Wilky_Boy

Gents,

I wonder if you can help me out. I have a 2004 WRX and wish to upgrade the brakes. I have been through loads of different threads in an attempt to do some R&D but it's just left my head in a spin .

I am hoping someone can give me some advice. My 2004 WRX is lightly tuned ( about 285 BHP ), running the standard 17" alloys with original Bridgestone tyres ( which I intend to keep ). I only use the car at weekends and never intend to take it on a track. To be honest I drive pretty sensibly all in all !

So I am looking for a setup which gives me better breaking without costing too much. I love the look of the Brembos but am unsure whether they would fit under my standard alloys. The Godspeed 330mm conversion looks awesome but is a little bit expensive ( though there is a second hand set on ebay for £300 ). I've also seen people talking about upgraded discs and pads ( though I think the standard disks look too small through the wheels ! ). I would like something that starts to bite pretty much from cold too - I don't want to worry about warming the pads up.

Finally, I want to be able to fit all of this kit myself ! I've already had the standard discs and calipers off so I would class myself as relatively compotent !

Any advice or suggestions welcome, and thanks for any help.

Cheers,

Wilky.

Godspeed Brakes

iTrader: (259)

Hi
The 335mm kit I make totally transforms the braking power of the WRX and brings it inline with an AP 330mm 4 pot kit in terms of performance , but obviously at a cost , although it works out more than standard sized discs , its no where near the cost of the AP caliper kit , I can supply you this kit for £550 including delivery at the moment , and you can choose various pad compounds including the brand new EBC bluestuff pads.
If the set you have seen for £300 has good discs and pads I would look into getting this.

The next closest set up would be the standard sized grooved discs and bluestuff pads , this set up is £199 including having black sprayed disc centres to stop them going rusty , this also is a very good setup and could take just about any abuse you wish to throw at them on the road , and would also hold there own on trackdays

Hope this helps , if you need any further info please ask

Cheers Ian
01656 723060

Wilky_Boy

Hi Ian,

Thanks very much for your advice. Will the kit the 335mm kit that you supply fit under my standard 17" WRX alloys ?

Cheers,

Paul.

Godspeed Brakes

iTrader: (259)

Yes it fits under you wheels ,
Cheers Ian

Scooby Arthur

iTrader: (2)

I can highly recommend the Godspeed kit, I have had it fitted to mine for a year now and they are brilliant, they have the performance of a big brake set up for half the price. The DS2500 pads work well from cold as well.

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

On a budget, a set of decent discs and pads will do the job nicely.

Be wary of anyone that claims the standard Subaru 4 Pot Calipers can be transformed into an brake setup that is as good as APs by adding bigger discs and overhanging pads. Better than standard sized discs, yes, as good as an AP setup, no.

The EBC Bluestuff pads work very well with just OEM spec discs, so no need to change the discs unless they are well worn. We can supply you with EBC Bluestuff Pads for £140 and good quality grooved discs if needed for just £49.99

Feel free to contact us if you need any advice.

Tel: 01462 488244

Email: aztecperformance@gmail.com

Godspeed Brakes

iTrader: (259)

Bob , instead of looking for an argument just for the sake of it , you can do the same as I have done , and hire a racetrack for a day , and test both kits on the same car on the same day , and then come up with the same data I have , that the 335mm kit we make for the standard subaru calipers give near identical performance as a 330mm kit with AP 4 pot calipers , which we also sell , I will make more money on selling a kit with AP calipers than I would selling one of my 335mm kits for the standard calipers so have nothing to gain in giving this info out , other than giving correct , proven data.

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

So you're comparing your kit with AP 4 Pot Calipers vs Subaru 4 Pots, not a genuine AP 330mm setup (mine is a genuine AP 330mm setup with CP5570 calipers)? Which model AP caliper are you using?

It would be interesting to see this data, albeit, not independent. More interesting would be to convince a Time Attack car running APs to go back to Subaru 4 Pot calipers and your discs if they are on par? I'm sure your sales would go through the roof if you proved your statement by doing the latter?

No trying to have a dig, just it's a big claim to say the standard Subaru 4 Pots are as good as APs.

Godspeed Brakes

iTrader: (259)

So your comparing the AP 6 pots that were fitted to your car ? I haven't mentioned 6 pots , I mentioned the 4 pots , I have tested my 335mm kit with the larger than standard pads and the standard Subaru 4 pot calipers , against a genuine AP 330mm kit using CP5200 calipers.

As mentioned I sell my 335mm kit , my own kits with AP calipers , along with full AP kits if thats what the customer wants , it would be easy for me to say yes buy the AP kits as they are better and I can make more money that way , but thats not what I'm about , and its not true.

At the end of the day the calipers are very similar in size , and piston area , so one cannot work better than the other , the pro's and con's of either kit is the AP are alloy and lighter so have less unsrung weight , yet my 335mm kit has a slightly larger disc , but are 4mm thicker , a thicker disc will be able to take more heat , also the pads we use are larger than the AP 4 pot pads.

I will say that my 335mm kit will hold its own with any make like for like kit , with 330mm ish discs and 4 pot calipers as the Subaru 4 pot calipers are a very good caliper , just fitted to a too small a disc as standard.

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Fair enough Ian, if that's your view/findings. Might be worth editing post #2 to say AP 4 Pots so it's clear.

jezza995

I bought said AP 4 pot with 330mm disc conversion earlier this year from Ian, thanks mate the performance is outstanding and they look superb, great service from Ian too !

Wilky_Boy

Appreciate all of your feedback guys. This is the kit on e-bay. Is it a bargain or is that a waste of money

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUBARU-IMPREZA...item1c16db5e2b

henrysmith

iTrader: (5)

Not sure they are Ian's discs - I don't think he does drilled discs. It's certainly not his 335mm kit for Subaru 4-pots - I have his 335mm kit and it works very well.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

What's on your car at the moment? Is it the SUBARU branded calipers? If it is, you would get VERY good stopping from upgrading them with the appropriate Godspped kit to enable them to take bigger discs, plus their discs.

That's the route I'd take.

Or splash the cash, put Godspeed Brembos on the front and STi Brembos on the rear, they BOTH fit under WRX wheels

Godspeed Brakes

iTrader: (259)

That ebay kit is one of mine , its about 8 years old when I used to offer drilled discs , and when we used to do straight grooves , the calipers are Volvo 4 pot calipers , its a good kit and a good buy if you can get them close to what they are at now , the calipers are a small 4 pot caliper and actually has a smaller pad than the standard subaru 4 pots , this kit was a good seller back in the day , as it was a good step up for the early cars with the 2 pots fitted.
Looks like there isn't much life left in the discs as the grooves have nearly gone.

As you have the subaru 4 pots fitted , if it was my choice I would fit a new 335mm kit to go with your calipers as it will work better

Cheers Ian

Flaps

iTrader: (1)

Remember that you would be able to sell your existing calipers from the WRX to someone with a classic and probably get £150/£200 for them to put towards another set. That's what I did with my 04 WRX. I then bought the K-sport 8-pots in a group buy, they were far better than the standard ones!