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Do big brake kits help braking?

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#23 ·
I think they help a ton. Sure, the car might not stop any faster and stock brakes can lock up the tires. But if you want repeated, consistent performance without fade or worrying about warping the shit out of the little stock rotors then big brakes are worth it. 100-0 on stock brakes was pretty damn scary to me, even if I wasn't trying to stop quickly.

Plus they last a lot longer, especially if it's just a street car. I think they pay for themselves.
 
#24 ·
I think because Evo brakes are engineered for a car that weighs a little more then a DSM but of similar size and distribution, a typical DSM owner will see a dramatic increase in performance. But an Evo owner going to some retardedly expensive Formula one style BBK may not see as much of an improvement becase those kits don't necessarily take into considertion all the factors an OEM engineering group would.
 
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#25 ·
Here's my 2 cents,

I'm running the Stock Brembo's with 326mm x 30mm rotors & Porterfield R4-S pads on RE070 225/45/17 wheels on my Stock 05 WRX STi. Very similar to what guys are attempting with the EVO Brembo upgrade on their DSM's. I have no problems with fade decelerating from 130-70 mph during top-speed runs. Anything from 60mph-0 really gives the tires and ABS a work out.

Someone mentioned cold stopping and that is a little problem with this combo as you definitely don't get your best stopping power without preheating the rotors and pads. It only seems to be a problem at highway speeds where the rotors are pumping alot of air. On the side streets the rotors retain enough heat to stop very very well, but a panic stop on the expressway at 60 mph for some reason they stop poorly. I haven't played around with different pads but that is an option. At very high speed that same thermal mass is a blessing.
 
#26 ·
Ive run many brakes on many different cars. Big Brakes by far work wonders. They disperse heat better and offer greater clamping force. My Porsche Brakes were by far the most ridiculous brakes (Brembo made). I could flying out of the seat in my my car if I was not strapped. I had special pads though on upgraded turbo rotors.
 
#28 ·
Stoptech has some really good papers on brake technology and mechanics that will pretty much allow you to answer the BBK question for yourself: http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/tech_white_papers.shtml

One thing that no one has mentioned is brake bias. I admit that I haven't checked the numbers on the EVO8 brakes, but in general it's important to remember that not all BBKs (whether they're off of a different car or from a brake company like Brembo) maintain the proper brake bias.

Clint
 
#30 ·
You don't notice much in bigger brakes if you're just driving around the speed limit. However, if you're doing triple digits or racing, then definitely you will notice big brakes are better. My previous car, porsche 944 turbo s had 4 piston brembos that were huge compared to my 1g fwd and it stopped so much better. You can stop from high speeds no problem time after time without fade. The brake pads, while important will cetainly not make up for brake swept area.
 
#31 ·
I drive an RS and i've had to slam on the brakes once to avoid hitting a damn bobcat at 40mph. I know it wasn't that fast, but the stock pads and rotors (and rear drums) locked easily. Tires are what it boils down to. Whether you have a BBK or not, your tires can only slow you down so fast before they slip.
 
#34 ·
Having bigger brakes is a lot more than actual stopping ability. You can lock up almost any tire if you stab the smallest of brake setups hard enough. Where the difference comes into play is with fade, response, and the way you can moderate the braking power applied.
 
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#35 ·
Locking up the brakes at a given speed does not meen your brakes are good.

From 100 mph, try stopping as quick as possible with the stock brakes, then with a larger set. Then try it again. The larger brakes will guaranteed, stop shorter than the smaller set with the same tires.
 
#36 ·
Bigger rotors and bigger breaks will absorb more heat? Then better stopping capabilities so they will always be better then stock and tires don't make that much of a difference because breaks do more work then the engine its self there is a ridiculous amount of pressure in them. So as long as you have a place for the heat to absorb you will stop (thats big enough) better than stock :)
 
#37 ·
D_Eclipse9916 said:
Simple physics, brake torque is increased due to a larger rotor. The main effectiveness from going to Brembos in your case would be better:

1. Larger heat sink of both the rotor and caliper
2. Brake torque would increase because of the caliper being farther out coupled with the rotor.
3. Less Caliper Flex due to a superior caliper design
4. a 2-piece rotor would provide weight savings coupled with the caliper, and would also help save wheel bearings due to aluminum hats able to shed heat more quickly.

Now stop, before you go off on the internet calling shit. There are a couple things missing that you must take into account. Brake Pads. You could have shitty autozone rotors on your brembos, and you will not nearly stop as hard and will fade more quickly than someone with say carbotechs on their stock calipers and rotors. Pads are the huge part of racing.

Now you must decide where you want to be driving? on track, around town? where? If its around town, a good pad selection(emphasis on GOOD pads) on gsx rotors and calipers will give you just as good a stopping distance on street tires as the most massive big brake kit as you could find. Now theres a lot of variables such as repeatability, but for emergency braking in road use, gsx rotors and calipers with a good pad will be just as good.
Click to expand...
Quoted for someone that knows what he's talking about.

Torque (braking) is a formula based on distance from center(diameter), (clamping) force, and coefficient of friction(pads). That said, as intuitive as it may seem, the number of pistons and the size of the brake pad has NO affect on instantaneous braking power.

Larger pads are only large to help absorb more heat energy and keep an ideal coefficient of friction, and to wear down less quickly. More pistons are only used to provide a more even pressure along the pad so that the pad wears evenly, and simple geometry - you can't press against an entire pad that wraps around a rotor with 1 piston. The only other possible added benefit of the calipers would be less fluid volume resulting in a greater overall brake pressure front and rear.

Final point, TIRES! Upgrading your tires is an almost identical concept as upgrading your brakes. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

The crucial point is your application. If you're driving on the streets and need that instant stopping distance to prevent a collision, tires are gonna help much more than larger brakes. If you're autoX'ing or have a similar repeat braking application, larger brakes will start to shine much more than on the streets.
 
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