I won't go that route cause I can't justify spending $5k just on brakes. If I had extra disposable income I would do it for the looks. However I would probably just spend $500 and get rotors, pads, SS brakes lines and new brake fluid and be done with it.

I wouldn't spend anywhere close to $5k, if someone can source the STI brakes for $1-1.5k then I'd be interested. $2k would be the absolute maximum.

Yeah not going to be 5K (OEM components) some aftermarket kits barely hit that

What about calipers? Or were you saying still with stock brakes? I only plan on switching fluid and pads for track use, nothing else.

I finally heard back from my supplier on the OEM Brembos and his price is higher than what they can be bought for on other retail sites...here is what I've found:
Right Caliper Left Caliper. Plus then you need some bleeders, various other hardware, pads and rotors.

$1500-1750 for a complete set of STI fronts is perfectly reasonable.

I'm not sure if it's really worth it even for a dedicated track car, but it's not a bad way to go if you do really need that much brake.

Posted this in the BRZ forum a few minutes ago but it's relevant to this discussion too..

OK did some more research.. since this is mostly a WRX system (with Legacy rears..) it LOOKS like 04-11 front STI calipers will work. Stock lines will also work. Not sure about the MC differences (no idea if it's a new part, wrx, legacy, sti, etc MC). We will have to figure that out later when we can check part numbers.

The rear of the car is a little more muddy.. the later WRXes aren't a direct swap, but I'm not sure about the Legacy brakes to STI.. based on MotoIQ they were stressing 04-07 calipers for all and I suspect it's because the Legacy and 04-07 WRX were swappable.. but 08+ rears are not.. for 08+ WRX you need 04-11 front STI calipers and 04 rotors but for the rear you need 08+ gear and redrilled rotors... but based on MotoIQ I'll go with this info on the rear for now.

So this, as far as I can tell, is the actual parts list required.
Front: 04-11 STI Front calipers, 04 STI Rotors, 04-11 STI fit front pads of whatever flavor you want.
Rear: 04-07 STI rear calipers, 04 STI Rotors, 04-07 STI fit rear pads of whatever flavor you want. (and more if you like having a parking brake since the STI uses a drum assembly for the parking brake where the FT86 variants use the sliding calipers for parking brake I'm guessing based on how the legacy/older WRX did)

Since the rotors and pads are easily aquired the only potentially hard bit (used) is the calipers. It looks like you can find them on ebay for 1000-1100 plus 30-135 shipping. If you want to rebuild them, add in the rebuild kit costs (100-150?). Add in however much for whatever pads, plus the rotors (cheap at autozone, 65/front, 40/rear, advance is 100+/front, didn't check rears, napa ultra premium is 154 front, 140 rear, tirerack cyro rotors 80-104 depending on brand for blanks.. and maybe that's same pricing for rears, their website is confused, says front left fitment then NOTE: REAR PLAIN VENTER ROTOR under that..).

So you are easily looking at at least say 1050+200 (OEM pads?, but track pads will be a lot more, around 400-450), rotors figure 200 for the cheap autozones, for anyone else at LEAST 400..

So I'd guess the minimum investment (not including lines since they aren't needed at all and ASSUMING the MC is fine and doesn't result in shitty brake feel) is right around 1400-1500 bucks, but realistically probably close to 1600-1800 depending on pads. If you rebuild the used calipers min 1500-1650 or with non cheapest rotors and better than OEM pads probably 1800-2000. With new calipers I'd bet a couple hundread more depending on what they cost.. I think they are around 1200 for the fronts.. I'd GUESS 600-800 for the rears, so you are quickly getting to 3k with new calipers, track pads, rotors like ultra premiums, etc

Oh yeah I guessed on OEM pad prices.. they might be way around 100 for front and rear sets combined, or maybe 300.. I don't know what dealers sell parts online for cheap to check (I'm assuming some Subaru dealers have caught onto internet sales for parts).

Worth it? Up to the owner I suppose... certainly there is no performance benefit here for street use, but repeated high speed stops on the track MAY be enough to overheat the stock brakes with a lot of power and rubber and in that case the large STI heatsinks will be worth it.

Agreed.


Honestly at this point I'm not sure without having driven it. Stock might be good enough for me. If I end up tracking/auto-x more than I think I will consider some brake upgrade parts. I would just do the OEM-spec '04 STI rotors, pads, lines and fluids at that then. But if this car is only going to be my DD, probably nothing needs to be done. I don't want to just throw money at this car if I don't really need it/benefit from it. I have other things I would want to spend money on too. :D

Sorry I was looking at a full Stoptech (front and rear big brake conversion kit) when talking about $5k and not talking about OEM. I should have been more clear.

Guys this car weighs nothing, just step out of the car and get in front of it, stop it yourself, and proceed to the Next corner, its not that hard quit whining!

