Help! How do you stop this thing? A stat you probably didn't know (149 feet brake distance).

[mpeugeot]

I will say this, while I don't have a real complaint about the brakes, the fact is that in the 2 door it can get a bit spicy (especially when the brakes weren't properly bedded in). Initially, heavy braking in my Bronco pulled the vehicle hard to one side, but that behavior resolved once I took the time to get them bedded in.

Still, with 295/70R17 Milestar Patagonia M/T's - hard emergency braking is spicy on the shorter wheelbase 2 door at 70 MPH. It is not dangerous, but it doesn't feel entirely stable either. Braking performance is much improved with the stock OBX wheels and tires.

Obviously, the Bronco is not a Miata with 12" rotors, Brembo 4 piston calipers, and R compound tires, it never will brake like that. It doesn't need to either. These are the same brakes and rotors in the Ranger with a 7,000 lb towing capacity. Half the trick with the Bronco is to drive within the limits of the vehicle.

While the Bronco has plenty of power, the vehicle limits are under braking. Sure, the braking can be improved, but it often will come at a cost of off-road capability. The brakes, the suspension, and the tires are all acceptable for the intended purpose. If you want more braking performance, I highly recommend some R compound street tires and performance brake pads. I bet it stops better than you can imagine.

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[Headsong]

Is this a new phenomenon? My personal ford ownership consists of an 89 Taurus SHO and a 2010 Fiesta. Both would warp rotors instantly with one panic stop.

My Mustang doesn't count because it had drums and they suck on anything.

Well, I've been Toyo only for 34 freakin' years, including a Tundra....and these brakes are the best ever. Even a mechanic buddy who hates Ford took a drive and commented, the one thing they do well is brakes!

 

[RoLyMa27]

And a louder horn.

Dude, for some reason my brain keeps telling me your name is Gonad!🫤

 

[kodiakisland]

Brakes work fine. It’s the dude behind the wheel that becomes suspect.

 

[Beeswax]

There's only one thing that worries me about the 4 door Sasquachted Badlands soon to be delivered to me, which is how long it takes to stop.

Virtually all current production vehicles' published road braking performance tests indicate stopping distances from 60 mph that are typically 120 to 140 feet. See Consumer Reports breakdown on typical stopping distance by vehicle type. I consider the Bronco to be a midsized SUV. That class has a stopping distance of 134 feet.

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/best-and-worst-braking-distances-a2960086475/

Sports/sporty cars	120
Luxury midsized cars	128
Luxury small SUVs	129
Small cars	130
Luxury small cars	131
Small SUVs	132
Luxury large cars	132
Large cars	132
Midsized cars	133
Midsized SUVs	134
Luxury midsized SUVs	134
Compact pickups	136
Minivans	138
Compact electric/hybrid cars	138
Luxury large SUVs	138
Full-sized pickups	140
Large SUVs	143
Average of all tested vehicles	132

Also per consumer reports, they say

• Braking distance: The Ford Bronco’s stopping distance isn’t just subpar; CR says, “The Bronco’s stopping distances are among the longest we’ve seen from any vehicle in years. It took the Bronco 149 feet to stop from 60 mph in dry conditions and 168 feet in the wet. The brake feel wasn’t bad on the road, but for any emergency braking, the Bronco felt cumbersome.

I can't figure out which Bronco was tested in the above statement. Typically a Sasquachted package will be the worst.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stop quicker? For the quick-witted, I'm aware slowing down and lightening the vehicle are options.

BUT: Bigger calipers and cross drilled/vented rotors will not help. They will only improve brake fade. I'm not talking about repeated hard stops from high speeds, which is where calipers and rotors may help.

The answer is better tires, but All-Terrain and Mud-Terrain tires typically suck for stopping. Is there a way to get a 35 inch Summer or winter tire or all seasons?
They don't really make them for this size vehicle tire. Please add some suggestions if you have them!!!

IF you don't get the sasquatch package you can get 135ft stopping distance.

 

[[DELETED MEMBER 27901]]

Put your phone down, don’t tailgate, etc. Drive it like it’s an off-road vehicle and not a sports car. You’ll be fine.

This x1000.

I drive ours like my first Ranger not my Audi. Just leave some room and don’t randomly floor it

 

[KABQ]

If you look at my recent vehicles, I have a wide variety of braking distances. The Vanagon had the stopping distance of a cruise ship. The 4Runner was a noodle in butter. The Miata stops like... well, a Miata. The Bronco is definitely toward the Miata side of this spectrum, but obviously still nowhere close. I drive it like the nosediving tank that it is and keep an eye on what's going on around me, but I still feel much better about it than the VW or the 30 year old 4Runner.

