Model S Plaid Brakes Are Terrible!

[Trompazo]

It would 100% suck, because it is not designed for that test. This is the thing, from the article:

It seems a little funny given that, in normal daily driving, those giant brakes might almost never be activated, thanks to the car's regen capabilities.

From a product perspective if 90% of the people will not use that capacity, why do it? Their product philosophy is to offer the performance even if almost no-one will use it.

With Tesla's product perspective it makes no sense to meet that test. Which is fine - the few of us that want to make the car work in that context can work with engineering firms and manufacturers and make it happen (I hope!)

There is a lot of talk about Track Mode coming.

But it seems unlikely to me that they will release Track mode with the car as is.

It would at least need new pads but I dont see them offering new pads either, just the expensive CCB brake kit, which isn't what the car needs for a road course.

 

[lbowroom]

Is this why we aren't allowed test drives??

No, lol!! So let's pretend there were excess Plaids to test drive. Do you think you'd be hitting 0-100-0-100-0-100-0-100-0 on the test drive to qualify the brakes?

 

[lbowroom]

There is a lot of talk about Track Mode coming.

But it seems unlikely to me that they will release Track mode with the car as is.

It would at least need new pads but I dont see them offering new pads either, just the expensive CCB brake kit, which isn't what the car needs for a road course.

The 3 got track mode when the brakes on it weren't up for serious track duty either. They even gave track mode to the stealth while people here argued that it wouldn't even work, lol.

 

[oktane]

No, lol!! So let's pretend there were excess Plaids to test drive. Do you think you'd be hitting 0-100-0-100-0-100-0-100-0 on the test drive to qualify the brakes?

Lol no I mean a simple freeway on-ramp at speed will tell you the brake feel is . I don’t mean fade.

 

[Copovi]

Those of you who own a Plaid, is it just me or are the brakes terribly subpar for the power of this car? I was driving at a high rate of speed on the Interstate and had to aggressively apply the brakes only to find out that they are very weak.

Anyone else agree and more importantly, have any over you replaced to improve upon the braking experience?

Thanks!

I agree with you, I have a model S Plaid and the breaks are really not to par.

 

[Mash]

Understood. Debating pads, front BBK, front/rear BBK.

How would Plaid do on a a Porsche brake torture test?

Why Porsche Gave the Taycan Enormous Brakes

Porsche's electric sport sedan has regenerative braking, but the car still has huge 16.5-inch rotors and ten-piston calipers up front. It all has to do with Porsche's braking torture test.

www.roadandtrack.com

It will lose brakes completely mid test.
Minimum is always pads and brake fluid, next - larger rotors with better ventilation. Next - larger calipers to fit even larger rotors. Needless to say if you go different calipers - pads and rotors would be different. Considering amount of complaints on Plaid brake feel and how easy they catch fire and how much Plaid costs, I would go for

1. front BBK + rear calipers mod
2. front aero rotors > 420 diameter,
3. thickness >38mm,
4. AP/ST/Brembo calipers
5. highest possible friction coefficient pads
6. which are not know for too much noise
7. with top temperature like 850C and higher

That should do it for the street.

There are usually comments how race pads don't have bite when they cold, but if they are high friction pads they won't be worse than stock anyway. Just some of them are too noisy.

 

[MFrunkerOG]

Took the plunge with the UP kit! fronts and rears!

 

[bhzmark]

To be more specific there are three potential problems with the refresh Model S brakes:
1) fade when hot from repeated use
2) instability when braking hard from high speeds (even when not hot -- I posted earlier my problems with the brakes seeming to buck and be unstable when braking hard from high (>100mph) speeds. I didn't think it was because of the ABS but perhaps it was (it was on a track with above avg surface adhesion)).
3) actual stopping distance when cold , or at least not hot.

#3 seems to not be a problem, at least according to Car and Driver tests. note that the Tesla Plaid and BMW tied for shortest stopping distance from 70 mph, both beating Porsche Taycan and pre-refresh Model S Performance:

Tested: 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid Is Absurdly Quick but Also Has a Few Key Flaws

Tesla's monstrously quick 1020-hp Model S nabs multiple records, but is it truly great?

www.caranddriver.com

 

[bhzmark]

Good stopping distances also confirmed by Road and Track numbers in this interesting discussion of Plaid Brakes.

 

[MountainPass]

I’m vain so I went for the larger diameter. I trust MPP will have pads and stainless lines too.

<3

For sure, keep in mind that we've only had access to the car for about 8 weeks now. Benchmarking, Design, Prototyping, Testing, Manufacturing, These things take time!

