Big brake kits - Worth the cost?

[Speck]

Like the title asks, I'm curious by those who have upgraded to a big brake kit that besides the asthetics of them, are they one, worth the cost by a noticable shorter stopping distance, and two if they hold up better to warp or fade due to the larger surface size of the rotors and larger calipers? Also, do you get any "chatter" or "squeel" from aggresive pads to the rotors under slight to normal braking vs hard braking? I am in need of replacing my brakes again, and I have already gone with braided lines and upgraded fluids (DOT 5.5) when I replaced them the last time.

Thank you for any help and info. I'm just trying to figure if the product is worth the investment or money better suited elsewhere. Also, if you could state which setup you're using on your vehicle.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[Doubeleive]

curious myself, I have thought about doing this too but then I start reading and see lots of bad reviews on some of the big name brands, so who's got the best most dependable/durable? and do you have to buy "there" pads when they wear out, how much brake dust? I currently have carbon fiber pads and they make a lot of dust.

 

[Speck]

Exactly. I have ran StopTech products in the past with a big brake kit on my previous project which was a Volkswagen that I used to take to the track. It squeeled like a banshee when I would try to drive on city streets though due to the aggresive pads. Stopped on a dime, but just noisy. I'd like to know if Baer or Wilwood or Brembo are the same or if they provide performance without the noise.

 

[Rockytfox]

The juice generally isn’t worth the squeeze. Big brake kits are meant for some serious duty and don’t work as intended with regular old city (aka stop and go) driving. If you’re going to take it to the track, do some 100-0 stop tests, etc., then it might be worth the money. Just my opinion here...

 

[RED TAHOE LS]

Times two on previous post by Rockytfox, just not worth the cost for a driver.
David g......

 

[techbiker]

Times two on previous post by Rockytfox, just not worth the cost for a driver.
David g......

As long as the correct braking balance is maintained (and the stock brakes are undersized), big brake kits help noticeably. Just watch unsprung weight, wheel fitment, and cost!

Big brake kits usually help reduce brake fade after repeated stops.

 

[Rocket Man]

It all depends on what you consider to be "worth it". I recently installed Wilwoods 16" 6-piston fronts and 14" 4-piston rears. They stop my big old tank amazingly fast and there's no chatter or dust. Period. Absolutely the best brakes I've ever had. I've been on winding mountain roads in the summer and experienced bad fading with my OEM brakes. I've towed a trailer and felt like I couldn't stop fast enough. Our trucks are way too heavy for the brakes they come with, IMO. I figure if they give me peace of mind or prevent me from rear-ending someone they're worth it to me. But they're not for the faint of heart money-wise, at around $4000 for mine. Replacement pads will run me $600 IIRC but with the size of them, I don't expect to replace them for a long long time. Probably last 4 times as long as normal pads. So to me, yes they're worth it although it was hard to pony up that much cash. Plus they look damn good. One other thing to keep in mind is you need 20" minimum wheels, and you need to measure to be sure they'll fit around the calipers, the things are massive.

 

[Speck]

Thank you Mark. I realized the "worth it" comment was kind of subjective after making the post. However, I do appreciate all of the feedback from everyone. The price is definitely not for the faint of heart, you're correct. I also agree that anything that can potentially make our vehicles safer is usually a good modification to do. The hard part is the fact that I would lose my winter tire setup that I run for this time of year as they are a 17" set of steelies with Blizzaks on them. I guess I have some number crunching to do...

Joe

 

[Rocket Man]

Thank you Mark. I realized the "worth it" comment was kind of subjective after making the post. However, I do appreciate all of the feedback from everyone. The price is definitely not for the faint of heart, you're correct. I also agree that anything that can potentially make our vehicles safer is usually a good modification to do. The hard part is the fact that I would lose my winter tire setup that I run for this time of year as they are a 17" set of steelies with Blizzaks on them. I guess I have some number crunching to do...

Joe

FYI I run 22's in the winter and 26's in the summer. I'm not sure if there's winter tire options for 22's but I run all weather tires and with AWD I don't have a problem at all, plus I carry a set of chains for the 22's.

 

[BigDaddy13440]

I recently put on EBC's rotors and Greenstuff pads, and they are noticeably better than stock. Mine are only stock size for the NBS, I can only imagine that the NNBS sizes would be even better. And, for the fronts, probably only looking to be in the $500 range for two rotors and a set of pads.