About Us

Who We Are

Powerbrake originated from a family brake business established in the late 1980s in South Africa. In 2004, Powerbrake was founded by 4WD and race enthusiasts. In South Africa, driving 4WD vehicles, embarking on overland journeys, camping, and enjoying outdoor activities in the bush are integral to the way of life. The harsh terrain, vast distances, and necessity for truck modifications led Powerbrake to initially develop brake systems for high-level circuit race cars. However, as the business expanded, a significant portion of our efforts shifted towards creating solutions for 4WD trucks. Recognizing the growing focus on 4WD and overland vehicles and being avid 4WD enthusiasts ourselves, our team decided to concentrate on this specific segment of the brake market.

Brief summary of results achieved by Powerbrake R-Line off-road race calipers:

  • South African National Cross Country Championship: 2016 National Champions, 2017 National Champions, 2018 National Champions, 2019 and 2020 National Champions.
  • FIA Cross Country World Cup Championship: 2016 World Champions, 2017 World Champions.
  • 2012 – 2018 Dakar Rally: 2012 – 3rd Overall, 2013 – 2nd Overall, 2015 – 2nd Overall, 2016 – 3rd Overall, 2018 – 2nd & 3rd Overall.
  • 2019 Dakar Rally: Overall Dakar Rally victory.
  • 2020 Dakar Rally: 2nd place overall with 5 of the top-10 and 9 of the top-20 cars running Powerbrake R-Line off road race calipers.
  • 2021 Dakar Rally: 2nd place overall with 25% of the entire car field running Powerbrake R-Line off road race brake systems.

Powerbrake X-Line 4WD big brake kits

The rapid world-wide growth in popularity of modifying and tuning of civilian 4WD vehicles for both street and overland adventures, has created a need for significant brake upgrade solutions. Enthusiasts are fitting roof-top tents, long range fuel tanks, water tanks, additional battery systems, storage systems, additional spare wheels etc. This significantly increases weight (often by well over a ton) and severely affects brake performance and results in reduced stopping distances. Large wheel and tyre packages are also becoming increasingly popular which generally weigh a lot more than factory-fitted wheels and tyres. This additional rotational weight again severely affects brake performance, leading to increased brake fade and poor stopping distances.

For 2020 Powerbrake has launched our latest range of X-Line 4WD calipers that are lighter and have improved wheel clearance as well as a number of other enhancements. Our X-Line 4WD big brake kits include: billet 6-piston calipers, high-performance brake pads, larger diameter discs, billet caliper mounting brackets and stainless steel braided brake hoses. Our latest X-Line 4WD big brake kit range is the closest that civilian 4WD enthusiasts can get to a ‘Dakar’ race brake system. If you are looking to significantly upgrade the braking performance of your 4WD vehicle then look no further. Powerbrake are the market leaders in this segment.

Enhancing Braking Performance for 4WD and Overland Trucks​

This establishes us as market leaders, enabling us to continuously design, engineer, test, and manufacture brake solutions for your truck from our factory in Pretoria, South Africa. In the USA, our operations are located in Concord, North Carolina, just outside Charlotte. From this location, we provide warehousing, inventory management, technical support, and sales assistance to customers in North and South America.

If you own a 4WD or an overland truck equipped with larger wheels and tires, carry additional weight, or tow a trailer, Powerbrake is specifically designed for you. As fellow members of the 4WD community, we value communication with our customers. Please feel free to contact us via phone, email, or DM for any inquiries or questions.

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