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Originally Posted by Freedom
If all the components of the brake system are the same, the bigger tires would give you LESS braking due to the larger radius of the tire.
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You are 100% correct about this--
IF the tire radius increases while the brake shoe radius stays the same (as in, putting on tires which are too big). The tire has more rotational energy.
But that doesn't happen in this case: The bigger tire comes with a 15" wheel, which takes a larger brake shoe. The DXQ "3500" electric brakes are named by Dexter as "10x2-1/4", and the DXQ "5200" brakes are named as "12x2". Apparently the brake shoe radius goes up about the same as the tire radius, maybe even a bit more. And it's not just the radius giving you more leverage, it also creates a bit more surface area: in spite of being 1/4 inch skinnier, 3.14*12*2 is about 5 square inches more than 3.14*10*2.25.
Having looked at the parts list, I suspect that the magnet is also more powerful (it's got a different part number). For whatever reason(s) apply, the little axle has brakes rated as "3500 lbs", and the big axle has 'em rated as "5200". `I think that means the big axle wins, though probably
NOT for the reason I guessed all by itself. (The magnet is probably a factor too, maybe a bigger factor).
An assumption here is that TM uses the lower-end DXQ brakes (there are more powerful and expensive types available, but I don't think we've got 'em.)