sasim

A lot depends on your starting point, do you have 2 pot or 4 pot calipers (don't think i've seen your car)

If you have 2 pots then you can upgrade disks and pads, a set of drilled or grooved disks will help cooling a bit but you will get noise when braking heavily, mintex 1144 pads tend to squeal and are very messy, I've heard good stories about the Ferodo DS2500 but have not tried them myself. The next step would be to get a set of 4 pot calipers, disks and pads second hand, this would cost about £300 or £400 ish fitted, or get a full godspeed 4 pot kit for between £600 and £75 (from memory) this includes 4 pot calipers, disks 300-325mm and pads, whatever option get braided hoses (front and rear) at the same time for about £50.

If you are starting with 4 pots then you can get something like the godspeed 335mm kit for about £680 it consists of disks and bells, pads and fitting kit, Or you could just get better disks and pads of the standard size, can't offer much advice on your options here cos i've never tried anthing.

Lastly is your AP, Brembo etc kits for £1500+

Remember to always check that the brakes will fit behind your wheels

I personally went from standard 2 pot setup, upgraded EBC disks and pads, then got a standard Subaru 4 pot setup and finally a Godspeed 335mm kit.

Stuart

[Edited by sasim - 9/5/2002 6:35:55 PM]

john banks

The DS2500 seem to stop no better than Mintex 1155 but do not squeal as much. I would get the DS2500 again. Initial bite is helped by braided lines and good fluid. I have been toying with an AP Racing big brake kit, in which case I would be selling my hardly used Tarox grooved discs and DS2500. I was thinking of offering for someone's Tarox big brake kit, but it didn't have the initial bite of even the OEM calipers with DS2500 and braided lines surprisingly.

[Edited by john banks - 9/5/2002 6:38:45 PM]

Dark

iTrader: (1)

Ozzy

I had the AP 4 pots with 305mm disks on my MY98 and they were superb. Excellent quality, perfect fit and amazing performance, hot or cold.

To be quite honest they were significantly better than the Brembo's fitted to my new STI, although I think this is probabily the STI pads.

I sold the AP's when I got the STI for £750, after 18 months use and approx 12k miles. All I'd had to buy was a new set of pads, ~£70; the disks, bells & calipers were all in excellent condition, even after 8~10 trackdays.

In the long term the £600 for OEM disks and pads (rip off!) or the same amount spent on uprated disks & pads would almost pay for the AP's, once you considered their second hand value.

Regards, Mark

[Edited by Dark - 9/6/2002 8:50:31 AM]

ozzy

I'm aware of the various big brake upgrades from Prodrive (Alcon), AP, Brembo, Godspeed, etc.., but was wondering what options I have just upgrading the discs and pads.

I've been kindly informed by the Dealer that I need new front discs/pads as well as some rear pads.

What is the average cost of a front disc/pad setup and price of rear pads?

Stefan

ozzy

OK, I know it's a bit of a dumbass question; like what tyres should I buy.

I'm looking for something for fast road driving that ain't gonna send me to the poor house. If I was a track junking like the rest of you, I'd just buy the Alcons or AP's.

What I definitely don't want is a lot of noise and vibration from the discs/pads.

Mintex and Ferrodo pads seem to get good reviews. Any comments? and what discs is everyone running on their cars?

Stefan

chrisyd

ozzy, just for some info on what i done, pagid fast road/race, discs/pads, all round, free fitting@hypertech, 700 quid, very good brakes from hot or cold, squeak a little when cold though, overall quite impressed. have not tracked them yet but know others who have and say they hold up well, obviously you do pay for what you get and these are good value for money. hopefully this post will get some good debating going.

Dougster

Mintex 1144 squeal like buggery. Ferrodo ds2500 is what I use after throwing the mintex in the bin.

ssubaru

Hi chrisyd ,you talking about hypertech in bonny bridge
ssubaru

The_Gza

Ozzy - one of the options I looked at as a sensible cost/benefit excerise was the Godspeed conversion.

Now excuse my memory, but AFAIR it gives you slightly bigger disks but you get to keep the standard 4 pot calipers (using some kind of spacer) Better braking without going to the expense of new calipers a la AP/Brembo etc. Have a swatch here or have a swatch in the forum from about 4 months ago there was a fairly large thread about them.

ozzy

Thanks guys.

Sasim,

My car's a MY99, so I've got 4-pots.

Don't think I really need AP's or anything like that to be honest. How do the disc/pad combos compare to OEM ones as far as cost. I was quoted £600 for new OEM front discs/pads and rear pads.

John,

What pads did you fit on your rears?

Stefan

sasim

The Godspeed kit is much much better than the standard setup, The disks are 41mm larger diameter than standard and a few mm thicker, so they can take a hell of a lot more heat, only downside I have found is that pad choice is very limited, 1144's or EBC greenstuff with kit, but I have found that you can get DS2000 pads the right size

Stuart

chrisyd

SSubaru, hi mate, Bonnybridge indeed.

robinH20MRV

hi mate,

dont waste your time with god speed, he will never return calls or e mails, stick with a good team like awd or falkland, top guys,

i use aps front and tarox backs with goodrich hoses and dot 5,

cheers robin.

ssubaru

yip chrisyd same place ,got tarox discs,pagid race pads fitted all round never lost brakes since
ssubaru

ozzy

Thanks Mark.

I'd never really thought of what value 2nd-hand AP's or Alcons would have; must have been the shock of finding out I needed to spend lots of money

How do the AP's compare against the Prodrive/Alcons?

Stefan

Dark

iTrader: (1)

Price & performance are very similar.

However I know several people who have cracked Alcon disks on trackdays, although Subaru have normally replaced under warranty. I don't know of anyone having any problems with the AP's.

Longer terms the AP's work out cheaper since the disks have a separate alloy bell, so it's cheaper to replace just the disk. AP's ~£300, Alcons ~£500. Not sure about Alcon pad prices.

As long as you don't use a really agressive pad and stick to something like the Ferrodo DS2000 or DS2500, both disks will last a long time.

If you do get the AP's, make sure you get the "proper" AP kit from Scoobymania, Falkland or similar. The road caliper has proper dust seals (there is a cheaper race version) and the disks are grooved rather than drilled. Braided hoses all round make a difference too and can usually be included FOC.

Mark

[Edited by Dark - 9/6/2002 11:37:11 AM]

ozzy

Am I right in saying that the AP 4-pot kit has 330mm discs and DS2500 pads?? or is it still Mintex ones?

Stefan

AlanG

Stefan

The latest kits are now being supplied with DS2500's

A

AlanG

AP 4 pots come in 304 as well as the 330mm discs to fit under std 16" wheels

A

robinH20MRV

get aps, as seen at kh today, they were top. unlike my driving!

Dark

iTrader: (1)

Ozzy

The AP 4 pots are available in 305mm for 16" wheels and 330mm for 17" wheels. The calipers are identical but the pads for the 305mm are slightly narrower, 46mm instead of 50mm I think, so that the pads doesn't touch the bell. Because they are modified the pads for the 305mm are usually a bit more expensive.

Both kits are available for the same money and the 330mm would fit under your RB5 wheels perfectly. Most suppliers will also offer a choice of pads. I found the OEM AP pads very good, similar to the Mintex 1155 or Ferrodo DS2000. I then tried the DS2500, maybe not quite as good cold but excellent on track.

The DS3000 will eat your alloy wheels and stain your bodywork, anything carbon metallic will work well when hot but eat disks!

Regards,

Mark