Are Big Brake Kits Worth It For A Daily Driver?

Your car’s braking system is easily the most important piece of the driving puzzle, and when it comes to stopping power bigger is always better, right? We’re going to go through the pros and cons of putting a big brake kit on your street-driven daily driver, so you can make an informed and rational decision. Do you really need bigger brakes if you never go to the race track or autocross? Is the often extreme cost and labor-intensive install worth it? The fact of the matter is that a lot of enthusiasts will install big brakes for aesthetic reasons, and I’m not immune to this either, but would a BBK actually make your car worse? You might be surprised, but yeah, kinda. 

Big brake kits are sold for just about every car on the planet from a variety of manufacturers in a variety of sizes. Bigger calipers and rotors are a great way to increase stopping power and decrease fading, both worthy causes, but rarely come into play when street driving in traffic. There are so many variables to think about when you set about upgrading your car’s braking system, so let’s go over a few things to keep in mind when you’re planning which big brake kit to install, and then talk about some of the pros and cons.

Before you get out your credit card to buy a new brake upgrade, you should think about a few things and take a few measurements. The biggest thing to know before buying is if your new BBK will even fit your car. Oftentimes a larger brake caliper and larger diameter rotor will require a larger wheel or a wheel with a different offset to fit properly. You’ll want to check with the manufacturer for some measurements of the larger brakes, and do a bit of ruler math to make sure you can even get them on the car in the first place. Keep in mind that if a brake kit requires a larger wheel and tire package, you could run into further issues by adding extra rotational weight and changing the suspension geometry and alignment, all of which could have adverse effects on your car’s handling.

So why would someone want to install a big brake kit on their daily driver? I’ve done it myself a few times, and will soon be upgrading the brakes on my Audi A3 E-Tron to S3 spec. The main benefits are that a larger rotor has more swept area and by dint of its larger mass can manage more heat and reduce braking fade during prolonged braking. If your car has adequate tire grip to support it, larger brakes with good brake pad compounds can potentially reduce your vehicle’s stopping distances as well. 

For the most part your vehicle’s braking system was developed from the factory to handle the rigors of everyday traffic, including highway speeds. You may want to consider a big brake kit for your daily driver if you regularly drive above the speed limit (or consider slowing down), live in a mountainous area that sees you holding the brakes for extended downhill periods, or simply think they look cool. There’s no shame in admitting you just like how a larger brake rotor and caliper look inside your wheels. You might occasionally get the performance and control benefits of big brakes, but you’ll always notice the aesthetic benefits. 

What are some reasons to avoid a big brake kit? I can only think of two: expense and weight. A good quality big brake kit, or upgrading your base-model car with components from a performance variant, can get pricey pretty quick, often deep into the thousands of dollars. That’s not to say braking is worth skimping out on, but you might get most of the performance upgrade of a BBK from flushing your brake system with good quality high-temp fluid, upgrading to stainless-reinforced brake hoses, or getting brake pads with a higher-grip compound for a fraction of the cost. Weight is also a factor to consider, as the added rotational weight of larger rotors and the added unsprung weight of larger calipers may have an adverse effect on how your car drives, particularly if you also have to install larger wheels to make them fit.