StopTech Big Brake Kit 328x28 Weights and Pics :)

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by cjd

As far as I recall, it's really salt that's the biggest issue. and partially (entirely?) due to the anodized aluminum caliper (vs painted/coated?). I'm not sure if other road conditions may also cause AP to be less idea for a daily.

In reality, it doesn't matter what the finish is, salt can find its way into anything and make itself a catalyst for material transfer. If it's not the caliper face itself, it'll be something else that will take some exposure.

[FocalX100]

Don't know if this is the right place, but would a nickel plated caliper hold up better than an anodized one? Is cost the only reason not to do that?

[industrial]

Originally Posted by gabeg86

@JRitt my vehicle is primarily street driven, but does see occasional track duty. From my understanding, the AP kits do not fair well in daily driven conditions. Is this true? That's the only thing keeping me from purchasing an AP kit.

I went with stoptechs mostly because my car is street driven with the occasional track event. I was concerned that with the AP kit I would forever have loud brakes (see thread about this here) which being honest, would cause me to not want to drive my BRZ on the street. They are constantly tearing up the roads around me and it's very dusty. I don't drive my car in the winter but I will drive it late into the fall and early spring. The dust boots in the stoptechs don't seem to be a huge track liability like JRitt makes it out to be. They haven't been any issues for me but do look around. JRitt makes the exact same stoptech vs. essex speech on every forum I've come across. I'm sure either would be a great piece of kit but I just don't see enough benefit (~6lb less weight) from the sprint kit to pick that over a quiet, much more street friendly stoptech kit. I'm all about weight loss too but the trade offs don't seem worth it. I don't want to spend $400 on pads just to find something that'll be quiet on the street for a short amount of time before I have to rebed them. I don't want to rebuild them every year because they are internally caked with dirt.

[gabeg86]

Originally Posted by industrial

I went with stoptechs mostly because my car is street driven with the occasional track event. I was concerned that with the AP kit I would forever have loud brakes (see thread about this here) which being honest, would cause me to not want to drive my BRZ on the street. They are constantly tearing up the roads around me and it's very dusty. I don't drive my car in the winter but I will drive it late into the fall and early spring. The dust boots in the stoptechs don't seem to be a huge track liability like JRitt makes it out to be. They haven't been any issues for me but do look around. JRitt makes the exact same stoptech vs. essex speech on every forum I've come across. I'm sure either would be a great piece of kit but I just don't see enough benefit (~6lb less weight) from the sprint kit to pick that over a quiet, much more street friendly stoptech kit. I'm all about weight loss too but the trade offs don't seem worth it. I don't want to spend $400 on pads just to find something that'll be quiet on the street for a short amount of time before I have to rebed them. I don't want to rebuild them every year because they are internally caked with dirt.

That's exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks! I am leaning heavily on the Stoptech kit for the reasons you mentioned. Being more street friendly means more to me than being more track oriented as it is street driven 95% of the time.

[Sleepless]

Any feedback from those that have used these heavily on the track?

For the price difference between these and street friendly AP kit and the brake pad price difference, these StopTechs look like the better way to go (I'm not interested in the Essex Sprint/Endurance kits for the reasons mentioned above).

Thanks

[erbaker67]

Thanks for the info! Looks like Ill go with Stoptech.

[Sleepless]

Just ordered mine from the SpeedFactory

[philooo]

I'd love to see if the StopTech dust boot survive track use.
I would assume StopTech would know by now that they need heat resistant dust boot.
I have tracked my porsche heavily and the dust boot survived. I say survived, not look like new
I think AP racing is better for the track but resale value of the stoptech is guaranteed to be easier.
I will certainly end up with the Essex because I only track the car but I like the reputable stop tech brand. many of my friend track stop tech on the track and are very happy with them.

[The Racers Line]

Originally Posted by philooo

I'd love to see if the StopTech dust boot survive track use.
I would assume StopTech would know by now that they need heat resistant dust boot.
I have tracked my porsche heavily and the dust boot survived. I say survived, not look like new
I think AP racing is better for the track but resale value of the stoptech is guaranteed to be easier.
I will certainly end up with the Essex because I only track the car but I like the reputable stop tech brand. many of my friend track stop tech on the track and are very happy with them.

I'm fan of Stoptech and their products. We put the ST-60 kit on a friend's 500whp 135i, and in a day at Laguna he melted the dust seals. That being said, Laguna is know to be a very hard track on brakes. The next time out at thunderhill, he had no issues. It's going to be very car/driver/track/pad dependent as well. I've got another guy with an e46 m3 on a Stoptech kit as well with no dust seal issues, and a couple days at Laguna Seca.

I think the AP sprint/endurance kit is a better choice for the track still, but for a dual duty car, I think the Stoptech kit is a great option that comes in at a nice price point.

[Sleepless]

Installed the kit from @FT-86 SpeedFactory yesterday and discovered that the @Touge Factory brake cooling backing plate is compatible ! Yay!

Pedal feel is light years better than stock.

Next track event is Thursday.

I'll be sticking with Carbotech XP12s since I like them and they cost the same for ST calipers as stock. I noticed that several brake compound companies charge a lot more for the ST caliper vs stock; in some cases almost double!

[AZP Installs]

Originally Posted by Sleepless

Any feedback from those that have used these heavily on the track?

For the price difference between these and street friendly AP kit and the brake pad price difference, these StopTechs look like the better way to go (I'm not interested in the Essex Sprint/Endurance kits for the reasons mentioned above).

Thanks

We've been tracking our ST-40s on both our Project BRZ as well as our Spec86 Cup car. Very good results. On the Spec86 Cup car we have used the Hawk HP+ pads and have been happy with the bite they provide on track. On the Project BRZ since it's a Dual purpose as opposed to the Spec86 Cup car the Stoptech Street Performance pads that came with the kit are being used. Initial bit on them in not as good on track but due to the larger than stock pads they work great on track and provide low dusting and no noise on the street.

These will likely become the Spec Brake kit for the Spec86 Cup Road Race Series.

-mike

[Sportsguy83]

I have the Stoptech BBK too. Not a hardcore track guy, have only done 1 track day with them. My car is boosted, ran it on map 1, 380 WHP.

I used the Street Performance pads and they behaved great. They did not fade at all, great pedal feel, one of the sessions my instructor drove the car harder than me and love the brake feel.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Legit question, how come melting the dust boot on these is a concern, yet with other things I've tracked with stock calipers the OEM dust boots aren't a problem?

[Calum]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

Legit question, how come melting the dust boot on these is a concern, yet with other things I've tracked with stock calipers the OEM dust boots aren't a problem?

Some people take their car to the track and work the brakes hard enough that it's a concern. Those peope like to make it seem that anyone driving the car faster than my grandmother will also melt dust boots.

There are advantageous and disadvantageous to each kit, as well as subjective conerns over appearance. Buy what works for you.