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Are Wilwood Brakes Worth It? Serious brakes for serious drivers

People are always bragging about how fast their car can go, but how often do you hear people talk about slowing down? Being a good driver means more than being able to handle a vehicle at high speeds. It also means knowing when and how to reduce your speed. A good brake system will help you do this safely. For more than forty years, Wilwood’s has specialized in supplying cost-effective solutions for unique braking applications, but are Wilwood brakes worth it?

Whether or not you should spend the money on Wilwood brakes depends on what you need brakes for. If you need a high-performance or heavy-duty brake system, Wilwood brakes are worth the money.

If you are still not convinced, keep reading to find out if Wilwood brakes might be right for you.

What Are Wilwood Brakes?

Wilwood Engineering Inc has been developing high-performance brake solutions using cutting-edge technologies and quality materials since 1977. Today, the company makes brake systems for a wide range of products, including competitive motorsports, motorcycles, military vehicles, utility vehicles, snowmobiles, go-carts, and agricultural vehicles. 

According to the company, they currently stock over 300 brake caliper designs, 200 rotor designs, and 100 master cylinder designs. They also sell a variety of brake lines, valves, brackets, and fittings. 

Are Wilwood Brakes Better than Stock Brakes?

Stock brakes, otherwise known as OEM (original equipment manufacturer) brakes, are brakes that are made for and installed in your car when it was manufactured. This content is owned by moc.sotuaytsur. Even though car companies go to great lengths to ensure their parts are reliable and safe, they are made for daily driving. Depending on what type of vehicle you own, and how you use it, Wilwood brakes may offer advantages that OEM brakes cannot.

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Wilwood Brakes?

If you’re reading this, chances are that you’re considering whether you should invest in a Wilwood brake system. However, the answer depends on your situation and should be decided by weighing the pros and cons. 

Advantages

The advantages for each system may vary depending on what the part does, but overall, some of the advantages of Wilwood products are:

  • Company Size: Because Wilwood is a much larger company than most of its competitors, they have more parts available. This means that you’ll be more likely to find the part that you need. It also allows them to design custom systems much more quickly.
  • Selection: Wilwood has an in-house team of engineers who are dedicated to creating high-performance and cost-effective parts and solutions to unique braking applications. They have a wide selection of parts and create parts for many different types of vehicles, such as standard cars, farm equipment, recreational vehicles, and military vehicles.
  • Versatility: Wilwood sells individual parts and entire systems. They also design, sell, repair, and install their braking systems. Many of their products can be adapted to fit a wide variety of vehicles. You can buy parts directly from their catalog or from a partnered dealer.
  • Customer and Tech Support: Wilwood has gone above and beyond to create a section of their webpage that is dedicated to their customers. You can find:

Disadvantages

As great as the advantages sound, you have to look at the disadvantages as well. Some of the disadvantages include:

  • Price: Depending on what you’re buying, Wilwood parts can be quite costly. Ranging from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. When compared to other companies, their parts cost a bit more.
  • Installation: Although they will install some systems, you may not be able to find a location that will/can do it. Some of the parts are tricky to install yourself, even with detailed instructions.
  • Lifespan: Because some of the high-performance parts are made to withstand strenuous activity, they may not last as long as some OEM parts.

Ultimately, you’ll have to decide if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and make the best choice for you in your individual situation.

Are Disc Brakes Better Than Drum Brakes?

Wilwood offers disc brake systems, and they even sell conversion kits that allow those who currently have drum brakes to convert their vehicle to disc brakes, but are disc brakes better?

Maintenance

  • They’re easier to maintain because calipers have only one moving part compared to the 9 to 12 moving parts on a drum brake system.
  • The parts are conveniently accessible which makes them easier to inspect, clean, and replace. Plus, you can remove the caliper without having to pull out the entire rotor or hub. Furthermore, the rotor can be removed without having to remove the hub.
  • More effective heat dissipation allows them to last longer and cause less tire damage.

Performance

  • You can avoid adjustment headaches because calipers are self-adjusting.
  • Dirt, water, or rust are all less likely to cause problems with braking performance.
  • Compared to some drum brake systems, disc brakes are less sensitive to lock-up or wheel skid.
  • They are fade-resistant.
  • They offer better-stopping power and more precise braking.

Value

  • Although disc pads are generally more expensive, they’ll save you money in the long run because they don’t have to be replaced as often.

How Much Do Wilwood Brakes Cost?

Wilwood has a massive product list, and the price depends on which product you need. You can find a list of what Wilwood sells along with the price of each item here.

Because they offer so many different parts, it is impossible to determine an average price. However, you can find a list of some of the more popular items Wilwood sells along with their price range below.

PartPrice Range
CaliperLowest: $63.51 (Pins) Highest: $1,237 (Full Kit)
BearingsLowest: $8.18 Highest: $31.28
Brake KitLowest: $99.81 Highest: $1,237
Brake PadLowest: $17.25 Highest: $829
RotorsLowest: $40.64 Highest: $2905
PedalsLowest: $37.42 Highest: $439.44
Master CylinderLowest: $11.82 Highest: $439.76

Source: Price List

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