Every tuner enthusiast wants big brakes, but why? Because they look frickin cool, that’s why! However, is that a good reason to install them? I don’t know, why not? I have done plenty of things that left people scratching their heads, like racing a Saturn station wagon, for instance, but safety should be the primary concern.
I don’t know about you, but brake systems are a little confusing, especially with today’s ABS and electronic control systems. The components of the system are engineered to work together, so changing any of those components could have a severe impact on its performance and safety, for that matter. Brakes are not something I want to get wrong, especially on a street car carrying precious cargo (e.g., my daughter). I have read forum posts about people piecemealing components from other cars and fabricating brackets to get bigger rotors on their cars. Unless you are a brake engineer, I would strongly recommend NOT doing that. Not only for your safety but the safety of others around you.
If you are considering a brake upgrade for your car, I would suggest doing your research. Research the different companies that offer kits for your car, and research the components they use in their kits. Some of these companies don’t engineer the kit specifically for your car; they use the same calipers and rotors for all their kits and fabricate different mounting brackets. A friend of mine, James Walker, Jr., is an engineer specializing in chassis, brake, and electronic brake control systems. He has written a few articles that explain a little about brake systems and the potential impact of changing the components. ABS and Big Brake Kits is a good one to read, and other tech articles can be found here at the bottom of the page. Good luck with your quest!
DS
