Why have bigger brakes?

[TurboDan]

Just been reading a thread on Scoobynet about bigger brakes and whats the point etc...


I have always said the same that just because youve upgraded your engine so it now has 300 extra horsepower it doesnt instantly mean you need bigger brakes and thats what allot of people tell you.


Someone put a link up to this great thread which just sums it all up:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthr ... ?t=1998265

[Cavalier342]

He does make a good point about tyres, they are the only thing between the car itself and the tarmac. Upgrading brakes and keeping stock tyres will just make the car lock up more and be more dangerous, especially in the wet. To be honest I think one would only need upgraded brakes if they drove like they stole it all the time. In general conditions, even on emergency stop, healthy standard brakes are good enough.

However I would like to disagree that upgraded brakes make no difference, they will slow the car down faster. That's just a fact. By how much is debatable.

[Gaz]

theres a hell of a lot of truth in what he says but there is one reply, its easier to stop with bigger brakes, its less effort.

Bit like your new bracket its not going to make it stop harder it makes it stop easier, its about ease of stopping, by that definition you may as well run well adjusted drums as they will stop you if you press the pedal hard enough

Ive faded the factory 288mms in a ten mile stretch easily to the point of nearly losing the pedal.

bit like when you were a kid and had your bike upside down and used the pedals to spin the back wheel try stopping the wheel with your hand on the tyre,then try the same thing from the hub in the middle, its all about leverage.

[planetc]

I haven't read the entire thing yet but I agree with Gaz really. There is a perception of improved brake performance that comes from the effort involved. Ultimately, if you can stand on the pedal hard enough to lock up then the benefits of upgrade will not be shorter stopping distances. What you are improving is effort required and fade resistance. It could be argued that if a vehicle can accelerate faster then there is potentially less time to cool between heavy applications. For the majority of everyday driving I would wholeheartedly agree that upgraded brakes are not necessary. I remember questioning the logic as a lad, if you can make it skid anyway then how can you make it better than that?

[HAIRIBO]

If I was doing 70 on the motorway and stopped stationay traffic up ahead. I'd rather be in a v6 than a 1.6 due to the stopping power!

[iangsi]

If I was doing 70 on the motorway and stopped stationay traffic up ahead. I'd rather be in a v6 than a 1.6 due to the stopping power!

V6 heavier = bigger brakes, heavier things have more momentum thus more energy to stop.

[Rage]

my standard 2 litre brakes are only up to 68% efficiency according to my last mot whats the best way to improve this. I was thinking v6 brakes on the front but i don't want the hastle or cost of drilling v6 discs to 4 stud every time. this will improve my brake efficiency in the eyes of mot man. i'm also thinking of braided flexi's again this will improve the efficiency.
I can already get her to skid if I take my abs fuse out so surely with a roller brake test of 68% there is room for improvement and the bigger brakes and flexi's will help the efficiency.

[gsi pie]

I hated 2.0 brakes on my gsi lol my be I push it to hard lol

[Kevwaggy]

Why bigger brakes?

To fill bigger wheels

No one likes having open spoked 17's or 18's on and what looks like a ten pence piece behind it

[gsi pie]

^^^^ another reason

[terkin]

do agree with this in most cases, other than the gsi i was regularly sitting at roundabouts with clouds coming from the wheels

[gsi pie]

^^^ not just me then

[Terry]

Are you going to fit the brake setup from a NA impreza then Dan?

[TurboDan]

You get me wrong. I'm not saying that fitting bigger brakes is a stupid idea as clearly it isnt, what i was saying is its not compulsery and you will not instantly crash if you dont (like some people think). Fitting bigger ones is usally just part of modding a car, suspension, wheels, brakes, seats, etc etc... they just get done at some point.

[btcctroy]

Nath runs standard brakes on his turbo. They are a bit blue lol
350bhp or there abouts.
Bigger brakes are a must on track days everywhere else standard will do.

[Terry]

Bigger brakes for a road car is pointless, But if you drive spirited even on a few A roads then I'd say a brake upgrade should be a must. If the car comes from factory with a good setup like 4 pots and over 300mm then they'd be plenty for most aspects of tuning.

On all Vauxhalls I've owned I found the brake setup poor and uprated.

[HAIRIBO]

My ecotec would out brake the 1.8. And the cdx with aircon is heaver than the 1.8

[gsi pie]

nova brakes are the worst imo

very fun car to drive in oem form

[Rage]

ive still managed to get brake fade with my 1.5 diesel novavan on new standard brakes with new fluid think a brake upgrade is necessary