Brembo Brakes Feel

[Dmustang82]

This is kind of a random question. Before I made the decision to buy the new Mach 1, I was only able to test drive a 2020 Ecoboost. I current have an Acura car and I have never owned a modern Mustang. I am a little bit particular about how the brakes feel on a car. What I liked about the 2020 Ecoboost was that the brakes were extraordinarily firm. I had test drove a 2016 Subaru WRX back in the day and one of the things I did not like was that I felt that the brakes were almost on the floor to stop the car.

Although I know that Brembo brakes are great brakes and the Bullitt Mustang that currently has them stops much more quickly than my current Acura ILX according to the 70-0 and 60-0 tests I have seen, I was curious if anyone can comment on how they feel? I have read in several places that people think they are firm when they are originally on the car, but I have also read people complain that they spongy and soft when they are installed aftermarket.

I am just curious. I could not resist buying the Mach 1 either way, so whatever they are, I will just have to get used to them. Luckily my commute is short so it will not be a huge deal, but interested to see what people have to say.

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[EFI]

I have read in several places that people think they are firm when they are originally on the car, but I have also read people complain that they spongy and soft when they are installed aftermarket.

They are firm, and if they feel spongy is because they were not bled properly.

 

[Strokerswild]

Firm, and will likely try to toss you through the windshield the first time you use them, not knowing what to expect.

At least that was my experience. Between that and the ridiculously assisted clutch pedal, I must have looked like a total noob when I was leaving the dealership.

 

[Andy13186]

They are firm and overall just about perfect IMO, very very controllable, perfect resistance to braking level ratio IMO. You could go drive a PP1 gt , should have the same brakes. No sponginess at all on these.

 

[Soulja4187]

I can assure you that these Brembo are miles ahead of any Honda Acura brakes. When I had my Accord I felt like I had to floor the brakes to get it to stop from a roll. With these Brembo's you wont have to do that. The Brembo's on the Mach 1 are the same you would get if you got a PP1 (performance Package 1) car.

 

[Twenty4/7]

everyone that has driven my pp1 the first thing they say is how much they like the brakes and how effortlessly it stops very hard.

 

[Bullitt0819]

...

At least that was my experience. Between that and the ridiculously assisted clutch pedal, I must have looked like a total noob when I was leaving the dealership.

I stalled my Bullitt pulling out of the dealership; pretty embarrassing although it was a Saturday night and not too many people around. Found out later that car is shipped in 'transfer mode'--or something like that--and the engine was effectively neutered until their tech made it 'normal' a couple days later.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

The GT PP1/PP2, bullitt, and the Mach 1 all have the same brakes. Go find a GT with the PP1/PP2 to test drive and see for your self what the brakes feel like.

 

[Norm Peterson]

This is kind of a random question. Before I made the decision to buy the new Mach 1, I was only able to test drive a 2020 Ecoboost. I current have an Acura car and I have never owned a modern Mustang. I am a little bit particular about how the brakes feel on a car. What I liked about the 2020 Ecoboost was that the brakes were extraordinarily firm. I had test drove a 2016 Subaru WRX back in the day and one of the things I did not like was that I felt that the brakes were almost on the floor to stop the car.

Brake "feel" is more heavily dependent on pad compound than anything, assuming that the brake system was at least competently bled. Pad compound is really the only thing with much variability as far as developing a strong coefficient of friction is concerned.



FWIW, our WRX brakes never threatened to go "almost to the floor", but initially they were very unsatisfying. Gently driven, they were fine. Harder use, not so fine, didn't feel that they ever really 'bit'. They've improved somewhat in the years and miles since, but the plans still are to swap the OE pads out for one of the milder G-loc formulations before the OEs are worn out.


Norm

 

[Chef jpd]

I had a PP 16 ecoboost, had the base GT brakes. Did a good job.
But, I replaced them with GT PP Brembos. Like previously stated,
Unbelievable initial bite, like through the windscreen.

My current GT PP1, has the same, and they are nothing short of stellar.
........except for the brake dust on the factory pads.........

 

[Bullitt$Bill]

They’re great on my Bullitt just like they were on my ‘04 STi.

IMO you gonna love ’em.

 

[offroadkarter]

The factory brembo brakes have a very sharp initial bite and very firm pedal feel, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

As per aftermarket, I won't speak for every application but I'm sure this is largely because Brembo isn't doing independent testing on a per car basis on aftermarket BBK's, and wrong piston sizing can give you that "mush" feel. On my E39 M5 the Stoptech BBK (which, Stoptech did do lots of real world testing to choose a caliper with proper sized pistons) firmed up the brake pedal real nice but I've read reports from people who put Brembos on these cars that the pedal got even softer than stock.

 

[Vlad Soare]

The stock Brembo brakes are fantastic. It's not so much the braking force that impresses me most (though that is indeed impressive), but how much feel they have, how linear they are. I can control them unbelievably finely just by flexing my toes on the pedal. Because of this linearity and predictability I can brake quite hard without the passenger even noticing it.
And when you really slam on the brakes the car stops dead in its tracks. I got 0.97 g with winter tyres on wet tarmac at 32 ºF. On dry tarmac with summer tyres on a warm day I could probably do even better.

 

[michaelveggies]

I had a PP 16 ecoboost, had the base GT brakes. Did a good job.
But, I replaced them with GT PP Brembos. Like previously stated,
Unbelievable initial bite, like through the windscreen.

My current GT PP1, has the same, and they are nothing short of stellar.
........except for the brake dust on the factory pads.........

Did you have to upgrade the master cylinder on your ecoboost when you upgraded to the GT brembo brakes?

i just did the upgrade a few days go and my pedal doesnt feel as stiff/strong as my 4 piston breaks. ( i have a 17' PP ecoboost FYI.). I blead each side twice as well before getting on the road.
I also have this phenomenon occurring of my pedal sinking in when im at a complete stop. However it only creeps its way down if i apply enough force. i can bring my car to a dead stop and keep it there without an issue. However, i can apply extra force while ata complete stop and my pedal VERYYYY slowly makes its way to the floor.

 

[Chef jpd]

Did you have to upgrade the master cylinder on your ecoboost when you upgraded to the GT brembo brakes?

i just did the upgrade a few days go and my pedal doesnt feel as stiff/strong as my 4 piston breaks. ( i have a 17' PP ecoboost FYI.). I blead each side twice as well before getting on the road.
I also have this phenomenon occurring of my pedal sinking in when im at a complete stop. However it only creeps its way down if i apply enough force. i can bring my car to a dead stop and keep it there without an issue. However, i can apply extra force while ata complete stop and my pedal VERYYYY slowly makes its way to the floor.

I did not upgrade the MC. Never had an issue with the pedal, was always rock solid.

Did you bleed them from the top and bottom? I used a vacuum bleeder and did them twice on each side. You really need to address all 4 bleed nipples on the Brembo calipers.

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