Upgrading brakes on the lower spec GT86 (the standard spec outside of US market)
 

Hey everyone,
I've been searching for information on this topic, and I haven't seen any answers to my question.

In most countries the GT86, comes it 16" or 17" wheels, and the brake system is different between those versions. the 16" version comes with solid rear discs, whereas the 17" is the same as the US spec, rear ventilated. And there are other differences like the rotor size.

I'm looking to upgrade my brake system as a whole (front & rear), and most of what I find is made for the US spec version of the car (or the upper spec of mine)

The easiest option seems to be a big brake kit as a whole. But this is quite a pricey proposition.

If I can get my hands on the US spec (or upper spec) GT86 brake kits, how simple would the install be? just replace rotors and calipers? or do I need to reconfigure the braking computer (or whatever controls the brake system)? If I use a different kit, do I need to do the same?

Thanks in advance for any info on the topic.

I think it's best to try working with different brake pad compounds first. Brake pads have different friction coefficients and wear characteristics that tailor to different brake necessities. What is your intended goal? Did you just want to change brake caliper and rotor sizing or do you want to see more performance from your brakes? :thumbup:

listening to CSG David here is probably a great start to finding your answers :)

I have the same brakes and have already looked into all this.

You have the same calipers and pads on the front, its the disc that's smaller. Therefore also the caliper braket is different. This means you can buy the same front pads as ones that are for the larger brake model. But not the discs.

The rears are totally different. Different caliper, disc, pad, bracket.

What have I done? I've ordered trd pads (trd make pads including rear specific for the base model) and trd steel brake lines, and trd brake fluid.

I believe this will give me the braking performance I'm after. I'll be able to tell you for certain once I have put the parts on and gone to the track.

Try this first before sinking 3-4 times the cost, for just a front bbk.

The 86 has the same brakes as the WRX. You should not have any issues with braking performance. My recommendation is to use more aggressive pads and brake fluid. I can PM you if you would like to discuss more options available and what CSG's experiences are with multiple brake compounds as well as BBKs.

In North America, yes, but over seas the lower spec models come with brakes that IIRC are directly off the base impreza. Smaller discs front, smaller discs rear with solid rotors.

IMO, unless you're overheating the solid rear rotors you're probably fine with just better pads/fluid. You can add stainless lines, but that will just effect feel, not stopping power.

From research, WRX front and rear brakes that is for the 86 GT with 16" wheels. The WRX rear brake is smaller than the BRZ/FRS rear brake. :D

If there are other 86s out there, I'll keep that in the database. :)

They're running standard WRX rears, we're running standard LGT rears.

Agree with this.

Will confirm for certain in another month or so.

Most braking is done by the front tires so if you want to improve brakes for less money do the fronts first. But, before you spend any money on brakes get better tires. The stock tires on these cars are pretty pathetic. Generally speaking you don't need more brake power until your stock brakes can no longer engage the ABS on dry pavement. Fit better tires first and then consider brake improvements. Bear in mind that better tires will ruin the handling....8-)

There are a few people here in Aus who have upgraded from the base spec brakes to the upper spec. I have bought them myself and plan to bolt them on in the next month or so. I believe they even fit under the stock 16" wheels.

So for the front u just need a different bracket and the bigger disk? I looked at my calipers yesterday and they appear to bolt strait to the hub and dont utilize a bracket. Is it diffrnt in japan, or did i miss something?

I cross referenced part numbers at one point, and one of the rotors is a base impreza part, I just can't remember if it's front or rear. Do WRX's really come with solid rear rotors?? I thought they were vented.

A couple of guys at our local GT86 club have run into brake system issues. We have a circuit around here and there are trackdays available. 3 people have killed their brakes in 1 track day, and on relatively new brakepads (1000 miles at most).

2 guys ate through their brakepads (and one of them even ended up messing up his discs)
1 guy overheated the system, and ended up losing brakes at the end of the main straight.

There was another guy on the same trackday, he had the top spec (17" wheels with ventilated brakes), didn't have an issue and has tracked his car 2 or 3 times I believe.

I think technique may have a little to do with the life of the pads, but I think part of it is still due to brake system the lower spec has.

