Am i missing the point? Whats the score with the problems with the brakes?
Is this really a track problem (i'e lots of high speed braking) as the only problem i have had so far was more due to the car going a quicker than it feels.

Did some (bout an hours worth) constant fast driving B road twisty stuff (Near Rivington in Bolton if anyone knows the roads ) and they didn't seem to fade (it was raining so maybe that helps)

Was this more of a problem in earlier cars and the story carries on or am i just not pushing hard enough? (A couple of walkers that (TOTALLY UNNESSESSARILY) jumped (more like leaped ) into the grass at side of road when they heard me coming would say i was...).

 

No one got anything to say?

 

I never had a problem with the ones on the MY02 WRX i had either. I think i was trying fairly hard as i was on the 4th set of front pads in 34000 miles when i changed the car.

 

to be honest mate the standard brakes are fine. the standard pads can fade if you are really pressing on, but if you are on public roads and staying within the safe limits of the chassis they should do the job just fine.

 

So the various brake comments i see / hear are more pointed towards the older models with 2 pots?

 

yes the rain will be cooling your brakes considerbly.

During the summer months of spirited driving i can get brake fade within 15-20 minutes. It can get so bad it feels like the brakes have been removed and you have to back off.

If / When you notice it, it will alarm you, it did me. Its not a problem on day to day driving, just when you are pushing on hard and using the brakes to the extent of their capabilities. I guess on a track you would notice it even more.

Im told , braided hoses and mintex / ferrodo pads with higher . rated fluid will cure this, so when the pads need replacing i will go this route, probably cheaper than oem parts anyway.

 

So is the problem just fade? No one is actually saying they don't do the job (when they're not fading)?

 

the brakes are good in normal use just suffer from serious fade when heavlily used.

 

I've had two classic scoobs, a GX newage, a bug eye WRX and a blob eye WRX. All had stock brakes.

The classics both had brake fade when pushing hard, they were crap imho, so was the GX.

Bug eye WRX only faded once to my recollection - much better brakes.

Blob eye WRX - no fading as yet and it's been given plenty opportunity.

 

I have experienced fade on my MY03 WRX PPP both on the track after as little as 2 laps, and on the road during spirited B road driving. The problem arises mainly (IMHO) due to low spec brake fluid which boils at a low temp causing it to oxygenate, and the rubber brake lines expanding when softened by the heat. I have changed to Ferodo DOT5.1 fluid and Goodridge stainless braided lines, and opted for the new E388 compound EBD Red Ceramic pads. So far they are now behaving impecably.

 

Mine (WRX03) were shocking - not in absolute stopping power, but feel as the pads didn't seem to "key" into the discs!
- I got them to fade out completely within 2 miles of my favourite road!

Changing the pads to Ferodo DS2500 and bleeding the brakes helped a lot . I am now going to have braided hoses and at 28K change to Tarox Track Discs and Pads!

Basic problem is the discs are just too small for the weight of car at sub 300mm - even a BMW 330 has 325mm discs .....

 

my02 wrx... I can't wait to get rid of my brakes Im running about 270 is bhp and a little more torque

I came back on Sunday swaring I would not go out again till I changed them 1 hour blast

can't beilive people do track days on them.. may be mine are a duff set - you are probably not far wrong with the hose's etc but I promised my self a treat roll on ap6 pot group buy

( just got through a set of pads in 6k with no track days... may be I should start reading the high way code abit more )

 

Rich - what pads are you using - please tell me not the standard one's ..........

 

I agree,

I find it hard to belive people are saying they are good, I drove a evo 260 and was shocked how bad my brakes realy are

 

ds 2500's still std on the rear....

 

OMG - And I am classified as a "lunatic" by many here on SN ......... but 6K on those - you are too hard on the brakes ..... only a 4/6 Pot AP style set up is going to provide you with what you need .......

Maybe DS3000's on the front - 2500's on the rear?
- Rears play much more of a part than you think under max braking due to the Brakeforce distribution module ...

 

just what I thought ... I had more than double that on my first set ( all be it they were on the scratch plates (oops )

would warn disk's cause bigger pad wear? ( to be fair to my brake setup, the disks need changing asap, the pads won't last till the next service.. when I went down to Roger Clarks they said he had to top the Brake fluid up to compensate for the disks\ pads) Im supposed to be taking it easy .. It only really started to get silly when I had the power upgrade

Im not planning doing any thing else to the brakes till I get a set of ap 6 pots, make sure I really notice the difference