Ok this has me worried too now. I intend to use an FR-S for autocross.
How much $$$ are we talking to replace the bearings?

Can we tell for sure from the pictures if they are using the WRX 5x100 hubs?

I would not worry about the bearings for auto-x at all.

- drew

Drew I know it is early, but for the occasional auto-x/track day, do you think there would be any need to do more than pads, brake lines and fluid?

I think that is going to be one of those "To be tested" things

Good read, little repetitive though..

you guys are also forgetting that the 5x100 bearing issues are on a car that is 4-500 lbs heavier. I never had an issue with my WRX swapped 94 Impreza (weighed in around 2600 lbs) as weight changed several times of its life...various setups.

I think that would cover it. :)

When you go to r-comps and stickier tires, then you should start thinking about ducting and a bbk, but it's not really necessary until then.

- drew

Exactly.

Any info on diff ratio?

Why is it a must? What is the fascination with upgrading the brakes on the car? Especially since nobody here has driven it yet and has no idea how much it will take to fade the brakes.

hell yeah, very good info

GT5 says 4.10

Errrrrrm.... is it me or are those front hubs lifted straight from the Impreza and have holes for front driveshafts :confused0068:

Boosted 4WD 86 anyone? GT-486 :thumbup:

GT-Pentium or GTFO.

..........lol

AWD won't happen with the engine where it is unless they shove a diff in front of the engine :lol:

Yes that was the first thing I noticed lookin at those pictures! it's surprising if true. I would have expected the car to have its own knuckle design. I have no interest in 4wd but I wonder if greddy could have swapped them in from the Subaru for some reason.

Edit
You can clearly see it in this picture
http://photos.motoiq.com/MotoIQ/Tech.../IMG2527-L.jpg

Good article I thought, not edited together very well as lots of stuff gets repeated but there is some interesting insights.

Edit2
He goes on about how the struts are quite far inboard giving a high leverage ratio, if the hubs are lifted from the scoobie that could explain it as I imagine it has wider/different offset wheels which need to clear the struts.

It's not. That's been my point for awhile :)

It's only for looks at this point because it doesn't make much sense to use brakes designed for a car that's 500 pounds heavier with a 60/40 weight distribution. I think it would be wise to wait until someone can test a BBK with the proper rotor diameter and piston sizes, especially if looking to track the car.

This actually makes me wonder if the front hub design is similar to the rear hubs on 90's Nissans. If they're a bolt on design as opposed to a press in design, then the 5x114.3 hub swap that everyone is clamoring for should be pretty straightforward.

Looks like a bolt in wheel bearing to me :)

I pointed the Impreza front hubs out on the concept car (old thread somewhere on this forum) so i was totally surprised to see the hubs still from the impreza on the road car!

Im positive we'll see somebody do a total WRX Engine/Drivetrain swap shortly after the car is released meaning a Turbo'd 4WD GT86 :party0030:

:popcorn:

I would be in for that

I don't understand what's all the whinning with the 5x100 bolt pattern.
Every freaking Rota wheel comes with that pattern and they
make knock-offs of every freaking wheel out there.
They have an amazing selection of wheels.
:iono:

He never said that they were the only wheel, only that they had a lot of options for the bolt pattern.

edit: Hachi is ninja modding, removed most of the post.

I can't support a co. that can't have an individual thought and has to copy off of others hard work.

this x eleventybillion.

:bellyroll::bellyroll:

yep, i'm in the same boat as you. my MR2 has the weeniest brakes ever put on the SW20 chassis, yet with just some decent pads and fluid, it stops plenty hard enough. not sure why people are SO fascinated with putting the biggest brakes in the world on relatively light cars. and if i ever get it back on track and start experiencing fade (which i fully expect on the slicks with 2.5-3 times the horsepower), i'll step up to a more aggressive pad compound.

Jamal on motoiq brought up a good point...on the STI the brembos are on the rear side of the rotor and for the BRZ the calipers are on the front. So it's not going to be as straightforward of a swap as you think (if you want it to work correctly). I have other ideas, but still premature at this point.

- drew

When your rotors start turning blue, you might want to think about some ducting as well. :D


There doesn't seem to be anything preventing just swapping the front calipers left to right.

The issue is the piston sizes are staggered....so you'll end up with nasty pad wear if you swap left to right (which you have to do in order for the bleeder to be on top). Fine for "the look" but not worth it for me.

- drew

unless you have lots of money to throw away thats the only way to go for most people.
I have WAY better uses for the extra $1k-$2k I'll save purchasing
the Rotas vs the original brands.
I have no need for forged wheels so Rotas are the way to go.

besides if you have that much money there are plenty of wheel companies that will make you a custom set with ANY bolt pattern you
may need so I still don't understand the whine about the pattern.