How much better are Brembo brakes than those from Baer? A set of 4 piston caliper, 13.5" rotor brakes for a 4th Gen are roughly $2,550 from Baer/Alcon and cost $3,000 from Brembo. Is the Brembo product superior enough to justify the price?

 

The Brembos are not an ounce better than the Alcons - its called marketing and reputation that makes people think Brembo is better; they are mistaken. Brembo is the supplier for Ferrari, Lamborghini, and a few other exotics, but Alcon makes brake kits for real race cars and ultra-high performance street cars (like the Baer kits). They are more or less the same. I will say that neither is much of an improvement over a regular Baer kit (PBR calipers) on a street car - you would never be able to push the system hard enough to need the durability or the Alcon/Brembo.

 

I agree! "Big Brake kits" for the street are a waste of money! Think what you could do with over $2000 besides brakes! Just get a good set of pads and maybe some new rotors! I would like to get the eradispeed rotors when they come out this winter for our cars! good luck

 

nate - are you running a 4th Gen, LT1 car? If so, just upgrade to the C5 brakes (approx 900 bux complete), if your running an LS1 car, just upgrade the pads and rotors (under 500 bux).

 

Brakes are the most important part of the car. Drive a car with upgraded brakes (not just pads ) You will sing a different tune.

 

Your telling me that you need a $1500 "big brake " kit for the street, you are mistaken! For everyday driving, it is not needed. Any suspension guy will tell you, too big and a waste of money! All you need is a set of good pads and upgraded rotors! I can understand if you run on a road coarse where the brakes are constantly used under extreme conditions, but no, other than that they are for looks. I am sure that if you were to install them on your car you would see a great improvement over stock but they are just not needed. If yo call up the manufactures, they will tell you the same thing if you tell them what you are using them for.

 

I disagree - the better the brakes, the more safe the car is. The Baer brakes saved my butt 2 times already - not something the stock brakes would have done (can you say totalled Camaro?). The funny part was I was driving at a normal speed on the highway and it was well appreciated. There is a hell of a difference between a car with stock brakes that stops in 130 feet from 60 and one with Baer Brakes that stops in 105 feet. Smacking up a car with no collision/comprehensive is gonna cost you more than the $1,100 Baer Brakes are.

Better pads on stock brakes only help a tiny bit - I had them on my IROC stopped like a jetski or santa's sleigh.

 

I agree as well but you in no way shape or form need $2500 brakes for the street! So all i am saying is that you are in good shape with just better pads and new rotors, which will cost money anyway. The eradispeed rotors are like 5-600 for 4th gen f cars, who knows how much when they might be when they come out for our cars. Hey, it is your money, i know i have blown money before! If you NEED this setup, then everyone would be getting into accidents and would be getting them on their cars. That is just not the case! It all depends on how you drive and yes, while you are on the road, **** does happen and if you have no insurance, well then TFB. The only real difference is having upgraded calipers and pistons then what i am saying. I don't know, maybe i am wrong but all i know is that these kits are not selling like crazy b/c people need them. Hell, if you have the money, go for it, think of your new "big brake" kit as an investment for when you almost get into an accident. Remember this too, a lot of accidents are avoidable and the ones that aren't, are usually not your fault so you would not be at fault. That is why they are called accidents. I am not the final voice, obviously but, if i had the money to put elsewhere, then i would get the a kit. Right now i do not the extra money, i am just going with something more cost effective and that works. good luck with your choice

 

Okay the Brembo is in noway better than the Baer/Alcon. Lemans cars, read C5R, run the Alcon 6 piston setup, not Brembo.

Baer Eradispeed rotors are really just a visual upgrade, so says Lou Gigliotti, they are slighty thicker, but are still nothing like a true Road Race setup. They wear and warp about the same as LS1 stockers. You'd be hard pressed to find them on any real, heavy use track car. Honestly even the best road race setups require new rotors every 10-12 heavy race days or so, think once a year for hobbiest.

Like stated above, better brakes are the best safety upgrade you can make. They will also cut your lap times like no other mod can. If you don't road race I would find it difficult to justify the purchase of such a serious brake upgrade though. For looks the eradispeeds plus painted calipers is very nice, looks just like a race setup for 1/4 the price, and with some upgraded pads you will get good gains for the money. But remember, upgraded pads or upgraded brakes = way more brake dust to clean up.

That being said, if you want the safety and have the cash to blow, get the Baer kit. Plus if your totally tuning your car, why not go all out. But there is so much you can get with that kinda money.

In the end, I say go for it. I just might save yours or someone else's life. I think everyone should have great breaks, it would prevent alot of accidents.

Thanks for your time,
Rob

 

I plan to use the 4 piston Alcon (maybe 6 piston in front) setup on my project car, front and rear, when it gets time to redo the braking system. I plan to use the car on the street (nice weekends) and maybe I'll take it out to the autox track in Donaldsonville a few times a year. And of course it will probably see a few shows as well. Now I probably won't need all the stopping power that the Alcon system can provide but I figure I should get the best brakes I can afford and they will also add to the wow factor. I'm also not a fan of the stock brakes on our cars so I'm definitely after a real braking system. And as far as the topic goes, I'd rank Brembo second to the upper end Alcon system. You should be able to find some 60-0 and 100-0 times and distances on similar cars somewhere on the net.

Anyway, I know I'm probably going to spend way too much on brakes, but I'd much rather my car not start than not stop.