STi Brembos

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by CSG David

The '04 STI Brembos are a great upgrade for the car especially if you're running about 250-300hp and stickier tires. If you're running these brakes with OEM type street pads and OEM Michelins, you are probably not going to notice that much of a difference. After all, your brakes provide the clamping force, but your tires ultimately help you do the stopping as well.

Keep in mind that you guys will be going through rotors and brake pads as well. Price check them to see if it's worth it to pay those prices before upgrading to the STI Brembos.

On another note, I have a friend who installed this on his WRX and has stated the brake bias is completely off on track. I suggest anyone who runs this front setup to also run the rear Brembos as well. The moment you decide to make the jump from street to track, you will have already saved yourself the headache of figuring out the brake bias for your car.

Bias in that car was notoriously front heavy. But it's generally a better idea to run all 4 calipers than just the fronts, though I have no idea on what the bias in this car is. That said, 08+ STI calipers should bolt right on in the rear (rotors will need to be drilled) and any STI caliper will bolt on in the front (will need to swap bleeders).

Originally Posted by Mark Slide Squad

If you go on the WRX forums, people have talked about this. Apparently they are slightly different. For one, the Evo calipers have an external cross over pipe (the metal pipe that connects to the two halves of the caliper to supply fluid) and the STi is internal cross over. Also, the thread pitch for the caliper mount bolts is different from Subaru Brembos. I also saw that the Evo uses a slightly smaller diameter, but thicker rotor as opposed to the STi version. I could be backwards on that though, so don't quote me. You're better off just getting STi Brembos which are pretty much a bolt on affair.

Same rotor, thinner pads I think.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by CSG David

On another note, I have a friend who installed this on his WRX and has stated the brake bias is completely off on track. I suggest anyone who runs this front setup to also run the rear Brembos as well. The moment you decide to make the jump from street to track, you will have already saved yourself the headache of figuring out the brake bias for your car.

See below:

Originally Posted by jamal

The front brembos only have very slightly more piston area than the stock brakes and with the larger rotor you are getting about 10% more brake torque given the same pressure. Here's the interesting part: Going to the rear brembos actually moves the bias even farther forward because the pistons in that caliper are smaller than stock and the rotor isn't that much bigger.

So your bias is actually better with only the front brembos compared to putting them on all four corners.

- Andrew

[CSG David]

@RCE: Thanks for the info! I did not realize the STI rear Brembos had a smaller piston compared to the rear BRZ/FRS one.

I am interested in seeing the experiences that STI Brembo users have on the BRZ/FRS on track. So far the stock brake calipers and rotors are holding up very well. In fact the front rotors are insanely heavy compared to the S2000s that we're used to. For a car that's 100lbs lighter than the S2000, that's quite significant. We're talking about repeated 130 to 40mph braking points on a big track that usually eats brakes for breakfast.

[Racecomp Engineering]

It is a little surprising for sure. It seems like the front brembos do a decent job for the money if like you said you're running sticky tires and some extra power. They aren't the greatest calipers...at all....but it is nice to have that extra insurance at the track with the larger heatsink the bigger rotors give you.

I would definitely prefer the Essex AP racing front BBK over a front and rear Brembo set. Massive difference there.

EDIT: and yeah I think the stock brakes are fairly decent...though they do take a beating with stickier tires.

- andrew

[kmbkk]

Originally Posted by CSG David

The '04 STI Brembos are a great upgrade for the car especially if you're running about 250-300hp and stickier tires. If you're running these brakes with OEM type street pads and OEM Michelins, you are probably not going to notice that much of a difference. After all, your brakes provide the clamping force, but your tires ultimately help you do the stopping as well.

Keep in mind that you guys will be going through rotors and brake pads as well. Price check them to see if it's worth it to pay those prices before upgrading to the STI Brembos.

On another note, I have a friend who installed this on his WRX and has stated the brake bias is completely off on track. I suggest anyone who runs this front setup to also run the rear Brembos as well. The moment you decide to make the jump from street to track, you will have already saved yourself the headache of figuring out the brake bias for your car.

This is pretty much where I'll be with my turbo kit! I already have 18" wheels and tires, so there is a little better clearance. I agree on the pads and rotors. I've owned 2 EVOs in the past, so I'm familiar with the cost and upkeep of these brakes.

Thanks for the info!

[kmbkk]

Originally Posted by mact

You can find cheap STI remans at

www.rockauto.com

Thanks for the link!

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

It is a little surprising for sure. It seems like the front brembos do a decent job for the money if like you said you're running sticky tires and some extra power. They aren't the greatest calipers...at all....but it is nice to have that extra insurance at the track with the larger heatsink the bigger rotors give you.

I would definitely prefer the Essex AP racing front BBK over a front and rear Brembo set. Massive difference there.

EDIT: and yeah I think the stock brakes are fairly decent...though they do take a beating with stickier tires.

- andrew

We will be testing out the Essex kit eventually and will definitely be wailing on it as much as possible.

[empower-auto]

So.. this being said.. the Brembo upgrade is not necessarily worth it. I mean, it looks good but you can just do your pads and rotors + some good fluid for the first stage of brake upgrades.

Beyond that ... look at something like AP / Brembo / Buddy Club etc if you want noticeable improvement for your investment.

[jamal]

If you're looking for more heat capacity for cheap sure they are. You can get a used set of fronts for like $700 and you go from a 294x24mm rotor to 326x30 with directional vanes. Plus you get a stiffer fixed 4-pot caliper. Only downside is the bias change, which thanks to the bigger rear brakes on the car isn't as bad as something like an older WRX.

There are also 2-piece rotors available from DBA and Girodisc and probably some other places.

[RYU]

Originally Posted by empower-auto

So.. this being said.. the Brembo upgrade is not necessarily worth it. I mean, it looks good but you can just do your pads and rotors + some good fluid for the first stage of brake upgrades.

Beyond that ... look at something like AP / Brembo / Buddy Club etc if you want noticeable improvement for your investment.

I normally subscribe to this formula for many of my other cars. What's worrisome about this Toyobaru is how many testimonials there already are of people going thru their stock brake setups like it was butter. I'm talking with pads and good fluid.

I'd be interested in a proper cooling duct solution to be honest. If not, I'd consider skipping pads all together and just going straight to a BBK, with SS lines, Race fluid. It's only money right!

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by CSG David

We will be testing out the Essex kit eventually and will definitely be wailing on it as much as possible.

I'm hoping to finally install mine tonight!

[Racecomp Engineering]

IIRC the LGT calipers are 316mm with the same piston area as the BRZ/WRX front brakes for only a mild increase in front bias. Super cheap way to go but obviously not a stiff fixed 4 pot brembo. Also a little heavy. But cheap.

EDIT: BRZ and WRX piston sizes are not the same.

- drew

[kmbkk]

Let us know how it goes! I think I'm going to need a brake upgrade once my turbo kit is installed and completely tuned.

[wootwoot]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

IIRC the LGT calipers are 316mm with the same piston area as the BRZ/WRX front brakes for only a mild increase in front bias. Super cheap way to go but obviously not a stiff fixed 4 pot brembo. Also a little heavy. But cheap.

- drew

Hmmm.... interesting... I like this. Good middle ground.