a panic stop and ease my mind.

 

[Roadster Renovations]

Not wanting to try it by no means, but I can tell you in a cage that if you pump your brakes on a panic stop, it will almost always negate the ABS. It is designed to pulsate at a fixed pressure on the pedal. It can then do it's thing and pulsate based upon what the wheel speed sensors are doing. And I'll bet the Spyder is exactly the same.

So, it sounds like you can pump the pedal a few times to get a firmer pedal, and it may or may not negate the ABS. Or you can step on the pedal once for all your worth and hold it and let the ABS system do it's job and hope it's enough. Huh!

And in reality, if it actually was a panic stop, how many of us would have the presence of mind to pump their brakes? I think I would be more apt to just stand on them.