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How to improve Model 3 braking feel?

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drive around for 20-30 minutes without stopping to let the brakes cool.

Sounds simple enough, though will have to plan for the 20-30 mins of nonstop driving. Will be taking a trip over the weekend so I'll give this a try before getting onto the highway.

If I do have to stop for whatever reason, should I brake a few more times to re-coat the rotor?
 
If I do have to stop for whatever reason, should I brake a few more times to re-coat the rotor?

The reason for not stopping either when you are doing the hard braking (i.e you slow down to 5 MPH and dont stop) or when cooling the brakes is that you can deposit additional pad material onto the rotor (the pads are hot!) which isn't evenly distributed across the rotor. Once its on them its tough to get off and the uneven distribution can result in brake shudder/pulsations in bad cases.

When i did mine, i had to slow down and stop once or twice after 10 minutes so i made sure that once i came to a stop i released the brakes (on level ground) so the pads weren't melting to the rotors while i sat there.
 
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My 2020 brakes feel like they have air in them and are the worse feeling brakes of the last 10 cars I have had, possibly even including my Hummer H1.

I will ask at my next service appointment (in 5 days) if that is typical or if they have air in them.
 
My 2020 brakes feel like they have air in them and are the worse feeling brakes of the last 10 cars I have had, possibly even including my Hummer H1.

The stock pads really do feel soft since you hardly ever use them during regular street driving, if they say it's normal then id really suggest some aftermarket pads and stainless lines while you're at it and i guarantee they feel way better.
 
Ohh reading this post just taught me all about the iBooster thank you fun morning tech binge! However I thought we hardly used the breaks anymore? :D I would imagine changing discs, pads, lines and tyres change a load of possible parameters. Does the software in the iBooster automatically adjust to this? or do you need to get some custom software work done? Is that even possible yet on a Tesla like the older mapping days to optimise new add-ons?
 
I would imagine changing discs, pads, lines and tyres change a load of possible parameters. Does the software in the iBooster automatically adjust to this? or do you need to get some custom software work done? Is that even possible yet on a Tesla like the older mapping days to optimise new add-ons?

For the most part it's fine. I've swapped pads, rotors, calipers (pretty much everything) and had zero issues with daily driving and/or on track.
 
My 2020 brakes feel like they have air in them and are the worse feeling brakes of the last 10 cars I have had, possibly even including my Hummer H1.

How many miles have you done in it so far? How much have you used the brakes in that time?

My car only had 50 miles on it when I picked it and the first thing I did was look at the brakes as I'd heard quite a few new owners complaining about the feel of them. Mine were virtually unused and certainly hadn't been bedded in, so I was only getting maybe 70% of the pad surfaces properly contacting with the rotors.

Bed them in properly first and see how they feel then. I changed my brake fluid and fitted braided lines all at the same time and after that they were much better with all of that done. I didn't find any air in the system when I bled mine.

The stock pads are made of cheese, so the next step is to use an aftermarket compound with more initial bite, but the compromise is you'll get more brake dust and they may be noisy at low speeds.

I can honestly say now I've done the work on my M3P, the brakes are better than my BMW 335i M-Sport and that's got pretty good brakes to be fair to it.
 
Sorry to revive this thread again.

I was searching on TMC for threads on "brakes" to understand what others did to improve brake pad feeling but more important, faster stopping.

Like some of you in this thread, I was wondering if I had air in my line... there's likely no air in your line!

The issue is with the Model 3 brake master cylinder that is NOT properly secured in place. The more pressure you apply on the pedal, the more the cylinder moves by itself. For that reason, each time I wanted the car to stop "faster" I had to push the brake pedal almost to the firewall. In the below thread that I refer there's a video showing the cylinder moving when someone presses on the pedal.

Ever since this thread was created, a new product from MPP came out this week. If you guys still feel that the brake pedal doesn't feel "right", check out what I installed in my 3. Ever since, I am super happy with how the brake feels.

Master Brake Cylinder Brace from Mountain Pass Performance MPP

That said now I'm looking at getting the car to stop faster. I was hoping upgrading the brake pads would help but I read getting better tires might be the right thing to do. I have the AWD model w/ stock brake equipment, is upgrading the tires the way to go?

Thanx.
 
If you are hitting ABS then tires. If brakes are fading, brake pads and if still then rotors, spacers/calipers, etc.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S are about the best street tires I know. All kinds of traction in all conditions except cold. By 40 degF they get pretty slippery. You aren't supposed to drive them at all at 32 and below.
 
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My 2020 brakes feel like they have air in them and are the worse feeling brakes of the last 10 cars I have had, possibly even including my Hummer H1.

I will ask at my next service appointment (in 5 days) if that is typical or if they have air in them.

My car is new from March. I just bled the system for racing fluid, I definitely saw air bubbles coming out. I doubt Tesla will warranty it for you. Good luck.

I also swap my stock brembo pads to some racing pads. I am engaging ABS at every stop, I am a much happier camper.
 

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That said now I'm looking at getting the car to stop faster. I was hoping upgrading the brake pads would help but I read getting better tires might be the right thing to do. I have the AWD model w/ stock brake equipment, is upgrading the tires the way to go?

Thanx.


Tires are the thing that actually stop the car- so yes if you're talking about reducing slam-the-pedal stopping distance, tires are the only way to do that. Brake mods can change feel and a number of other things- and help maintain the SAME stopping distance over more heavy repeated stops without letting things cool first- but they can't stop you any shorter the first time than the stock brakes do assuming both systems are working properly. Only better tires can do that.


If you'd like a great breakdown of what each part of a braking system does- and does NOT- do (and why not of them can reduce your stopping distance- but tires can) I'd suggest you read this:

GRM Pulp Friction