Description
After changing to stainless braided brake lines on the Model 3, we were looking for other ways to further improve the brake feel when we realized how much the master cylinder flexes when the pedal is pressed. It flexes a LOT! When this happens, some of your brake pedal movement is being wasted just flexing the entire firewall of the car – so that is travel that is not directly translating to braking effort, and detracts from the feel of the brakes.
Wanting to ensure that a brace would make an actual difference, we designed a simple prototype brace and took turns doing some blind tests to see if the driver could perceive when the master cylinder brace was installed. Not only did everyone that try it get the test right 100% of the time (every time you could tell whether it was removed or added), the difference was substantial!
At that point, we tried to design the stiffest, lightest brace that we could without requiring the installer to drill any holes or weld anything. It needs to be a complete bolt-in solution of course! The end result is what you see here. We think it’s pretty good looking and feel it’s a shame it will be hidden under your frunk.
The guys at the shop loved it so much that we were arguing who would get to have the prototype in their Model 3 (since we have two shop Model 3’s), because once you have it you really don’t’ want to lose that solid brake feel!
So if you’ve been yearning for better brake feel, even if you aren’t track driving or driving aggressively, this might be a good upgrade for you. The difference in feel is noticeable even with typical daily driving, and it results in a confidence-inspiring high end brake feel that the car deserves.
Installation is extremely straight forward. Once the frunk is removed the brace can be installed in five minutes, you simply remove two OEM bolts and install the brace with the provided hardware!
Installation instructions can be found HERE
Nicholas Gallman –
I can’t believe there are no reviews for the Mountain Pass Performance (MPP) Master Cylinder Brace. Perhaps more people need to be educated as to what this is and how it helps?
Well let me…
First, read the MPP description of this product. Then, look at this video I took of the firewall / master cylinder flex on my 2020 Model 3 Performance (M3P):
https://twitter.com/Genyosai/status/1278751522315264000
You don’t want that happening under hard braking, especially on the track! Why? Because instead of all your braking energy being transferred to the calipers /pads / rotors, it’s being lost due to this flexing action first.
The MPP Master Cylinder brace bolts to the chassis of the car and braces against the bottom bolt of the master cylinder to prevent this upward flex.
Install this part for a stronger brake pedal feel, especially in conjunction with the MPP steel brake lines.
May also increase the life of your brake master cylinder plunger seals by ensuring the plunger travels straight into and out-of the master cylinder bore instead of traveling with an upward-angle tension against the bore.
Daniel Wang –
I finally got around to installing the brake brace, and boy what a difference these make. As stated above, the stock master cylinder is prone to flexing and the energy from pressing on the brakes gets translated into flexing into the firewall. With this brace, there is no more flex and you can immediately feel the brakes kicking in. Before there was some mushy slack before the brakes would engage. Now the effect is immediate and the pedal feels more in touch with braking. No more guessing game. For less than $200 this is one of the best mods I’ve made on the Model 3. Any model 3 will benefit, not just the AWD or Performance Model 3. I dont think this mod will decrease braking distance, but it will make you more confident when and where to brake on the track.
bornaforoutani –
When you press the brake pedals due to restricted movement of the master cylinder thanks to the help of this beautifully designed bracket, the brake force from you pressing the pedals are now directly focused to the brakes, you instantly feel the car stopping with less force applied to the pedals. Thank you to the MPP team for the super prompt responses and amazing customer service. The is my first brake mod and its definitely worth it!
Eric Wai –
This brace completely changes the braking dynamics of the vehicle. I would suggest this product as a first step if you are beginning to venture into brake modifications.
As one of the above reviews have already mentioned, the travel of the master cylinder brace from factory is almost comical and most certainly deters from the directness and feedback the driver feels upon engaging the brake pedal. With the brace installed, braking feels linear and kicks in much earlier on for a drastically more responsive feel.
Jesse could not have been more accommodating and his customer service is top notch. For anybody looking to improve the Model 3 beyond what it is already capable of (and it is already quite capable I must say!), look no further than MPP.