When I bought my car, there was a huge price difference (US$ 8k) between the lower spec model and the top spec, the mechanical differences were wheels and brakes. I did my math and realized that for the same money I could go for 18" wheels and stickier tires, and even get a budget BBK for front and back.

Most of guys in the club have changed pads/fluid/lines, and are still pending to track their cars to see the overall effect. What I want from my car are upgraded brake system as a whole. I plan to track my car every now and then, but keep it pretty usable as my weekend ride.

I read somewhere that the rear brakes in my car is the same as the Legacy.

One guy messed up his rear rotors on the trackday, killed all brake bads, and i think he even warped his rear discs. we have guessed it might have been due to the fact he was driving the car with VSC on, and the fact he drives like a tool. :burnrubber:

How much does that cost?

What parts do you need to buy to get this done?

Any need to reprogram ABS or other braking systems?

Thanks for the info!

I've got Yokohama AD08s on my car, the grip is very wicked.

I got mine 2nd hand from a guy upgrading to a bbk. I think I paid about $300 for the four disks and four calipers and the dust shields.
Attachment 47518

What brake pads and fluid did they use?

Stock pads/fluid.

That's why I'm concerned on upgrading parts before hitting the track.

I'm guessing the car should have taken more breaks, and everything got too hot, which lead to quicker wear of the parts.

When going to the track, never use stock pads and fluid if you intend to put some serious laps in. Stock pads and fluid are great for people who just want to experience the track for the first time and don't intend to do any level of performance driving afterwards, but it's highly recommended that you don't.

I'll PM you to clean up the topic a bit. Again, there are multiple brake pad compounds that do exactly what they are supposed to do for your intended application. Now if you can fade full on race brake pads with brake ducting, then you will need to upgrade brake components.

I have a GT86 and completely fried my front pads and rotors after my last trackday. The stock pads were good for 3 laps and couldn't lock up the front anymore. This time I was running Dunlop Z1's so I think the added grip of the tyre simply cooked the brakes.

Heading to the brake man today to see about the larger slotted rotors plus better pads and fluid. Hopefully they will fit under the standard 16 inch wheels.

First of all, use the right equipment for the job. Your brake pads are overheating for its material make up. Use real track/race brake pads and you'll be fine. I can fade stock pads in 2 corners. It takes a lot more effort to fade track pads.

Second, Slotted rotors won't fix a fade issue. It cuts the pad so you get that extra bite, but it doesn't help you after your brake pads are overheated. Boiling brake fluid is also an issue that just needs to be addressed with better brake fluid.

In conclusion, use the proper brake pads and brake fluid. Even BBKs will fade if you don't use the right pads and fluid. Do it right the first time and you won't have all the issues you have now. :thumbup:

A few months ago I asked about the brakes on the base GT86 vs the US Spec (or top spec in other countries). and with some advice and difficulty to obtain the vented rotors/calipers for the top spec, I decided the best thing at that moment was to upgrade my current setup with better fluid, better pads and stick to the current vented rotors front, solid rear disc.

I bought some brakepads from CSG (thanks Dave!), but I never got around to install them hoping to swap a bunch of parts at the same time (rotors, fluid, pads, lines).

This week as I was window shopping for rotors (vented slotted rotors front, solid slotted rotors back) I got a call from a friend who was selling his rotors from the upper spec version. Just the rotors, so I would need to buy some calipers.

I kept asking around and it turns out that the price of calipers, would be the same as the cost of the rotors. I can always sell my unused pads to a friend from my local GT86 club.

I've noticed the difference in size of the pads is virtually none (front pads are the same, rear there is a slight 2 mm difference in width). so the contact area with the disc is virtually the same, the key difference is that the rear rotors would be ventilated. How much difference does that make?

It makes some difference, but not a whole lot. What type of speeds are you seeing? Did you change your tire compound? How much power are you putting down? These are good questions to ask. As long as you keep your brake compound the same front and rear, your braking potential should be at its maximum potential. If you continuously fade, see multiple stress fractures from little abuse, have excessive uneven pad wear from inside and outside pads, and constantly boiling the best brake fluid out there, you should look into upgrading your brake system. :thumbsup:

I have the "lower" spec GT 86 in Aust, changed my wheels to 17x9 +38.
Upgraded rear rotors to DBA t3 4000 (not ventilated as they wont fit, unlike "upper" spec) and have upgraded front brakes to Buddy Club 330mm BBK.

