[Cito]

Been a while since I have been here. I have a 17 1LE. Considering selling it to one of the big chains given that the resale value is high right now. But, I am having second thoughts. I would love to keep it, but have had problems with ice mode/hard pedal when autocrossing. Just wondering whether anyone has figured out any new ways to mitigate this issue with the 17-18 camaros in the 2 years or so since I stopped autocrossing it? Before you flame me, I did do a search and didn't see anything new. I would love to hear that there is a "fix" or way to significantly improve the issue. If there is, I would seriously consider keeping it and running it again...even if it had to be CAM-C.

Thanks in advance...

[Future1LEa10]

What issue are you having???

[conemark]

I have experienced the ice-mode phenomenon twice in my 4 cylinder a couple of times during my first few runs with the car. Since in the distant past, I competed with a 4th gen F-Body. One way to get around the problem in those cars was to be conscious of brake and throttle application, certainly not blending the two. Also, braking in a straight line, in a smooth manner was helpful.

[Cito]

My problems are outlined in an old woe is me post. Goddam I love the car, and I hate that the hard pedal has been such an issue. Sounds like the same advice applies. Wish it was just my poor driving, but it also happens to good drivers. I was hoping that GM or someone would have come up with an easy fix besides buying a ZLE or getting a newer one where the problem is mitigated but not really fixed. Thanks for the replies.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by Cito

My problems are outlined in an old woe is me post. Goddam I love the car, and I hate that the hard pedal has been such an issue. Sounds like the same advice applies. Wish it was just my poor driving, but it also happens to good drivers. I was hoping that GM or someone would have come up with an easy fix besides buying a ZLE or getting a newer one where the problem is mitigated but not really fixed. Thanks for the replies.

It really seems to be all about brake application. If you initially stab the brakes while the car is unsettled, it's probably going to happen a lot. If you initially press the brakes while the car is unsettled it probably won't happen too often.

My codrvier got it frequently in the 2017 turbo and I almost never got it. Looking at our data traces in a few different cars, there's always a slight rounding at initial application in my traces where his are more more of a straight line. The difference is just barely enough to see in a trace, but not enough to see in video or make a measurable difference in how quickly the car slows.

In the 2020 SS 1LE we've done a couple events in, my codriver hasn't experienced hard pedal once (I don't think).

[Msquared]

I agree with clyde: it's really mostly about how you apply the brakes when the chassis is unsettled, and I'm pretty good (bad, really) at causing ice mode in any car. I own a 2020 and I've codriven a 2017. The 2017 definitely caught more ice mode than my 2020, but I've found ice mode in my car a few times, too. It seems to a little worse on the Falkens I'm running vs the stock Goodyears, but the 2017 I codrove was on RE71Rs. It may just be a matter of more grip creating more violent changes between on-off braking inputs. The more relaxed I am and the more I look ahead so that nothing is ever a surprise, the less ice mode I get. I don't know of any way to fix the issue in the car other than to replace the entire ABS system with a dedicated race system (~$6k).

[Norm Peterson]

Less aggressive pad formulations?


Norm

[Msquared]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Less aggressive pad formulations?


Norm

That could definitely also help. I did on my C4.

[conemark]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Less aggressive pad formulations?

+1 - did that to my F-Stock car, plus a few lessons on not stabbing the brake and trying to turn at the same time worked wonders.

[CRBWS6]

Cito - what mods does your car have (tires, pads, etc)? I also used to get hard pedal in my 4th gen at autocross, so got a 350z!

I have not experienced it autocrossing the 2018 SLE (OEM tires, Hawk HP+ pads), but as Matt mentions, it sounds more likely with stickier tires and/or tires of non-OEM diameters.
And I agree with what other say about brake application. Old habits are hard to break.

[Mountain]

Originally Posted by CRBWS6

Cito - what mods does your car have (tires, pads, etc)? I also used to get hard pedal in my 4th gen at autocross, so got a 350z!

I have not experienced it autocrossing the 2018 SLE (OEM tires, Hawk HP+ pads), but as Matt mentions, it sounds more likely with stickier tires and/or tires of non-OEM diameters.
And I agree with what other say about brake application. Old habits are hard to break.

Yep. Mods can definitely exasperate the situation. What no one ever wants to hear and examine is "What am I doing to cause the problem, as a driver?" A lot of "ice mode" situations are ones that can be driven around.

I was able to get "ice mode" in two different SS cars, years ago, and learned, the hard way (pun intended) to drive around it. With the 17 SS 1LE I have not had it ever occur. The 2019+ cars had some changes by GM, and are a lot less prone to the situation, but I have heard people able (as in, yes, you can drive the car to the point of getting it) to get "ice mode" in the newer cars.

The more you try and force the car to brake in not a straight line, the more you're gonna risk getting "ice mode". Braking harder in not a straight line will make it worse. Doing most of your braking in a straight line is the ticket. Brake pads with high coefficients of friction? Yep, you're going to make that situation even more probable. Tires a lot stickier than OE? Yep, you're going to make that situation even more probable. But you can have both if you learn to get most of your braking done in a straight line.

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by Mountain

Yep. Mods can definitely exasperate the situation. What no one ever wants to hear and examine is "What am I doing to cause the problem, as a driver?" A lot of "ice mode" situations are ones that can be driven around.

I was able to get "ice mode" in two different SS cars, years ago, and learned, the hard way (pun intended) to drive around it. With the 17 SS 1LE I have not had it ever occur. The 2019+ cars had some changes by GM, and are a lot less prone to the situation, but I have heard people able (as in, yes, you can drive the car to the point of getting it) to get "ice mode" in the newer cars.

The more you try and force the car to brake in not a straight line, the more you're gonna risk getting "ice mode". Braking harder in not a straight line will make it worse. Doing most of your braking in a straight line is the ticket. Brake pads with high coefficients of friction? Yep, you're going to make that situation even more probable. Tires a lot stickier than OE? Yep, you're going to make that situation even more probable. But you can have both if you learn to get most of your braking done in a straight line.

I have gotten ice mode briefly on my 2021 in autocross. That was going fast on a downhill section right in the brake zone after the finish. That’s with 19” Re71s

[Scargoes]

Left foot braking can also induce ice mode. I examined the PDR trace of one ice mode event and the driver had 20% brake and 80% throttle. Too much overlap.