# Instrument to measure braking performance? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 18, 2024, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937 "2024-05-18T23:30:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2024, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/1 "2024-05-18T23:30:09Z")
Is there a gadget for automobile brake testing, an instrument of some kind I could bolt to my vehicle to measure the braking performance and get a numeric output? It would presumably measure the deceleration on full braking. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2024, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/2 "2024-05-18T23:34:42Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > to measure the braking performance and get a numeric output? It would presumably measure the deceleration on full braking. Sure enough is… > **[Dragy Motorsports](https://dragymotorsports.com/#12440541)** > > Monitor your 0-60mph, 60-130mph, 100-200kmh, 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile performance, and more! Dragy uses high speed GPS satellites to accurately measure your vehicles performance within 1/100th of a second. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 12:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/3 "2024-05-19T00:29:29Z")
Your smartphone can do that with an app if you have one. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 12:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/4 "2024-05-19T00:59:40Z")
Some vehicles have a G-force meter in the instrument cluster. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/4/c/4cbe49c53f67ded8639e96527fbb7483f7cc7191.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 1:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/5 "2024-05-19T01:41:17Z")
I doubt George’s ancient Toyota has one… and his totally analog truck certainly doesn’t 😄 ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/6 "2024-05-19T04:08:26Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > and his totally analog truck certainly doesn’t 😄 Here’s an analog g-force meter George can install on his rear view mirror: ![440px-1958_Ambassador_4-d_hardtop_fuzzy_dice](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/e/b/ebd98dad4d21e382c1653f9a0009ce97fba943a9.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 6:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/7 "2024-05-19T06:13:19Z")
I saw a lot of analog g-force meters and cracked from the inside windshields during the pet rock era ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/8 "2024-05-19T12:59:46Z")
Pull that long tape measure out of your toolbox and measure the stopping distance after refurbishing the brakes, including bleeding them. That’s your baseline. Then occasionally make the same measurement to check for deterioration. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 4:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/9 "2024-05-19T16:04:13Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > measure the braking performance Keep in mind that that any measurement is a combination of the tires, brake balance and brake effectiveness. Poor tires will limit your stopping performance. Poor front-rear balance will limit your stopping performance. The temperature of the brake linings or pads will also affect your performance especially the 4 wheel drums on your truck. Good tires, good balance and good brakes should give you maybe 0.7Gs in the truck, 0.9Gs or better in the Toyo. Any modern car should throw down 1.0Gs or better. Some much better! ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/10 "2024-05-19T16:32:16Z")
Budget upgrade ideas for the old truck- ![8c75cedf964dbe6431efe4d003c41aeb](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/2/d2138722cd39fb0b2642f4e04ef87f5068349c99.jpeg) 😀 ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/11 "2024-05-19T18:21:26Z")
Just don’t do what this guy did. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/8/584cb2e2ea0b3e7c00f94bd9b4874ccd5eb83cf1.jpeg) 😬 ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/12 "2024-05-19T20:31:07Z")
+1. Most excellent solution, tag awarded to @asemaster . Further proof that simple is best. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 8:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/13 "2024-05-19T20:40:44Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > to measure the braking performance and get a numeric output? And that gives you a numeric output how?? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/14 "2024-05-19T20:43:56Z")
[https://www.staples.com/westcott-6-180-protractor-11200-parent/product\_486928](https://www.staples.com/westcott-6-180-protractor-11200-parent/product_486928) ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/15 "2024-05-19T20:46:35Z")
🤣 Didn’t think about that… 😁 ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/16 "2024-05-19T20:47:31Z")
Yeah sure I can be a little anal about some stuff, but the instrument I use is my foot. ---
**Author:** ![nofyfb\_180405](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@nofyfb\_180405](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nofyfb_180405)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2024, 3:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/17 "2024-05-24T15:22:09Z")
There is a GPS toolset app for Android that measures speed variations using GPS. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2024, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/18 "2024-05-24T15:28:41Z")
Care to share a link?? ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/19 "2024-05-24T18:35:27Z")
I supposed you could use accelerometers. ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2024, 6:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937/20 "2024-06-02T18:59:54Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > Just don’t do what this guy did. My brother did that to my previous Camry. I was mad at first but eventually I started to like it. Sadly, the paint came off due to heat. The brake pads rubbed the paint from the inside of the rotor ( which was the plan ) and left the back of the rotor colored. It was really cool. Never had any issues. I’ll post a picture of it if i find the photo. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/instrument-to-measure-braking-performance/194937.md?page=2)