One thing that is nice about a larger diameter / OE annulus is that you're not locked to one pad supplier.

We've always looked at things like pads in the same way as we look at tires - each person has a different preference, whether that be very mild, sporty, or racing. Some are OK with some noise, some are OK with some dust, etc.

It seems there are already many pad suppliers out there for the Plaid, and that is extremely early compared to most cars which take 1-2 years for custom pad shapes to be released, so the good news for Plaid owners is that there will be no shortage of pad compounds out there to select which one matches with your needs best.

 

[MountainPass]

A little weekend treat!

Our prototype master cylinder brace just got off the machines. The Model S firewall flexes even more than the 3 it would appear, and this brace is able to engage at a better angle than our Model 3 brace, so the results should be even better.

We'll do some more testing before putting it up for sale, but thought you all would enjoy. Once the brake caliper clips are solved, this is the next thing to address the "Odd" Model S brake pedal feel.

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[FlatSix911]

To be more specific there are three potential problems with the refresh Model S brakes:
1) fade when hot from repeated use
2) instability when braking hard from high speeds (even when not hot -- I posted earlier my problems with the brakes seeming to buck and be unstable when braking hard from high (>100mph) speeds. I didn't think it was because of the ABS but perhaps it was (it was on a track with above avg surface adhesion)).
3) actual stopping distance when cold , or at least not hot.

#3 seems to not be a problem, at least according to Car and Driver tests. note that the Tesla Plaid and BMW tied for shortest stopping distance from 70 mph, both beating Porsche Taycan and pre-refresh Model S Performance:

View attachment 742697

Tested: 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid Is Absurdly Quick but Also Has a Few Key Flaws

Tesla's monstrously quick 1020-hp Model S nabs multiple records, but is it truly great?

www.caranddriver.com

Great chart... the Tesla Plaid clearly has the greatest area enclosed in the colored polygons.

Math is not that hard.

 

[FlatSix911]

There is a lot of talk about Track Mode coming. But it seems unlikely to me that they will release Track mode with the car as is.

It would at least need new pads but I dont see them offering new pads either, just the expensive CCB brake kit, which isn't what the car needs for a road course.

Additional details on the new track performance brake kit from Electrek.

Tesla unveils $20,000 Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit for Model S Plaid

Tesla has unveiled the first new track-ready accessory kit for Model S Plaid: a $20,000 Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit. The...

electrek.co

 

[MFrunkerOG]

@UnpluggedP what are your shipping times for your new plaid PFC brake kits?

 

[bhzmark]

Tesla Plaid clearly has the greatest area enclosed in the colored polygons.

Indeed, the skidpad numbers are quite impressive. Massive upgrade from pre-refresh

 

[MFrunkerOG]

Do brake dust shields impede airflow and cooling for rotors?

 

[bhzmark]

Indeed, the skidpad numbers are quite impressive. Massive upgrade from pre-refresh

Plaid is ranked 58 in the top 100 skidpad cars and I didn’t see any other 4 doors on the list. Top 100 "Grip Kings" - fastest cars around skidpad 2021 - FastestLaps.com

 

[TwoK4drSi]

Do brake dust shields impede airflow and cooling for rotors?

From what I read on the groups Yes they do. They also have brake cooling ducts engineered that was used on their pikes peak car.

Model S Plaid – Carbon Fiber Racing Brake Duct Kit (FRONT) (2021+) - Unplugged Performance

The carbon fiber brake duct kit has been developed over months of testing at Pikes Peak, allowing you to cool your Plaid S brakes more efficiently

unpluggedperformance.com

 

[MFrunkerOG]

From what I read on the groups Yes they do. They also have brake cooling ducts engineered that was used on their pikes peak car.

Model S Plaid – Carbon Fiber Racing Brake Duct Kit (FRONT) (2021+) - Unplugged Performance

The carbon fiber brake duct kit has been developed over months of testing at Pikes Peak, allowing you to cool your Plaid S brakes more efficiently

unpluggedperformance.com

Hmm… I’m not tracking my car, so I probably don’t need that, but I wonder why there hasn’t been better design of shields that help force air from the wheel well itself into the center of the rotors

 

[juanmedina]

Well I end up ordering the MPP rotors. If my incoming 19" Chinese forged wheels do not work, I guess I will be getting new wheels haha.

Well I changed my mind and canceled my order and order the unplugged rotors. MPP said that they will be making smaller rotors for the 19" wheels.