Gary Foster

Not good.

Have recently upgraded my MY98 front brakes to MY99 4 Pots, Pagid Blues, stainless hoses and Dot 5.1 fluid.

First track day was today at Goodwood (This is a fast circuit, so hard on brakes). They seem perfectly adequate, no fade (only stayed out for 5 laps at a time of course)

Unfortunately, my brand new (fitted half way through the last Donno track day) rear pads are shagged. And therefore so are my nearly new rear disks. Bugger.

So, I assume the rears are gone because they overheated. I can't see 'uprated' pads making the grade so what are my options for upgrading the rears.

Couldn't care less about anymore braking from the rear as I don't want to upset the balance, I just want them to last for a few track days at a time.

Gary Foster

Cancel everything I said about the 4 pots, under closer observation I have cracked a disk.

Pagid Blues stood up OK though, reckon they'd last 3-4 track days.

So now I need disks for the front + some kind of upgrade for the rear. Any recommendations ?

Hoppy

Gary, are you sure the disc is cracked or have you just got a crazed surface? The reason I ask is that you don't have to look for a cracked disc - the car shaking like it's going to fall apart is a bit of a clue! But cracked or crazed, they've still got to go.

I've got upgraded rear pads in my UK00 (ProDrive's Ferodo DS2000) they've done three track days and about 12,000 road miles. I've just been to check them and they're down to about 2mm, so they're heading for the bin now. But they were fine on track and the discs show nothing more than the wear you'd expect. Recommended.

Hoppy

Gary Foster

Oh yeah, she's definitely cracked, all the way from the mounting bell to the outside edge. There's a lip of about 0.5 mm and it is absolutely shaking the car to bits.

We'll it was, but of course it's not driveable now.

Rear disks also have very deep scoring scoring, with some sort of white deposit in them and all the pads are all sort of flakey round the edges.

Rear disks are about 4K miles old, fronts were second hand but had been skimmed.

You've got an MY00, I think (don't quote me) you have vented disks on the rear (don't know if the callipers are the same). Guess this would make quite a difference to brake cooling ?

Maybe I should upgrade to MY00 rears (sounds pricey).

To be honest, I would have thought fitting higher friction pads would make the problem worse, as you would just be generating more heat surely ?

Will be using some of the AP temperature paints next time so I can analyse the problem a little more scientifically.

Hoppy

Gary, you're right. I forgot but my UK00 rear discs are indeed vented, so you'll need a couple of them, too.

Hoppy

DavidLewis

Hi Gary, I know how you feel

Went through 2 sets of rear pads and a set of disks on a visit to Donnington. Plain pagids were the first to wear (although in hindsight, I think fitting was the problem) then a set of standard pads went next. Since then (after new disks) I've been running with Mintex rear pads. 3 track days later (Silverstone, Donnington and Brands) there is still life in the old dogs yet.
I'd recommend them! (MY98 5 dr)

JohnS

iTrader: (1)

Gary,

it is possible to fir the vented rear discs from the Legacy turbo. Prodrive sell this as a kit, with new callipers, discs and pads. Your dealer should be able to order them for you from Prodrive. Cost was about £500 I think for everything, though it was a few months ago I enquired, so price may not be 100% accurate.

Gary Foster

I'm amazed that these different 'performance' pads appear to be having such a different effect !

I think I'm going to find out (how !) if I can fit the vented rear disks to mine. I was going to fit pagid's at the rear (as I have pagid blue's at the front) but now maybe I'll try the Mintex's / Ferodo's.

To be honest, I'm tempted to go for the sets that are 'not recommended for road use' in the hope that they wear better.

Stuart Knight

iTrader: (2)

I agree with David. I used to eat standard rear pads in a morning at Donington (Brembos up front). Mintex 1155's last for ever in comparison (well several track days and loads of road miles).

Gary Foster

Thats interesting, phoned Subaru UK who said the only brake upgrade I could get for an MY98 was upgraded pads ...

Looks like I need to phone them again.

JohnS

iTrader: (1)

Gary,

send an e-mail to Mike@Prodrive, and he'll give you the details. Your dealer will need to order them directly from Prodrive I think, as they are no longer a listed options, but they are available from stock.

ric

Gary Foster

Woah ! cheers guys, will be doing both these things.

I have also had a chat with Mr Croney @ Scoobysport who is going to investigate whether the fitting of the MY99 vented rear disk would be an option. (What a nice chap ! thats what I call customer service).

I notice godspeed offer a 12 Month unlimited mileage warranty for cracking or warping. The RS guys use these ones.

Crikey, now I've gone from 0 options to 3 in one day - the power of the Internet eh ? I'll keep everyone posted on the results.

Gary Foster

Actually Godspeed look VERY interesting indeed (I like the idea of keeping the standard calipers but increasing the disk size / making the rears vented) nice. V.Nice for my wallet.

Gary

Gary Foster

OK, looks like Pete C has done the business, he's had a look and reckons the calipers / hubs / vented disks will swap right over.

Even better he's going to source some second hand rear callipers (about £100) so it's going to be a pretty reasonably priced upgrade.

Yippee!

Gary Foster

Right, just to post the outcome in case anyone does a search, finds this and doesn't know how it ends

Pete Croney (Scoobysport) has done the rear brake upgrade from an MY98 to MY99. This involves replacing the callipers and obviously the disks (vented). He will be posting me these items to fit myself.

The callipers will not give any larger breaking grip as they are just a different design (and take different pads). What this will allow of course is the (larger ?) vented rear disk from MY99 on to be fitted.

Cost of the caliper was £100 from Scoobysport, I was going to have to replace the disks / pads anyway so I won't include their prices.

Have gone for Pagids at the back in the end, this gives me a complete Pagid disk / Pagid pad solution.

Gary