I'm finding my 2010 GGH25 a bit under-braked, can anyone recommend a brake upgrade that won't break the bank?

I have looked at Brembo kits and the other big brands but don't really want to spend £2500 + just for the front.

EBC do four new discs and pads for under £400 but I would like to upgrade the calipers ideally.

Any suggestions/recommendations?

I have heard people saying on the forum that changing to braided pipes made a difference, but mine is stock so can't confirm.

Hi Gary,

Firstly have you checked the condition of your existing calipers?

And a good fluid bleed.

Making sure they aren't sticking at all?

And quality pads.

A swap to 2 piston calipers / carriers from Lexus / Rav4 is possible, but needs 328mm discs.

It won't give you a huge increase in stopping power, so I'd absolutely suggest you make sure your original calipers are as good as they can be first.

Cheers, Nev

There doesn't look or sound like there's any problems with the existing set up - no squealing or juddering, it's just generally a little underwhelming especially for a 3.5 V6

I am getting a service tomorrow so will ask them to have a look.

I am thinking a set of new EBC discs and pads and some braided lines is the sensible and economic solution.

I have been looking around an BBK's as well and have found a couple sites RHDjapan.com and blackhawkjapan.com also there is a company in South Korea called NeoTech who do BBK's and suspension and apparently they do kits for the Alphards and Vellfires but you might need to message them about it. As the brakes on our vehicles are probably used across many other Toyota models you could also try GodSpeed Brakes as i have used them before for my Subaru's and the stuff they have is pretty good.

There you can find kits from high end companies like Blitz and Endless Brakes. I had a look at the Blitz package and for about £1300 you get the calipers, discs, pads, hub bracket and braided lines which i thought was pretty good.

Hopefully this is of some use

Sounds like you are on the right track. Before spending a lot on a big brake kit, make sure the basics are as good as they can be: check calipers for any sticking, give the system a proper fluid change and bleed, and try quality pads and discs first. Braided brake lines will usually sharpen pedal feel and consistency more than they will reduce ultimate stopping distance, so they are a sensible, relatively inexpensive upgrade to try alongside new pads and discs. If you do look at aftermarket big brake kits, the sites mentioned are useful places to start: RHDJapan, Blackhawk Japan, NeoTech in Korea, and sellers like GodSpeed who list Blitz and Endless options. Some kits I have seen include calipers, discs, pads, brackets and braided lines for around 1300 quid, but be careful about fitment.

You will likely need specific disc sizes and carrier brackets, check wheel clearance and ABS sensor locations, and think about the extra unsprung weight and heat management. Good idea to get the service to report back on the calipers and lines tomorrow, and please let us know what they find and what you end up trying.