You’ve lifted your truck, installed a big set of wheels, and wrapped them up in a set of 35-inch M/T tires. You’re the man. You’re the king of all you survey. You’re...not stopping when you hit the brakes. You’re running into the guy in front of you in traffic. Your insurance rates are now higher than your beloved, lifted ride.
Any time you add weight to your vehicle, your brakes have to work a little bit harder. In this article, we explain why larger wheels and tires are especially taxing on a stock brake system and what upgrades you can make to restore or even improve your truck’s braking performance.
Why It’s Hard To Stop Large Wheels And Tires
Increasing stress on your brakes can lead to overheated, cracked, or even broken rotors.
As a wheel and tire spins, it builds up kinetic energy. To stop your vehicle, that energy has to be transformed somehow. Your brakes achieve this by creating friction between the pad and rotor, which changes the kinetic energy into heat, thus bringing your vehicle to a stop. When you install a larger, heavier set of wheels and tires, the brakes have to work that much harder to do their job. They also generate more heat in the process, leading to a condition called brake fade that limits the effectiveness of your brakes.
To maintain or increase your vehicle's stopping ability, consider installing some of the following products.