Uncertain Truth on BBK

[ozone]

I've read about the physics and arguments on both sides as to whether BBK does or does not decrease stopping distance. I'm no expert so I can honestly say I don't know.

A couple nights ago, I was accelerating fast to high speeds and my high beams caught the silhouette of 2 deer in the middle of the night. I slammed the brakes (first time really like this on Stoptech BBKs) and the car stopped on a dime. I was quite impressed as I had much more room than anticipated to spare and prevented a sure-fire front end collision.

I'm not saying OEM wouldn't have done the same--but if not, the BBK already paid for themselves.

 

[CL65 Captain]

I've read about the physics and arguments on both sides as to whether BBK does or does not decrease stopping distance. I'm no expert so I can honestly say I don't know.

A couple nights ago, I was accelerating fast to high speeds and my high beams caught the silhouette of 2 deer in the middle of the night. I slammed the brakes (first time really like this on Stoptech BBKs) and the car stopped on a dime. I was quite impressed as I had much more room than anticipated to spare and prevented a sure-fire front end collision.

I'm not saying OEM wouldn't have done the same--but if not, the BBK already paid for themselves.

OEM would have stopped the same distance. Think about it, you can only stop as quickly as the grip of the tire. Even if the BBK generates more torque as the arm from the center of the rotation is greater, your tires are going to be the limiting factor. So much so, I'm betting that OEM and BBK would be pretty close if you are running anything but an R Comp or slick.

BBK are more advantageous in heat dissipation. If every 1/4 mile you had to slam on the brakes again.... then your stoptechs would have paid off.

 

[ozone]

Then maybe it was the wider tires I got when I upsized the wheels. Or maybe nothing at all.

 

[CL65 Captain]

Then maybe it was the wider tires I got when I upsized the wheels. Or maybe nothing at all.

Tire width has no effect on braking. Just be thankful that deer don't charge headlights.

 

[TURBO2GO]

The deer is lucky he was in front of an NSX and not your average car or worse SUV that can't stop worth a shit.

 

[GT-N]

falken azenis or dunlop star specs FTW.

Has anyone used deer whistle? do you think they work?

 

[Hugh]

Has anyone used deer whistle? do you think they work?
View attachment 100558

LOL. I have a bridge to sell you.

- - - Updated - - -

Regarding the BBK, CL65 Captain nailed it. On the street BBKs have no advantage over the excellent NSX factory brakes. Most drivers wouldn't even notice an advantage on the track. Ever see Gan-San driving the NSX in The Best Motoring Super Battle at Motegi? That being said I do have StopTechs (with the Iron Maiden font logo) all around purely for the bling factor.

 

[MvM]

I respectfully DISAGREE with a good BBK NOT reducing your stopping distance

Concerning the fact that your tires are the limiting factor, that is absolutely correct.
However, your tires will ONLY determine your MAXIMUM deceleration at any given point. That is to say, if the grip of your tires limits your car to, let's say, 1G of deceleration force, that doesn't tell you how fast you GET to that deceleration.

Based on some testing I did in the past, the advantage of a (good) BBK is that it is, through the larger leverage produced by a combination of larger brake discs and/or greater clamping power of your calipers, capable of getting to that maximum deceleration faster.

With stock calipers and stock OEM brake pads, I found in testing from 100 kph to 0 that it took the OEM brakes about one (1) second to get up to 1G of deceleration force on a dry road.
ONE (1) second of driving at 90 feet per second covers quite a lot of distance, so the quicker and sooner you get up to that maximum deceleration your brakes and tires are capable of, the shorter your total braking distance.

It is probably the most important reason why drivers replace their OEM brake pads for pads with a bit more grip, because it gives you the same effect as mounting larger rotors, calipers etc.

 

[DRIFTER]

Im sure the difference you're seeing has more to do with the flex in the 10+ year old OEM break lines. I noticed a huge response time decrease with just fresh fluid, new lines and a good bleed. I have also replaced the pad compound with a more aggressive type and upgraded cooling as well. But the biggest difference for me was the lines and going with a softer compound tire.

 

[stonesonsilver]

That being said I do have StopTechs (with the Iron Maiden font logo) all around purely for the bling factor.

+1 on the bling factor along with the added bonus of on track fade resistance.

 

[rominl]

OEM would have stopped the same distance. Think about it, you can only stop as quickly as the grip of the tire. Even if the BBK generates more torque as the arm from the center of the rotation is greater, your tires are going to be the limiting factor. So much so, I'm betting that OEM and BBK would be pretty close if you are running anything but an R Comp or slick.

BBK are more advantageous in heat dissipation. If every 1/4 mile you had to slam on the brakes again.... then your stoptechs would have paid off.

your statement is true only if the tire is the limiting factor right? meaning if the tires are good and provide a lot of grip but the brakes can't provide as much torque, then the brakes are actually the limiting factor.

but granted, i would say in most cases bbk doesn't provide better braking distance, they help to provide more consistent braking over aggressive / long use (less fading).

 

[Xetronic]

I respectfully DISAGREE with a good BBK NOT reducing your stopping distance

Concerning the fact that your tires are the limiting factor, that is absolutely correct.
However, your tires will ONLY determine your MAXIMUM deceleration at any given point. That is to say, if the grip of your tires limits your car to, let's say, 1G of deceleration force, that doesn't tell you how fast you GET to that deceleration.

Based on some testing I did in the past, the advantage of a (good) BBK is that it is, through the larger leverage produced by a combination of larger brake discs and/or greater clamping power of your calipers, capable of getting to that maximum deceleration faster.

With stock calipers and stock OEM brake pads, I found in testing from 100 kph to 0 that it took the OEM brakes about one (1) second to get up to 1G of deceleration force on a dry road.
ONE (1) second of driving at 90 feet per second covers quite a lot of distance, so the quicker and sooner you get up to that maximum deceleration your brakes and tires are capable of, the shorter your total braking distance.

It is probably the most important reason why drivers replace their OEM brake pads for pads with a bit more grip, because it gives you the same effect as mounting larger rotors, calipers etc.

Hey There Buddy, Long time no see hope all is going well. I'll be sure to let the Netherlands crew know when I visit again. But to stay on topic...

It is true that the time it takes to create "maximum deceleration" would be an impacting factor. In scientific terms yes, it would calculate out as a faster reaction time and so forth. But on that same note, a good driver with fast reflects with stock brakes would stop faster vs a poor driver with an excellent BBK. Why? Because it would be on how you use the equipment you have and how fast you can react as a driver.

You can have the best track car in the world, but if you are a bad driver, it does you no good versus a professional driver with a decent track car.

So I agree with the fact that a big brake can generate more fiction faster, but unless you are tracking a car, it would do much of you on the street unless you are racing to Rotterdamn train station to pick me up. =) hahahaha....

TL;DR - BBK is most beneficial for heat dissipation (as stated above). Slightly faster at generating fiction for stopping faster, hey .01-.1sec could be the difference of a couple feet/meters and could save your life. Fast driving reflects >>> BBK for stopping.

Side note - Wheel weight, tires, brake lines, and blah blah blah... consideration all in normal operating conditions and both car equal in all aspects expect for BBK. Of course upgrading other things will make a difference. (Lighter rotational masses stop faster, so big wheels with a BBK probably the same as stock wheels with stock brakes, assuming same tire compound)

 

[docjohn]

as stated too many variables to assign the miss to bbk vs stock...but be very happy you did miss.I'm always amazed how much damage a deer can cause esp at speeds over 50mph.