A few months ago I had a guy on a bike pull into the street RIGHT in front of me. For whatever reason I was driving the Miata that day, and barely got stopped in time for us to both poop our pants, but otherwise we were both fine. If I had been in the 4Runner the story would have a very different ending for the cyclist. If there had been a truck tailgating me, the story might have had a very different ending for me. Stay safe and keep your head up.

 

[Lèòn]

Pads and rotors

 

[Headsong]

Best brakes I've had in a long time.

 

[ar1]

The braking experience is inherently impacted by the suspension with has massive brake drive. Even with improved brake components the dive still significantly decreases the braking for most normal road maneuvering. The impact is lessened for a long sustained braking like a 60-0 (because the weight transfer only happens once) but I think most of the panic braking people do is shorter 60-40 where the time lost to brake dive is a more significant portion of the total braking time.

Pad compounds with lots of initial bite will probably be the most impactful braking modification for most people however that initial bite may be unfavorable for brake modulation needed off road. As far as proper big brake kits - this is really about heat mitigation and totally outside of the real of bronco usage.

I would be curious to hear about what pad compounds (if any) are available and people have been trying.

 

[inlifefindadventure]

There's only one thing that worries me about the 4 door Sasquachted Badlands soon to be delivered to me, which is how long it takes to stop.

Virtually all current production vehicles' published road braking performance tests indicate stopping distances from 60 mph that are typically 120 to 140 feet. See Consumer Reports breakdown on typical stopping distance by vehicle type. I consider the Bronco to be a midsized SUV. That class has a stopping distance of 134 feet.

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/best-and-worst-braking-distances-a2960086475/

Sports/sporty cars	120
Luxury midsized cars	128
Luxury small SUVs	129
Small cars	130
Luxury small cars	131
Small SUVs	132
Luxury large cars	132
Large cars	132
Midsized cars	133
Midsized SUVs	134
Luxury midsized SUVs	134
Compact pickups	136
Minivans	138
Compact electric/hybrid cars	138
Luxury large SUVs	138
Full-sized pickups	140
Large SUVs	143
Average of all tested vehicles	132

Also per consumer reports, they say

• Braking distance: The Ford Bronco’s stopping distance isn’t just subpar; CR says, “The Bronco’s stopping distances are among the longest we’ve seen from any vehicle in years. It took the Bronco 149 feet to stop from 60 mph in dry conditions and 168 feet in the wet. The brake feel wasn’t bad on the road, but for any emergency braking, the Bronco felt cumbersome.

I can't figure out which Bronco was tested in the above statement. Typically a Sasquachted package will be the worst.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stop quicker? For the quick-witted, I'm aware slowing down and lightening the vehicle are options.

BUT: Bigger calipers and cross drilled/vented rotors will not help. They will only improve brake fade. I'm not talking about repeated hard stops from high speeds, which is where calipers and rotors may help.

The answer is better tires, but All-Terrain and Mud-Terrain tires typically suck for stopping. Is there a way to get a 35 inch Summer or winter tire or all seasons?
They don't really make them for this size vehicle tire. Please add some suggestions if you have them!!!

I have a 2026 Badlands and it stops waaasay better than the '71 Valiant I had when I was 16, lol. The brakes on that thing were so worn (along with the entire front end) and I was living paycheck to paycheck with no money to spare for repairs. Many a times, shifting to neutral to assist in slowing down and, yes, the odd time momentarily into reverse in panic situations. The great lesson that it instilled in me was to never tailgate.

 

[EasternSierra]

When I was first considering the Bronco, I was concerned based on the Consumer Reports findings. However, I find it brakes pretty well, certainly far better than some older vehicles I've owned.

 

[ThunderFlash]

Had a '67 El Camino with non-boosted drum brakes at all four corners. You literally had to plant your ass deep into the seat and stomp that pedal and hold it with gusto. Not a job for the weak or timid. And that was following a brake job. At its own choosing and on clean dry pavement, in hard braking it would randomly lock up somewhere between zero and four of the tires. Hard to believe that was "state of the art" at any point in time and we still survived as a species. Gave me a whole new appreciation for the amazing and razor sharp Bronco braking system.

 

[Valhalla]

I have a 2026 Badlands and it stops waaasay better than the '71 Valiant I had when I was 16, lol. The brakes on that thing were so worn (along with the entire front end) and I was living paycheck to paycheck with no money to spare for repairs. Many a times, shifting to neutral to assist in slowing down and, yes, the odd time momentarily into reverse in panic situations. The great lesson that it instilled in me was to never tailgate.

Holy revival of the dead thread batman...

 

[zuke]

I wonder what the stopping distance is for my 38,000# diesel pusher motorhome with 5,000# Bronco in tow is.

Somewhere around a couple football fields is what I need for my diesel pusher towing the Bronco on a trailer...

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