Thinking about upgrading to a big brake kit?
Hold fire.
Because for most track day drivers, your braking performance isn’t limited by your calipers.
It’s limited by your pads.
We see it constantly. Drivers chasing bigger discs and fancy calipers when a proper pad compound would completely transform the car for a fraction of the cost.
Let’s break it down properly.
The Bit Most People Overlook
Your brake pad compound controls:
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Initial bite
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Heat tolerance
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Fade resistance
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Pedal feel
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Modulation
Change the compound and you change the whole braking experience.
You’re not just improving stopping power.
You’re improving confidence.
And confidence under braking is what makes you faster.
Do You Actually Need a Big Brake Kit?
Big brake kits absolutely have their place.
If you’re running:
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Serious power
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Endurance races
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Repeated long sessions where you’re overheating discs
Then yes, a bigger setup makes sense.
But most drivers doing track days or club racing are nowhere near the limits of their standard hardware.
What they’re actually feeling is:
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Pad fade
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Inconsistent bite
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Overheated compound
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Old fluid
That’s not a caliper problem.
That’s a pad problem.
The Smart Money Move
Let’s talk numbers.
Big brake kit: £1,500 or more.
Set of PBS performance pads: a fraction of that.
What could you do with the money you save?
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Book multiple track days
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Upgrade tyres
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Get driver coaching
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Invest in data
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Or just drive more
And here’s the blunt truth:
Seat time makes you quicker.
Shiny calipers don’t.
What We Recommend at PBS
At PBS Brakes, our compounds are built for real-world track performance.
That means:
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Strong initial bite
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Stable performance at high temperatures
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Consistent pedal feel across sessions
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Compatibility with your existing setup
No need to rip everything off the car.
Just unlock what it’s already capable of.
Here’s the Simple Test
Before you commit to a big brake kit:
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Fit a set of PBS pads matched to your driving style.
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Flush the system with fresh high-temp fluid.
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Bed them in correctly.
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Go test properly on track.
Then make your decision.
You might be surprised how capable your “standard” setup actually is.
The Bottom Line
Upgrading brakes isn’t about size.
It’s about balance.
Try a proper pad compound first.
If you still need a big brake kit after that, fine.
But chances are you won’t.
And you’ll have more track days booked instead.