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Why Upgrade your Brakes?
Big brakes give your car greater resistance to fade by absorbing and
shedding heat more efficiently. Racers upgrade because stock brakes were
designed for a single stop from high speed, not repeated slow-downs with little
time in between to cool off. For fade resistance, size really does matter.
On the street, fixed-mount, multi-piston calipers give a firmer pedal and
quicker reaction time in panic stops. As little as 0.2 second reduction in
reaction time can translate into 21 feet of stopping distance at 70 mph.
Reaction time is not as important to racers who can compensate by braking
earlier. But on the street, in an unexpected stop, quicker reaction time
can save your life. You don't need to be a racer to benefit from brake
upgrades.
If you track or autocross
your car regularly, your stock brakes are probably not up to the task.
You can start off with better brake fluid, more aggressive brake pads, cooling
ducts, and stainless braided brake lines. But as you
progress from novice to intermediate skill level and beyond, carrying more
speed into the braking zones, your track events will become characterized by
boiling brake fluid, sinking brake pedal, and pad fade. Losing confidence in your brakes
takes the fun out of a track event. Big brake upgrades allow you to dive deeper into the braking zone and
brake harder than you ever thought possible.
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Besides brakes, tires are the
most important component in determining stopping distance. It's literally
where the rubber meets the road. Selecting the right tire for your driving
conditions can make a tremendous difference. For example, if you live in
Florida or southern California and are driving on all-season tires, you are
leaving huge performance gains on the table! A good set of summer-only
performance tires can literally transform the handling and braking capabilities
of your car. In fact, if your goal is to minimize stopping distance,
you're better off going to Tire Rack's web site and buying tires first, before
spending any money here on better brakes!
For the best selection and
prices, use the Tire Decision Guide
by Tire Rack. Select the appropriate model year, then click the Go
button. You'll be asked a couple of questions which will help narrow down
your tire choices to the select few which most closely match your driving needs.
From Maximum Performance tires to All Season tires to Snow Tires, Tire Rack has
it all. The Tire Decision Guide takes the guesswork out of buying tires
for your car.
The Tire Decision Guide
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