What are some economy front Big Brake Upgrade options?

[Donovan]

I am interested in hearing more about these economy brakes.




In al seriousness - what prices are we talking?

 

[FishFreak]

I am interested in hearing more about these economy brakes.

View attachment 485184


In al seriousness - what prices are we talking?

In the neighborhood of $1,500 for the Wilwood 6 piston and $1,400 for SSBC's 8 piston, but the Wilwood kit comes with braided brake lines and special drilled/slotted or slotted rotors with greater offset, meaning, they may hit some aftermarket fabbed mid-travel knuckles. The SSBC works with the OEM rotor, a big plus, however, it may rub oem beadlocks, we don't know. I've got -1 aftermarket wheels as well as +34 beadlocks so if I go SSBC I'll test both. You have to buy your own braided brake lines with SSBC. The SSBC rotor on their website is the coolest design I've seen yet (see a few posts back), not drilled through, but just dimpled, and tiny short slots. I called them and was crushed that they said that rotor isn't available anymore. Oh well, I can always run an oem smooth rotor!

In my limited experience, rotors with big long slots actually bite too much on hard reflex braking and they wear pads way faster, YMMV. I've been able to feel that scraping pedal bite through the brake pedal. Swore I'd never get slotted again. Am I the only one?

 

[EricM]

Am I the only one?

Nope. I feel the same way.

They wear pads faster and you can feel the slots through the brake pedal. No bueno.

 

[FishFreak]

Nope. I feel the same way.

They wear pads faster and you can feel the slots through the brake pedal. No bueno.

Thank you EricM for the validation!! I refuse to get slots, no way no how. The search continues...

 

[MDJAK]

Let’s drive with the family down the street, as Fred uses his 2 front feet.

 

[Cody Templeton]

If I hadn't have gotten my Alcon front and rear kit for the very cheap price I did, I would probably go with SSBC at this point. The Alcon setup is VERY nice, but it's also very pricey. That being said, I LOVE my Alcons.

 

[FishFreak]

If I hadn't have gotten my Alcon front and rear kit for the very cheap price I did, I would probably go with SSBC at this point. The Alcon setup is VERY nice, but it's also very pricey. That being said, I LOVE my Alcons.

Yea I'm getting close to pulling the trigger. Thought I'd be getting a tax return but instead I'm payin' MORE taxes, so that incentive is gone, and price once again becomes a huge factor !

Some big unknows are how these aftermarket calipers affect our truck's hydraulic ratios. Brakes are carefully designed such that the hydraulics of the M/C match the size of the caliper pistons. Just as an example, not actual, but lets say you've got a 40cc M/C that feeds 4 10cc calipers, that's a perfect 1:1 ratio. The distance the pedal moves = the distance the pistons move. Alter that up or down and you'll affect your braking, and maybe not in a good way. So considering SSBC offers a 6 and an 8 piston caliper, one has got to have a better hydraulic ratio and the other, worse, wouldn't you think? I'm conversing with an SSBC rep right now, looking for answers on this. No options on the Wilwood, so that's that. I've seen Raptor users here with the 8 piston SSBC and they say they work great.

SSBC has a 10% off Tax Day sale right now (code: TAX10), but it'll be gone in a day or two or who knows? If it's available, it's on the top banner on their site. Here's what the SSBC rep just told me: "All of our billet aluminum calipers are significantly lighter than their OEM counterparts. We offer the 8 piston calipers for your style truck, the heavy haulers or the person with larger wheels and tires or more horsepower. The 6 piston is slightly smaller piston size than our 8 piston but still larger than OEM and more suited for a daily driver that wants to upgrade their brakes."


I'm stackin' up the benefits and drawbacks of the two front runners, SSBC and Wilwood, and the choice is getting very clear. Anyone else have any feedback, pls chime in. I'll be editing this as info comes in. This is good for me to write this down:

Wilwood:
- Looks best
- Harder to clean
- Light weight alum
- Foreign made
- Kit comes with braided brake lines
- Cost more
- Only uses Wilwood rotors, and they're not available without slotting (hate slots)
- Brakes wear faster, poss due to slots
- Brake pads pricey
- Rotors pricey

SSBC 6 piston:
- Made in USA
- Uglier but still beautiful
- Easier to clean (than WW)
- Lightweight cnc alum
- Less expensive
- Uses OEM rotors
- Uses off-the-shelf pads, get at auto parts store

SSBC 8 piston:
- Made in USA
- Ugliest
- Easier to clean (than WW)
- Heavier cnc alum
- More expensive than 6 but less than Wilwood kit
- Uses OEM rotors
- Uses off-the-shelf pads, get at auto parts store

 

[FishFreak]

I did it! I ordered the 6 piston SSBC Brawler LT calipers for the front, a lacarte, so it will not have this silly rotor. Chose the 6 over the 8 because I'm not supercharged, just runnin' stock 35's, light towing and performance driving, not racing.

I know this thread started as a 'economy big brake' search, but since I'm not running 18's, bb is not an option. Better brakes became the goal. I can buy and use any F150 rotor and pads from the parts store, specifics to come. It came down to those factors above, and the Tax Day savings pushed me over the edge. I'll have to find some braided hoses, suggestions encouraged. I'm considering the SDHQ Kevlars, and there's a difference between older gen 1's and the 2013+, so mine's a 2014. Anyways, I'll update y'all on the install and such as this journey continues.

 

[Donovan]

I will circle back to this when I'm rich.

BRB...

 

[FishFreak]

I will circle back to this when I'm rich.

BRB...

I certainly am FAR from rich Donovan, however, I clearly have my priorities mixed up. I was looking at roughly $500 x2 for performance front brake hardware for my two 2014 Raptor Screws, with me doing the labor. So, instead, for near the same money, the one SE with lower miles will get the SSBC's, and the higher mileage will get hand-me-down rotors, maybe the pads too. Of course both will get brake fluid flush. Higher mileage Screw will be put up for sale as soon as I swap shocks, tires and tail lights from my low mileage truck, and I'll recoup some $$. The benefits of hand-me-downs !!