Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Hi folks. I have been umming and ahhing about this for a while now but based on my driving style and the fact that the 18's are making the current setup look feeble with all that free space around them, I am looking at upgrading the brakes, but not for a price that could by a small football club .

This is what I currently have:

Standard 4 pot MY99 calipers as fitted to car
Black Diamond grooved discs all round
Mintec 1144/55 pads
Braided brake hoses
7.5x18 Wolfrace Urban Racer alloys (Haven't got the car here to check the offset, believe it is ET45)

While the braking is good, it isn't as good as I would like ideally, especially for shedding speed coming to the end of slip roads etc for example. They cope with that but I want even more confident braking really.

While I like the idea of uprating the brakes all round as I normaally have done, I know many folk say that there is no point uprating the rears really. If that is the case what should I do to the front without 'braking the bank'?

I was considering a Godspeed upgrade but that sounds like way too much of a gamble based on the many threads on the forums.

Advice/options appreciated.

Cheers,

Nick

scoobysmiff

iTrader: (2)

what sort of budget are you looking at mate, that will give a few options if that is a known quantity

drb5

iTrader: (4)

I bought some brand new 6 pot 330mm Wilwoods from the US, along with the 4 pot 290mm kit.

After only have them on my P1 for a week or so(and now properly bedded in), i can say that i am VERY impressed with them.

They have a great feeling through the pedal and are very very sticky.

I have had both the AP 6 and 4 pots on previous scoobs and would say the Wilwoods are more than a match for them. Only thing i cant comment on is track work, which i pretty much dont do and never will with the P1.

Have a look through NASIOC and consider them from here, if your interested...
Subaru Impreza WRX Performance Parts, Subaru STi Performance Parts, Subaru Legacy GT Performance Parts, Subaru Forester XT Performance Parts, Subaru Impreza RS Performance Parts

Andy-STI

I was in the same position as yourself not knowing what to upgrade to but went for the Godspeed kit. I had black diamond before & can say without a doubt that the Godspeed kit is far superior. Sometimes the kit squeals at low speed for some reason (not all the time) but for me it was worth it. The installation was quite simple as well.

Cheers Andy.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

More further away from £1k max, the better would be the budget to be honest. Spent far more on Fluffy this month that I originally intended.

Drb5, those brakes on the link only seem to be for 2002 onwards, would I not have problems fitting those to mine? Also, how much did Mr.Customs sting you for if you don't mind me asking? I find that they have puckered right up. Literally everything that I order from the US gets grabbed by them and they take their pound of flesh. Much tighter than a few years ago in my experience anyway.

Cheers for the ideas etc so far guys, please feel free to keep them coming! I suppose I would still notice a big difference just upgrading the fronts for now?

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Thanks Andy, the only problem is that from reading through threads on here it can be a real Rollercoater ride with Godspeed, with regards to contacting him, things taking months to arrive and every excuse under the sun and some folks just getting plain bad quality parts. I am glad that your experience has been good though .

drb5

iTrader: (4)

I fitted them all with no problems, although the rear kit does need the backing plate removed and also a couple of bits needed grinding off the hub.

Cant remember what the customs hit me for, but it wasnt much. £70 max IIRC.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

£70, christ you were lucky! I have been hit for more on things just costing $500 or so .

Sorry to sound like a muppet but how were you sure that these bits would fit, being an earlier car, before you bought them? Seriously considering these now, but I may have to be a pain in the bum and ask you a few questiosn via PM if you can spare the time.

Cheers,

Nick.

drb5

iTrader: (4)

PM away.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for that. However I am putting my sensible hat on and saying just a front upgrade for now methinks. Does that help to narrow it down guys?

Nate

iTrader: (2)

I am guessing by the offset of your wheels, STi Brembo's will not go (without changing your wheels), another suggestion would be http://www.hispecmotorsport.co.uk/ , I had their 'Monster 4' setup on my MY93 when I had that about 5-6 years ago ........ Awesome kit for the money, and delivered within a few days, and have better clearances than the Brembo kits (which is what I went for this time around).

Worth a call I would say

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Bugger, what offset should I have been looking at really for 18's?

P.S. Sorry for all the questions, it's just that a brake upgrade like this is new ground for me.

chris1scouser

try changing the brake fluid for a perfomance one. you could be boiling your standard fliud, this creates bubbles within the system. your present pads are pretty good. however try upgrading them to a fast road compound. EBC,Black diamond. additonally strip them down and give them a good clean. some garages have blasting booths for this purpose.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Hmm, I thought that a lower offset meant more clearance for calipers? Pushed the wheel closer to the arches from the hub?

Cheers Chris but she has uprated fluid in that is probably less than a year old and has 6-8k on it if that. The only EBC pads I had back in the day were greenstuffs and I liked them a lot but the last mechanic really insisted on the Mintex. I still want to noticeably beef up the fronts, but must keep it under 1k as I just can't bring myself to spend any more than that on it currently.

Cheers,

Nick .

iamrab

im in the same boat as u looking for some good brakes before anyreal performance upgrads, the lower the off set the futher the wheel sits out .

borat52

I'll second the wilwoods, have the 6 pot front and 4 pot rear set up on a 1993 classic. They fit without any problem at all. The fronts are a direct bolt on, the rears need the backing plate removed and a bit of work with an angle grinder on the brackets as has been said before on here.

