| I'm a big believer in stock brakes being just fine for any single emergency stop or general driving. However, the point has come up recently (and probably many times) that big brakes will make a difference even with a single emergency stop. My contention is the ABS locks up even with my stock brakes, which means my brakes are applying more force than my tires can handle.. ie..bigger brakes won't make my tires stickier. Now for those who have big brakes and notice a difference, I think it can be explained like this... the larger rotor applies more braking power to your wheel for the same amount of force you put on the brake pedal. So for the same pedal force, you get more brake force than with a smaller (stock) rotor. Still, the tire is the limiting factor...
This is from Brembo regarding their brake systems and stopping distances...in their FAQ
Where can I find test data on stopping distances? At the speeds that stopping distance is generally measured from (60 to 70mph), the test is primarily testing the tire's grip on the pavement. As delivered from the manufacturer, nearly all vehicles are able to engage the ABS or lock the wheels at these speeds. Therefore, an increase in braking power will do nothing to stop the vehicle in a shorter distance. For this reason, we do not record stopping distances at this time. The Brembo systems will show their greatest advantages when braking from higher speeds, or when tasked with repeated heavy braking. The increased braking torque provides for maximum deceleration at speed, and the ability to absorb and quickly dissipate the intense heat generated during repeated braking insures that the braking system will perform at the same high level each time. Link is BREMBO
My cliff notes of this.. stock brakes are fine for normal driving conditions. Only if you exceed 70 MPH or doing repeating hard braking will a difference be noticed.
That's why I still use OEM brakes, but upgraded to drilled/slotted for more fade resistance. Unless you're tracking your Z, big brake kits don't help much.. IMO.
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