teej281

From my standpoint, they are better than stock. For the price of new pads, slotted rotors, stainless lines, and new fluid you can swap over to at least front cobra brakes, if not both front and rear. With stock lines, stock style blank rotors, and Hawk performance ceramic pads, I make myself dizzy stopping. Search the sticky section for my sticky about piecing together a cobra brake kit. You can do front and rear with stainless lines for right around $650. From my standpoint, I definitely find it worthwhile to upgrade. I'm personally trying to upgrade to 14" fronts with 6 piston calipers here within the next year or so. I want to stop the earths rotation with just the touch of the brake pedal.

Jazzer The Cat

^ 25" rotors and 18 pistons will NOT stop you any faster/better/quicker than 100% OEM with SS lines, premium fluid and nice pads. Remember, brakes are ONLY as good as the tires and once the wheel either locks up or begins to, the ABS kicks in or you begin to skid. Both of these actions are fatal to the stopping process and extra pistons and larger rotor will be of no use at that point. Cobra rears are a complete waste of money, as the brake bias limits their use anyway. I had them and did so with a fully adjustable rear brake-bias valve installed. The bias valve was all the way open and no seat of the pants improvement whatever

If one wants Cobra brakes for appearance... GFI! If one is looking for strictly a performance upgrade, save your money on better tires.

Jazzer

fastbackford351

I bought a set of new FoMoCo Bullitt front brakes off of Ebay after a couple years of owning my GT and the difference was absolutely noticeable. I didn't get the rears.

It wasn't like, "I think I can tell a difference" it was "Wow!".

Even my wife who knows absolutely nothing about cars and even less about what mods I do to my cars asked me if I did something to the brakes after she drove it.

As a bonus, the larger brake setup with the red calipers and the Pony looks ballin' behind my wheels compared to stock.

LilRoush

I'm with Jazzer on this. It's about harmony of everything (brakes/tires/suspension). I've run all three mentioned set ups ('stockish' upgrade of pads/lines/fluid), 13" twin piston and 14" four piston. For a street car, the pads/lines/fluid will perform equal to the Cobra fronts and be less money out of pocket for sure.

I ran 13" front and 13" rear on my 2000 V6R. Good up grade for a track car. Pointless on the street.
Had 14" Alcon four piston fronts/13" rears...sold them. For the current street/track car I'm doing 13" fronts and stock rears. Anything more is just someone thinking they need more than they really do.... resulting in extra weight you need to stop.

I'm a big fan of the quote "If you can lock up your wheels, you need tires/suspension - not brakes".

Sxynerd

I remember the last thread I chimed in on people thought I was nuts when I said Cobra brakes didn't feel any different in stopping power. Bigger and more expensive does not always translate to better in every way.