2021 Tahoe/Escalade Performance Brembo Brake Upgrade

[R32driver]

I don't feel there's anything wrong with the factory brakes, they seem to work quite well. I'm curious why everyone feels the need to upgrade?

 

[mikew2069]

I don't feel there's anything wrong with the factory brakes, they seem to work quite well. I'm curious why everyone feels the need to upgrade?

I have only test driven so my sample size is small but the first thing I noticed were the brakes. They are so soft, I felt unsafe. I felt like I almost had to slam on the brakes to stop at a red light. But I'm also coming from an X5M which has brakes on the opposite side of the spectrum so I'm expecting some decline.

 

[91RS]

They feel soft because the brake pedal isn't actually attached to the braking system. It is a pedal simulator and the brakes are controlled electronically.

 

[handstr]

I agree on the soft brakes. I came from a x5m and then caddy esv and it seem like there is not a lot of stopping power. I really have to get on the brakes to slow her down.. what is the consensus on the brembo kit?

 

[kcb14214]

Mine has the brembo’s, better than the stock 18 denali we traded in. But I never drove a 22 with the stock brakes.

 

[Kpwweb]

Has anyone seen the instructions for the Brembo swap? I am wondering of the stock backing plate has to be removed?

 

[sacsrpc]

Did you use the gm kit for the upgrade or the 2021 ppv 6 piston calipers? It looks like they are the same calipers, just unpainted on the ppvs.

 

[91RS]

Has anyone seen the instructions for the Brembo swap? I am wondering of the stock backing plate has to be removed?

The Brembo kit comes with a different backing plate. The hubs have to be removed to change it out.

 

[mikew2069]

Mine has the brembo’s, better than the stock 18 denali we traded in. But I never drove a 22 with the stock brakes.

Is the brake dust crazy?

 

[kcb14214]

Not so far

 

[Polo08816]

They feel soft because the brake pedal isn't actually attached to the braking system. It is a pedal simulator and the brakes are controlled electronically.

So it's brake by wire?

Did you use the gm kit for the upgrade or the 2021 ppv 6 piston calipers? It looks like they are the same calipers, just unpainted on the ppvs.

Honestly, the 2021 PPV is a far better value. The hardware seems to be identical with the Brembo brake calipers being painted red.

 

[91RS]

So it's brake by wire?

Yes.

 

[Jacks7634]

Installed the brembo kit myself. Worth every penny.

 

[mikew2069]

View attachment 364420
Installed the brembo kit myself. Worth every penny.

Worth every penny bc of better stopping power or for looks?

 

[Kpwweb]

View attachment 364420
Installed the brembo kit myself. Worth every penny.

how hard are the brakes to bleed?

 

[L's Truck]

Do the 15-20 BBK fit the 21s?

EDIT: I've confirmed they works

 

[robgreg75]

Worth every penny bc of better stopping power or for looks?

Looks... upgrading brakes only provide better ability for repeated stops, if you can activate the ABS on your car/truck then your brakes are stronger than the traction available. The factory brakes will do just fine unless you are on a track or want to ride brakes all the way down a mountain and even at that usually upgrading to a higher temperature fluid and better pads fix most all of that concern. I personally built bigger brakes for some of my past cars that I tracked, it was only when tracked that I decided to upgrade. If you want more of a bite you can upgrade your factory brakes to a pad with higher coefficient of friction, that will effectively make your factory brakes have more power.

The biggest advantage would be maybe for weight, the factory caliper looks to be cast iron so upgrading to an aluminum caliper could reduce some unsprung weight and help the ride quality a little. Saying this as I cannot see anyone taking a big SUV on a track.

 

[91RS]

upgrading brakes only provide better ability for repeated stops

Absolutely and completely false.

 

[Polo08816]

Looks... upgrading brakes only provide better ability for repeated stops, if you can activate the ABS on your car/truck then your brakes are stronger than the traction available. The factory brakes will do just fine unless you are on a track or want to ride brakes all the way down a mountain and even at that usually upgrading to a higher temperature fluid and better pads fix most all of that concern. I personally built bigger brakes for some of my past cars that I tracked, it was only when tracked that I decided to upgrade. If you want more of a bite you can upgrade your factory brakes to a pad with higher coefficient of friction, that will effectively make your factory brakes have more power.

The biggest advantage would be maybe for weight, the factory caliper looks to be cast iron so upgrading to an aluminum caliper could reduce some unsprung weight and help the ride quality a little. Saying this as I cannot see anyone taking a big SUV on a track.

Absolutely and completely false.

I'm going to side with robgreg75. Larger rotors and upgraded calipers have an improved ability to handle heat and somewhat of a better pedal feel. But most of the time you can address this with better brake pads.

 

[91RS]

Once again, absolutely and completely false (as the only advantage to bigger brakes, to be clear). Bigger brakes stop better under all circumstances. Larger rotors and pads have more friction area which is equivalent to “there’s no replacement for displacement” as they say. Sure you can upgrade to more aggressive pads with the stock brakes but at the expense of much shorter life (and they eat up the rotors so that they have to be changed when the pads wear out), noise, and dust. The Brembo pads in these kits aren’t super aggressive. The EBC Yellowstuff I put on the rear easily made 2-3 times as much dust.