Brake system upgrades?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

CVP33

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2023
Posts
249
Reaction score
536
Location
Florence, SC
Why it should work:

1) Larger caliper dissipates heat better
2) 6 piston vs. 4 piston = more clamping force plus more distributed across the rotor
3) Larger rotor = better cooling, physics of centrifugal forces
4) Larger pads = more clamping area and better heat dissipation
5) Better pads = more aggressive friction
6) Braided lines that come with the kit = more consistent brake pressure and better heat shielding.

I can tell you from running road courses in my Z06 that just the pad material alone can make a world of difference in stopping distance and handling heat.

As for drilled, dimpled and/or slotted rotors? Purely for show unless you plan on going from 100mph to a full stop for 30 min straight attempting to boil your fluid you won’t be generating the temps needed to make use of drilled, dimpled or slotted. They do look cool as hell tho’!
 
Last edited:

oplersx

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Posts
535
Reaction score
204
Location
British Columbia
Road test OK... Performance wise, improved but not night and day difference. Brake pads are actually smaller than OEM, that's a surprise...
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4122.jpg
    IMG_4122.jpg
    310.6 KB · Views: 16
  • IMG_4129.jpg
    IMG_4129.jpg
    183.9 KB · Views: 16

The Car Stereo Company

aka grumpy car stereo guy and frf rolodex
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Posts
32,612
Reaction score
23,654
Location
here, on frf
Why it should work:

1) Larger caliper dissipates heat better
2) 6 piston vs. 4 piston = more clamping force plus more distributed across the rotor
3) Larger rotor = better cooling, physics of centrifugal forces
4) Larger pads = more clamping area and better heat dissipation
5) Better pads = more aggressive friction
6) Braided lines that come with the kit = more consistent brake pressure and better heat shielding.

I can tell you from running road courses in my Z06 that just the pad material alone can make a world of difference in stopping distance and handling heat.

As for drilled, dimpled and/or slotted rotors? Purely for show unless you plan on going from 100mph to a full stop for 30 min straight attempting to boil your fluid you won’t be generating the temps needed to make use of drilled, dimpled or slotted. They do look cool as hell tho’!
does this count?IMG_20180704_003004422_LL.jpg
 
OP
OP
C

Cody Templeton

FRF Addict
Joined
Oct 29, 2020
Posts
1,433
Reaction score
1,124
Location
Des Moines, IA
Road test OK... Performance wise, improved but not night and day difference. Brake pads are actually smaller than OEM, that's a surprise...

Thanks for the review! I do know the Alcon setup in tests did FAR better than the OEM brakes. Was hoping for similar out of the Wilwoods.
 

EricM

FRF Addict
Joined
May 11, 2016
Posts
3,483
Reaction score
3,215
Location
OHIO
Why it should work:

1) Larger caliper dissipates heat better
2) 6 piston vs. 4 piston = more clamping force plus more distributed across the rotor
3) Larger rotor = better cooling, physics of centrifugal forces
4) Larger pads = more clamping area and better heat dissipation
5) Better pads = more aggressive friction
6) Braided lines that come with the kit = more consistent brake pressure and better heat shielding.

I can tell you from running road courses in my Z06 that just the pad material alone can make a world of difference in stopping distance and handling heat.

As for drilled, dimpled and/or slotted rotors? Purely for show unless you plan on going from 100mph to a full stop for 30 min straight attempting to boil your fluid you won’t be generating the temps needed to make use of drilled, dimpled or slotted. They do look cool as hell tho’!
1) This only applies to repeated braking though. Most Raptor owners looking for a BBK want the single emergency stop from high speeds to be shorter. It's disconcerting to not have ABS kicking in at high sppeds because there is not enough braking force to lock the tire. The larger caliper does nothing for you in this regard.

2) The number of pistons will not change the clamping force by itself. That is determined by the master cylinder size and the combined caliper piston sizes. You can make a single piston claiper have the same force as a 12 piston caliper, it's just a matter of having the same areas in the circles. Bottom line, without changing the master cylinder and possibly the pedal ratios, you will not get significantly more clamping force.

3) It the same diamater rotor. ???

4) Well, you'd think- but as it turns out, nope.

5) Everything is a trade off on pads with the OEM pad being the best jack of all trades. You will give up something going more agressive- cold performance, wet performance, noise, dust, something has to give or else Ford would run that pad too.

6) Minimal at best, but yes there is some benefit there.
 

oplersx

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Posts
535
Reaction score
204
Location
British Columbia
Is the "bite" and pedal travel different at all? Is the sponginess improved?

These areas are largely imporoved, responsive and firm pedal feel.

Brake distance reduced for sure but not very much I think. However, no "scientific" tests done on this, just how I feel.
 

shigman

FRF Addict
Joined
Jan 12, 2022
Posts
1,132
Reaction score
1,463
Location
Cypress, TX
None of these setups are supposed to interfere with adaptive cruise or adaptive braking are they? Does the adaptive cruise feel more abrupt when slowing causing the truck to then accelerate because an unexpected bit of extra speed was scrubbed off? I've never fooled around with brakes on anything with adaptive braking.
 

CVP33

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2023
Posts
249
Reaction score
536
Location
Florence, SC
1) This only applies to repeated braking though. Most Raptor owners looking for a BBK want the single emergency stop from high speeds to be shorter. It's disconcerting to not have ABS kicking in at high sppeds because there is not enough braking force to lock the tire. The larger caliper does nothing for you in this regard.

2) The number of pistons will not change the clamping force by itself. That is determined by the master cylinder size and the combined caliper piston sizes. You can make a single piston claiper have the same force as a 12 piston caliper, it's just a matter of having the same areas in the circles. Bottom line, without changing the master cylinder and possibly the pedal ratios, you will not get significantly more clamping force.

3) It the same diamater rotor. ???

4) Well, you'd think- but as it turns out, nope.

5) Everything is a trade off on pads with the OEM pad being the best jack of all trades. You will give up something going more agressive- cold performance, wet performance, noise, dust, something has to give or else Ford would run that pad too.

6) Minimal at best, but yes there is some benefit there.
Didn’t know the Wilwood pads were smaller. That’s a problem. Technically 6 piston calipers should clamp more evenly and effectively than 4. Again if the pad is smaller….that part of physics goes out the window.
 
Top