Got mine from gruppe-S
Subaru Brakes

Went for the drilled and slotted rotors as I liked the look of them better but the drilled may give problems with cracking if you track the car often (not from experience but from what I have read on here, this is not specific to wilwoods but drilled discs in general).

As for charges in the UK, have a word with Gruppe-s and they should be able to help you out on this somewhat (or pm me if you want).

Cant fault these brakes, never had any AP's but compared to the 4 pots I had before they are a different class. The way they stop from 100+ is astonishing. Well worth the money in my opinion. Think I did front and rears for £1400 delivered and fitted from memory (and that was with a 1.85 pound, it hit 2.06 this week)

exvaux

iTrader: (1)

with the exchage rate so good for us just now i might go for the wilwood 4 pot fronts
Subaru Impreza WRX Performance Parts, Subaru STi Performance Parts, Subaru Legacy GT Performance Parts, Subaru Forester XT Performance Parts, Subaru Impreza RS Performance Parts

will these have much benefit over the standard subaru 4 pots on my car (V5 typeR)

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Just to add to things, I came across this on Godspeed's site:

"The four pot calipers we use in our kits are a cast steel caliper. These types of calipers are more suited to a road car than aluminium calipers because they are more robust and have all the proper seals to protect the piston against corrosion, road grime and dirt. The aluminium racing type calipers are designed for performance rather than reliability and will require rebuilding at frequent intervals."

Do any of you guys with uprated calipers have to go through that?

drb5

iTrader: (4)

AP say their calipers should be serviced every 6 months.

Certain calipers come with seals on the outside of the pot...this is best for road use. The other calipers have the seals inside the caliper and are then prone to letting all the crap of the day in. This can obviously damage the calipers/pots.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Ah, this sheds a new light on things. Anything a tad more 'fit and forget', or am I looking like having a long life with my 4 pots lol. I don't want much obviously but was thinking that I stuck them on and never really had to touch them other than changing pads? Sorry but asking this stuff will help others too I think.

cheers,

Nick.

borat52

I've had my wilwoods on for almost a year now (I think) and they are still superb. Whats been said about the seals is true, however doing a quick search on here should reveal that many people have used the wilwoods with no problems over time. That said I suppose it is a consideration.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Right guys, thanks for the help so far. Apart from the fact that I soooo shouldn't be shelling out silly money for brakes I am going to go with the following: Wilwood Big Brake Kit - Front & Rear, 140-7005 & 140-7006, Subaru Impreza WRX Wilwood Big Brake Kit - Front & Rear

"VEHICLE: Subaru, Impreza WRX, 2002 - 2003 - Wilwood Big Brake Kit - Front & Rear"



Options chosen:

Black

BP-10 "Smart Pads"

Slotted & Drilled

2002 model (earliest on the list!


It's just a shame that the delivery is so extortionate . The cheapest delivery option from them is $458!!!

"GRAND TOTAL: $2,757.92" - £1,362.02 using XE.com, this doesn't factor in a potentially horrendous customs hit of course (I will be very impressed if I am lucky enough to only be hit for £70!).


I have had a read through the following fitting instructions from that site and they seem pretty good:

Front Kit - http://www.scoobytuner.com/installat...ructions/5.pdf

Rear Kit - http://www.scoobytuner.com/installat...ctions/614.pdf

The instructions say for 99-04 models so I am guessing that I am safe . I just have to wait to get fluffy back to measure the space behind the wheels before taking the gamble!

borat52

Give gruppe-S an email, they should be able to sort out some cheaper delivery than that. I got mine, slotted and drilled front 6 pots, rear 4 pots with the wilwood braided brake lines included and BP10 pads from them for $2590 incl post to the UK in July last year. Did not pay much more than £70 when they came to the UK either.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

I had a look at Gruppe-S thank to your link, it was the fact that they didn't do the bundle like the other guys that put me off. Unless I was seeing things the price for just the fronts alone was more expensive than the other guys?

borat52

The website price is quite expensive, speak to them and they are happy to deal on a bundle of fronts/rears with braided lines though, well at least they did last year when I got hold of them.

Mother Theresa

I'm very happy with my K-sport kit. 356mm discs will easily fill your arches and I have done 80 odd laps of Snetterton with them and they were completely fade free on DS 2500 pads. A doddle to fit as well.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for that info on the K-sport brakes. Those Wilwoods just look too good as a bundle not to take a gamble on and I was trying to keep this under a grand but to get the whole set for only £400 or so more hopefully is too good for me not to grab and just get it over and done with tbh

Borat52, what rear discs did you manage to get with your bundle? On scoobytuner they state standard only, no vented or grooved when buying the rear kit on it's own. The bundle kit mentions nothing about that.

Cheers,

Nick .

drb5

iTrader: (4)

Thats right, no grooved or drilled for the rear discs.

They are solid, but have a bell and disc combo.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

That's a shame, but I am only being a tart I guess.

borat52

Thats not true of gruppe-S. My rear discs are both drilled and grooved from gruppe-s.
See the pics here:
https://www.scoobynet.com/group-buys...ond-run-5.html