Upgraded To OEM Performance Brakes

[mact3333]

Thread started for people interested in upgrading their non-performance brakes to performance brakes. Yes it is possible. I replaced the fronts without issues several months ago but had to remove the rears as it was throwing codes.

When I asked around and even made a post on TMC, not a single person had upgraded their rear brakes using a BBK or the performance brakes so I was in uncharted territory. The Tesla mobile repair guy said it couldn't be done. He was wrong!!!

After doing some research, I learned you had to have jumper cables to make this work. I got the rears installed today and they work great. It though some error lights at first but installers cycled the car over(turned on and off) a few times and then the error lights went away.

First os all, the brake upgrade is for aesthetics only. unless you track, it won't make any difference for street stopping power. Matter of fact, performance pads seem to squeal abit.

And this is a very expensive upgrade but it can be done!

 

[Msjulie]

Curious how it compares, cost and otherwise, to something like Mountain Pass or some of the other vendors (See my sig, I already have MPP rotors ..)

 

[jmaddr]

Nice job. So to get the rears the only thing you had to do was cycle the car on and off (I assume from the in car display)? Might be doing this in a few months with a BBK. Thanks for posting.

 

[mact3333]

Doesn't compare to MPP brake upgrade as those are just rotors and pads only....performance kit is calipers, pads and rotors...cost isn't comparable really.

Earlier I should have said you need jumper harnesses not cables.

Yes you cycle car on and off a few times is my understanding.

Pedal feel is firm and has some bite now.

 

[Msjulie]

Doesn't compare to MPP brake upgrade as those are just rotors and pads only....performance kit is calipers, pads and rotors...cost isn't comparable really.

Yeah I know the parts diff I was trying to get pricing to see the value proposition.

Pedal feel is firm and has some bite now.

I noticed that as well with "just rotors" not even changing the pads... more surface matters and my rotors are now a few pounds lighter each wheel.

 

[mact3333]

Yeah I know the parts diff I was trying to get pricing to see the value proposition.



I noticed that as well with "just rotors" not even changing the pads... more surface matters

You better take that back or NightStalker will come after you with his "stopping power is 100% all tires and has nothing to do with rotors/pad" talk!!!!....

 

[rk242]

Earlier I should have said you need jumper harnesses not cables.
Yes you cycle car on and off a few times is my understanding.

What are these jumper harnesses and what are they for? Some kind of adapter for the rears? Where can I get them? Does that mean the rears can not be simply swapped out?

Thanks!

 

[Msjulie]

You better take that back or NightStalker will come after you with his "stopping power is 100% all tires and has nothing to do with rotors/pad" talk!!!!....

Ha you're right, he'd be all over it.. but we both know that pedal feel can be a different matter and also, larger rotors often cool better and so keep optimal stopping power longer in stressed conditions

BTW I wasn't trying to diss your choice to upgrade, just wanted to understand why the OEM was best for you vs an aftermarket choice.

 

[Knightshade]

You better take that back or NightStalker will come after you with his "stopping power is 100% all tires and has nothing to do with rotors/pad" talk!!!!....

You rang?


That's true of course, normal/street stopping distance is 100% tires (well, tires and road surface) and rotors/pads can't improve it.

Brake upgrades can absolutely change the "feel" of the system though, not only have I never said otherwise, the source I most frequently cite (pulp friction) specifically calls out that fact as one of the reasons you might still choose to upgrade brakes even though they won't actually reduce stopping distance.

 

[Adam3]

How much better do the perf calipers feel over stock?

 

[mact3333]

Guys,

You cannot install rear performance brakes without throwing codes...as I stated before I actually had them installed for a hr or so but it was throwing codes(think it had to do with e brake)...so they took them back off...so I asked the guy who sold me the brakes what i could do and he said I needed the jumper harnesses....sorry I dont have a pic of them but its just a wiring harness with some metal tabs on them.

If you plan on doing this upgrade, get the harness early cause its a PITA to get them...my installer said he couldn't order from Tesla for 2 reasons...one, they never answer the phone!...two they ask for a VIN number and they won't sell you the part unless your VIN matches a performance car(unreal huh).

So I got lucky cause my vendor was doing a reverse swap(going from performance brakes to standard) and had these jumper harnesses and yes I paid a disgusting amount for them but I didnt have much of a choice since I had rear brakes collecting dust that I paid a very large sum for.

So if you're going to do this, go the the Tesla SC first and see if you can buy the rear jumper harness before you actually buy a rear BBK upgrade or the performance brakes.

 

[mact3333]

Now I am not sure if this was the actual jumper harness/cable but it looked a lot like this.


2017 - 2019 TESLA MODEL 3 REAR LEFT SIDE PARKING BRAKE CABLE WIRE JUMPER OEM | eBay

 

[hydro 481]

What was your total cost?

 

[wenkan]

I’m more interested in replacing performance rear brakes with some aftermarket upgraded kit.

 

[Knightshade]

So I got lucky cause my vendor was doing a reverse swap(going from performance brakes to standard) .

... why in the world did someone want that?

 

[kgoroway]

... why in the world did someone want that?

Almost certainly so they could fit 18" aeros, right? Can't imagine any other reason.

 

[mact3333]

... why in the world did someone want that?

Doubt he wanted to do it but I am sure he did for the money...some people who dont track do not care about the performance brakes and you can sell performance brakes close to Brembo prices.

 

[mact3333]

btw, there are vendors on eBay selling front/rears for 2400.00, which is a lot less than I paid individually!...dont think it has rear jumper harnesses though....dont think it has the hats either.

 

[hydro 481]

OP starts a thread about upgrading to performance brakes but then purposely leaves out the most important part....cost.

What was the point of creating this thread then? Just to brag that you could do it and rub it in the faces of the people who were wrong? Or was it to genuinely help others like you claimed?

 

[mact3333]

OP starts a thread about upgrading to performance brakes but then purposely leaves out the most important part....cost.

What was the point of creating this thread then? Just to brag that you could do it and rub it in the faces of the people who were wrong? Or was it to genuinely help others like you claimed?

just wow...point is not about cost, its about knowing about the harness so you don't get stuck like I did and throwing codes...dang...but to be clear, the cost is steep...I paid 1800 for fronts, 1300 for rears...install was 600...jumper harnesses were 200...you happy now???....

I am sure most wouldn't consider this due to cost...I was going to do Brembo's for fronts but thought it would look odd having Brembo's up front and Tesla performance for rears...and what's odd is this, when I looked for rear upgrade BBK's I found nothing!...many companies sell the fronts but I couldn't find a single vendor that sold the rear brake upgrade.