anti lock brakes/bigger brakes

[crownvicjim]

when you hear about someone putting on bigger brakes it seems like their stopping distance drops most of the time. why is this? because the bigger brakes give a better feedback to the abs sensor? is there a way to set the parameters of how the sensor reads the load? or is this not how it works? It just seems like the anti lock braking could always be a little more agressive. or quicker. it feels like there is more stopping power there but the "pulsing feeling" takes away from it.

 

[kustomizingkid]

It has absolutley nothing to do with the abs. It has to do with the brakes being more capable of stopping the vehicle, which reduces breaking distances.
Unless the abs is activated it doesn't matter what rotors/pads/size/condition most stops never activate the abs system.

 

[FC3]

Bigger brakes generally give two things 1) more surface area for the pads, which increases friction that can be applied resulting in more stopping power; and 2) larger rotors that are able to absorb more heat and also dissipate it more quickly because of the greater surface area.

Best regards,
Frank

 

[crownvicjim]

Bigger brakes generally give two things 1) more surface area for the pads, which increases friction that can be applied resulting in more stopping power; and 2) larger rotors that are able to absorb more heat and also dissipate it more quickly because of the greater surface area.

Best regards,
Frank

but if you just smash the pedal to the floor and use the abs, more stopping power would not help drop stopping distance numbers though. right?

 

[kevinspann]

but if you just smash the pedal to the floor and use the abs, more stopping power would not help drop stopping distance numbers though. right?

It would help somewhat, but the biggest limiting factor would be the tires. But, again, with big brake kits, youll need a larger wheel anyway. So put on a slightly wider, stickier tire, with less sidewall to deflect, and youll be able to transfer more of that newfound brake torque into shorter stopping distances

 

[kustomizingkid]

People do not understand what brakes do, and they defiently don't understand what big brakes do.

First, if your brakes can lock your tires up on dry pavement and activate your abs you have no real need for big brakes, unless you plan on doing many stops from high speeds to slow speeds very quickly.

Brakes do one thing and only one thing, they convert your vehicle kinetic energy into thermal energy, nothing more. Bigger brakes can create and absorb more of this energy.

 

[crownvicjim]

People do not understand what brakes do, and they defiently don't understand what big brakes do.

First, if your brakes can lock your tires up on dry pavement and activate your abs you have no real need for big brakes, unless you plan on doing many stops from high speeds to slow speeds very quickly.

Brakes do one thing and only one thing, they convert your vehicle kinetic energy into thermal energy, nothing more. Bigger brakes can create and absorb more of this energy.

thats what i woulda thought. but somehow youre gonna gain 20 ft stopping distance if you put on "brand x" brakes.blah blah blah. probably would feel better, but if you can lock em up already, you have all the stopping power you will need.