Has anyone installed a BBK (Big Brake Kit) on their CT?

[EightBitWhit]

Curious if anyone has been doing research or possibly even installed a Big Brake Kit (BBK) on their CT?

I've been looking at the following CT-specific kits:

• from Racing Brake - https://racingbrake.com/tes-ct-irp-410-400/
  
  
• from TSportLine - https://tsportline.com/collections/...erformance-slotted-cross-drilled-brake-rotors

At the onset, both kits look really good and I believe them to actually be the same, based on discussions with both manufacturers. Both indicate there are some potential sensor issues with the configuration for the rear caliper parking brake so I'm hesitant to move forward with either option.

Has anyone here installed either of these kits and be able to provide some insight or know of other options for the CT?

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[JackCypher]

No, I have not. I would be interested to know how well they work. I do think the CT brakes are lacking. It is not noticeable in normal 'regen' braking/stopping.

However, in the Oh-Sh** braking situation in the CT the brakes are not 'snappy' don't clamp down hard. I cannot imagine how much worse it would be with a trailer.

That said, when driving a 9,000 lbs vehicle, I pay attention, avoid situations or even the 'pretense' of a situation where I might have to brake-drift the CT.

Jack

 

[henchman24]

No, I have not. I would be interested to know how well they work. I do think the CT brakes are lacking. It is not noticeable in normal 'regen' braking/stopping.

However, in the Oh-Sh** braking situation in the CT the brakes are not 'snappy' don't clamp down hard. I cannot imagine how much worse it would be with a trailer.

That said, when driving a 9,000 lbs vehicle, I pay attention, avoid situations or even the 'pretense' of a situation where I might have to brake-drift the CT.

Jack

Changing the pad compound would likely accomplish what you want. Going to a metallic or ceramic pad will get the bite you're looking for. Maybe even a semi-metallic pad would. Tesla as a whole uses some of the softest organic pads out there.

Bigger brakes don't really help all that much with stopping power, they are more about capacity (namely heat) than anything else. The rear brake issue relates to the electronic parking brake integration into the caliper. The caliper used has to have one, and then it has to be compatible to the signals given by the Cybertruck. To my knowledge, nobody has cracked the ethernet loop to ensure it will always work and are relying on the data they know about to make that parking brake work. Given we don't have a mechanical parking paw, I wouldn't trust any aftermarket rear caliper until the ethernet loop is cracked.

 

[EightBitWhit]

Changing the pad compound would likely accomplish what you want. Going to a metallic or ceramic pad will get the bite you're looking for. Maybe even a semi-metallic pad would. Tesla as a whole uses some of the softest organic pads out there.

Bigger brakes don't really help all that much with stopping power, they are more about capacity (namely heat) than anything else. The rear brake issue relates to the electronic parking brake integration into the caliper. The caliper used has to have one, and then it has to be compatible to the signals given by the Cybertruck. To my knowledge, nobody has cracked the ethernet loop to ensure it will always work and are relying on the data they know about to make that parking brake work. Given we don't have a mechanical parking paw, I wouldn't trust any aftermarket rear caliper until the ethernet loop is cracked.

Thank you @henchman24, appreciate you taking the time to offer up those additional details regarding the ethernet loop.

To both RB and TSportLine's credit, they did mention to me that installing their rear calipers may cause "warning messages and errors" with the vehicle, but neither of them explained it with any degree of technical information and said that the rear brakes would perform as sold otherwise and I'd just have to be comfortable with living with sporadic errors on the screen and possible situations where the parking brake wouldn't disengage properly.

So - there's obviously more engineering work on their part to be done to sort that out. I'd actually buy from either seller, as I really do like the product on offer, but I'm not spending a $ until I know whatever I'm installing is going to work 100%.

So - I wait.

I think I'll explore upgraded rotors and pads as you mentioned and see how much of a difference that will make as an interim solution. Much like @JackCypher noted, the bite on the OEM brakes is... subpar (being kind) and although I'm not going to wittingly put myself in a bad situation, it's all the other fools on the road that makes really good brakes a good investment.

Any recommendations there?

 

[henchman24]

I don't think many suppliers have taken on making CT pads. I know Racing Brake, Unplugged, and T Sportline have pad options, but I don't know what type of compound they use (my guess is semi metallic or metallic). Odds are that all 3 are probably the same pad from the same supplier. If you're looking at rotors too, I think RB has an option to swap to different front rotors that are a tad bit larger and make the hub area a bit more compact. Requires special pads to take advantage of.

Personally, and I will do this eventually myself when the selection improves, I'd go pads first. With the calipers and rotors on the truck, they are more than adequately sized and spec'd. So pads should accomplish a lot.

 

[EightBitWhit]

I don't think many suppliers have taken on making CT pads. I know Racing Brake, Unplugged, and T Sportline have pad options, but I don't know what type of compound they use (my guess is semi metallic or metallic). Odds are that all 3 are probably the same pad from the same supplier. If you're looking at rotors too, I think RB has an option to swap to different front rotors that are a tad bit larger and make the hub area a bit more compact. Requires special pads to take advantage of.

Personally, and I will do this eventually myself when the selection improves, I'd go pads first. With the calipers and rotors on the truck, they are more than adequately sized and spec'd. So pads should accomplish a lot.

I think that's a sound approach. I do like the thought of bigger brakes wherever possible, but any upgrade here is a solid win.

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