Good point about 3000GT and others.. What I don't know about those is the mounting ear positions.

They key to my whole setup is the KNS Brackets that adapt the Nissan calipers to the Subaru hubs and allow for the larger Leg GT rotors. What makes this a good swap is the fact that you can get the Nissan calipers for $50-$100 each.

It would be interesting to test a set of brackets from the other manufacturers to check mounting points. We also need to investigate used caliper pricing.

Thanks again for the input. Agreed on the concept of efficiency. Maybe a good layman's term would be "Cooling per pound". The newer, high tech rotors with upgraded materials, aluminum hats, and advanced vane design are clearly a better option. But you have to pay to play. As I've said from day 1.. if you can afford a professional BBK.. do it.. they are totally worth it! If you can't afford it.. then perhaps this setup gets you a braking upgrade at a very reasonable price.

@JRitt and @Dave-ROR Can I quote (with credits) what you've shared in terms of technical information? I'm going to write a part 2 to my article to summarize the past 4 pages of technical conversation. I still won't claim to be an expert.. but if you guys are ok with it I think I can share enough of your information to make it an interesting, informative and relatively accurate read. I want to give the pros and cons of this setup regarding brake bias, leverage, weight savings relative to rotational mass, fixed vs. sliding calipers, cooling capacity vs. efficiency, etc.. To do so properly I would like to quote you guys rather than simply paraphrasing. Is that ok?

Thanks again for all your time and info on this topic.

Yes eikond, absolutely. No worries at all. I'm happy to assist with the spread of quality information across what is many times a vast sea of misinformation and conjecture! :cheers:

IMO this is actually a negative of fixed calipers. Run some pads down a lot and then tell me they are easier :) Flipping up the caliper and using a c clamp is very easy and without the proper (and not really cheap) tools, you have to improvise with the fixed calipers. Not difficult granted, but time consuming and you run the risk of damaging the pistons (which is why a special tool exists).


It should be noted that the iron calipers might result in a weight increase (I'm not sure what the difference in weight is and I've only held/installed the aluminum versions).


Also, larger rotors move some mass further from the hub, making that gain more critical because that mass is rotating as well.


This kit isn't extreme but that's a big reason why I'd never suggest the stupid large kits of these cars (outside of looks).

Regardless of drive wheels, that mass still needs to rotate (and stop rotating) and the extra force is still required for that to happen. There's also a change in suspension function due to weight increases/losses but that's out of scope for this conversation.

The pistons don't suck themselves back in. I'd honestly rather changes pads in my sliding calipers than the fixed calipers I have.

Sure, listen to Jeff more though lol

http://www.ttzd.com/tech/brakestech.html

You can still use c-clamp or even a big set of pliers to force the pistons back in. You just have to do them a few times since when you squeeze one the others come back out a little bit. just keep rotating around until they are far enough in. I would just make sure the clamp or pliers had some kind of rubber cover or something to make sure you don't injure the top rim of the piston.

If you really had to do it in a hurry I'm sure you could find a special tool.. maybe even make one.

Just use the pad and push them both in at the same time with a c clamp.

Last time I did a pad change on a caliper like this, I used a flathead screwdriver between the rotor and pads and pried the pads open before removing the old pads.

Turkey basted the extra brake fluid out of the resevoir, dropped the pads in, done deal.

usually I just push the pistons in by hand. not sure if that's bad or not.

Same here. It's never been a problem for, but that's far from definitive.

I use old pads to pry them in to limit damage (visual and other). I still find a c-clamp once on an old pad with a slider to be far quicker and easier than at least twice, which is why I said sliders are easier to change. One time vs two minimum.

My calipers have fairly thin wall SS pistons, not thick aluminum ones so that's a bit more of a pain (literally ;) )