Pierre Ménard –
I received this brace as a gift and it was easy to install. I do not track my car yet and I was able to feel the difference right away when using the brakes to come to a stop. The improved brake pedal feel is a very welcomed change. Other then this my car is a bone stock LR Awd. I recommend it.
jvalich –
Received this brace quickly and is of very high quality. It came very well packaged.
The instructions online were spot on. Installation took about 30 minutes. I took a video before installation to see just how much flexing there was without the brace. There is a lot!
Once installed, the travel of the brake pedal is much improved and the feel is so much better. This is my first upgrade to my 2021 M3 LR and won’t be the last using MPP products.
Thanks MPP for great service and a great product. Thinking brake lines and pad upgrades might just be next.
wilmer –
AutoCross is fun, but when I push the car hard enough – I’ll feel it in the brakes when approaching a turn. Adding this brace made a difference, giving me that extra “feel” to give me more confidence into a turn. Material feels top quality and it matches my other MPP products ad installing it was a breeze. I highly recommend it for any style driver.
danilo_reyes –
Really good feeling under any braking, but especially while modulating, repeated use of the brake pedal. One thing though, the instructions do not show the position of the washer, it goes with the nut.
Robert Hagglund –
Makes a big difference, definitely a “must” for every driving enthusiast out there.
lawrencepkao –
Definitely a noticeable improvement on brake pedal feel. I would say it gets rid of 90% of the “mush” you feel when you first press the brake pedal. I feel like there is still maybe 1/2″cm of softness in the pedal before it hardens up. (I will note that I have sportier UP street pads on so it could be that the pads haven’t heated up yet. But it is definitely an improvement.)
I feel like this is a bit of luxury item as it doesn’t actually improve braking performance, but makes your driving experience more enjoyable.
jim42090 –
The brace is currently on my 2018 M3P and they are made of high quality aluminum that will not discolor or rust. In terms of performance, the brace provides better brake feel. I cannot attest its use for better braking performance as tires, lighter wheels, pads and rotors would all be better options in providing better braking performance compared to OEM but the brace does indeed provide better brake feel. A good comparison would be of a high quality aftermarket short throw shifter for a vehicle, improves the feel of shifting much better but does not translate to better vehicle performance.
All in all, this brace lets you better fell the car’s brakes much better.
Michal –
2018 LR AWD, otherwise stock braking system. Echoing what above have said, this is a must-have for all Model 3s. An added benefit – with regen on a higher setting and/or braking set to Hold, the blend of the brakes at the end is crisper and cleaner, happens faster. Any hard braking events are far more predictable. Win win.
ovidiupay –
After upgrade the bushing on the front arms, steering became more firm, and I was not thinking at all at the brake feeling, especially for everyday use.
2 laps on “the green hell”, anf I knew I need this cylinder brace together with stainless steeel brake lines from MPP. Rotors are also on the list, only better brake pads it’s not enogh.
Brake pedal is more firm and mounting take just o few minutes.
blakemuz –
Wow, it does make a huge difference. I put on new pads, the MPP stainless steel brake lines, and fresh SRF fluid. The change was noticeable, but not significant. I was able to activate ABS with wide sticky tires, but the mushy initial pedal feel was still there. A week later, I added the brace and immediately noticed the much harder pedal; the initial mish was non-existent. Would recommend!
elkoubo –
This little piece of aluminium which is easy to install is kind of magical.
It is not making you braking harder, but you get a braking pedal’s race way shorter. Your action on the braking pedal is then applied faster to the pads, which gives you the feeling the car should have had out of the factory.
I definitely recommend it !
RS –
Was easy to install, and made a very noticeable improvement in having a harder and more linear brake pedal feel. Also, you have less pedal distance travel compared to stock for the same bite which is very important. Made a couple friends buy it as well and they all agreed; this is a very cost effective mod for improved braking.
mattro –
Very easy to install. This is the only mod I’ve done to the brakes so far. I’ve only used it on the street, no track use yet. It has made the brake pedal feel a lot firmer and more linear. It was well worth the price in my opinion.