[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img6/7850/p49a.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img843/8875/o501.jpg[/IMG]

I have the same lower spec car. I've replaced the front with wilwood bbk, and trd rear lines and pads in the rear. Well balanced. IMO you don't need anymore rear braking than that.

i noticed a little bit of bias when i was bedding in the rotors, but that could have been road surface. got a couple of track days in a few weeks to test them out properly. pb was a 1.10.9 on stock rotors/ferodo ds2500 front pads, stock rear pads. hoping to knock of a second or 2 with the new setup

Hello,

I have lower spec brakes also.

With EBC yellow-stuff front and rear pads, whole track event in hot summer day wasn't a problem.
But I have good, cheep and effective cooling aids there :lol:.

Attachment 58371

Actually I've prepared to upgrade to the upper spec because the front caliper difference is only its bracket (the thing between knuckle and caliper). But current setup is so well with 205/55R16 BS RE01R so I've postponed at least until front discs broken.

@troek may want to know about the bracket. Just try to get second hand Legacy/Forester calipers with discs. It will just fit.

Regards,
Hanjo

Yeah I looked into it. It's the same as elsewhere. When I heard bracket I thought of something u use to adapt a 4 pot or something. I considered what is being called the bracket as part of the caliper. I'm not use to this style calipers. When my rotors go ill upgrade probably.

From my understanding the calipers are the same between the GTS and GT so will GTS sized rotors fit on GT base model?

I cooked my lower spec brakes with TRD front pads in a couple of laps of my local track....What type of pads would people recommend for tracks that are notoriously hard on brakes?
I would like to reduce my stopping distance, but more importantly at this stage, I would like to stop overheating them, so I actually have SOME brakes! :)

i run trd pads on the lower spec brakes with brake ducts and have had no pad problems. are you sure its not the fluid boiling? ive boiled fluid from time to time but pads are ok. the project Mu hc 800 will be my next pad though as my friend has such good look with them on his gt-r.

So just ot confirm the front brakes off a WRX will fit a GT86 / FRS?

As I can get a good price for a WRX big brake kit

Rotors can be used.
But you should use GTS caliper bracket(supporting plate or whatever it called).

I have the entry level GT86 as well.

I have an Alcon BBK on now but when zi had the stock brakes on I ran Ferodo DS2500 pads front and rear with SS lines and AP Racing 600 fluid. Brakes held up fine on the track performance wise. Very consistent feel, no real pad or fluid fade. The front rotors wore down pretty quick though.

Anyhow, I had to do the same research when trying to find the right pads for my car and I basically found that our cars use WRX brakes front and rear. Rears are unventilated but that doesn't seem to be such a big deal. For me it was the front brakes that took a real pounding.

I've listed the caliper/pad part numbers as well.

Brakes info:

FRONT- Subaru WRX 2008-2011
D929

Pic on my car:
http://db.tt/OxYWXYEr


REAR - Subaru WRX 2008-2011
D1114

Pic on my car:
http://db.tt/Xucf1m8z

I ended up buying a whole bunch of Endless Stuff. and I'm still Waiting for them to arrive

My final setup will be:
Endless RF650 Brake Fluid (I've been reading good reviews on that stuff)
Endless E-Slit Discs (Front ventilated and solid rear)
Endless SS lines (Swivel Steel Braided Lines)
Carbotech XP12 Brake Pads (Front and rear)

and while I was at it, I bought myself an exhaust and a diffuser (cause it wouldn't be christmas if I didn't get myself something nice... lol)

Looking forward to trying it out on the track.

Bro, sorry to dig up an old thread. But i am facing the same 16", smaller, different brake setup here in Singapore.

Was planning to order front and rear brake pads from the US online stores.

From your experience, will the USDM rear brake pads for the larger disc diameter setup fit our smaller disc setup? Looking at Stoptech or Ferodo.

Some people have asked me this a few times over, so no problem.

I have friends who have bought the USDM (upper spec) rear pads without knowing about the difference and installed them in their cars without a hitch.

Thanks mate, much appreciate your feedback
Awesome!