good set up? (brake experts please advise)

[swift2fly]

would this be a good setup for brake balance? for MY04...subaru 4 pot calipers in the front. replace all 4 brake pads with better ones, SS brake lines and replace all rotors to slotted ones. thanks.

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[Erexxx]

every one will tell you it depends on what you're using your car for, but if thats just for street driving then hell ya it's a good set up

[swift2fly]

^ yea sorry..it'll be for daily/occassional aggressive driving. thanks for the response.

[Samurai Jack]

And a good fluid, like Valvoline Syntech. This will be a very good street set-up.

[coolblue05]

Sounds like a good setup, I would go with an h6 conversion for the rear for just a bit more. I think of good fluid as in ATE super blue or motul 600.

[MDRex]

I wouldn't bother with the 4pots for street use. They won't stop the car any faster and don't have a larger diameter rotor for better heat disapation. Get SS lines(Cobb or Stoptech) and good pads. Pagid pads are awesome for daily and agressive street use. The H6 rear upgrade is also a good option for the stree. I don't think you'll notice a difference with slotted rotors, so you could save some money there too.

[swift2fly]

Originally Posted by MDRex

I wouldn't bother with the 4pots for street use. They won't stop the car any faster and don't have a larger diameter rotor for better heat disapation. Get SS lines(Cobb or Stoptech) and good pads. Pagid pads are awesome for daily and agressive street use. The H6 rear upgrade is also a good option for the stree. I don't think you'll notice a difference with slotted rotors, so you could save some money there too.

to get an idea of the power my car is pushing, it is pretty much the same as a tuned sti with a TBE & CAI.. since i have a 2.5L bottom end swap. i would think that the power would need some pretty decent stopping power. reason why i am asking is because after a WOT pull it takes a while for the car to come to a stop..a lot later than b4.

[REDrum]

Stoptech's stage II is fantastic upgrade for street use, and @ <600.00 its a steal. Get the Subaru red 4-pot calipers if want bling, but @ ~500/axle it is a 1/10 the performance value of the ST Stg II. And, BTW, BBKs are for track needs only. DO NOT WASTE your money.

[coolblue05]

Bigger calipers WILL make a difference in stopping. I am using a stoptech bbk and it is a night and day difference from stock. I would recommend a bbk even if you only drive on the street. Granted, they can be pricey, but I feel it is one of my most noticible mods to date. My 2c.

[swift2fly]

Originally Posted by REDrum

Stoptech's stage II is fantastic upgrade for street use, and @ <600.00 its a steal. Get the Subaru red 4-pot calipers if want bling, but @ ~500/axle it is a 1/10 the performance value of the ST Stg II. And, BTW, BBKs are for track needs only. DO NOT WASTE your money.

where can i read on the stoptech stage 2's? and the calipers are 600? i don't like bling..i was gonna get the 4pots in black.

[REDrum]

Originally Posted by coolblue04

I am using a stoptech bbk and it is a night and day difference from stock.

Agreed, but going from stock to full BBK is different than going from stock to stage II (slotted rotors, carbon/kev pads, stainless lines, and motul fluid). A full BBK kit for a WRX is >$3K (f/r). But, for ~$600 in a stg II you can get 3/4 of the affected street performance of full BBK. To me, that extra 25% for >$2K more is tough to justify. But, track time is different argument.

[swift2fly]

i c. so are you guys saying that stronger pads. new rotors and SS lines would be sufficient enough..even with the power i am running? all i need is more stopping power and if i can do with out the 4pots or a BBK then i would go the cheeper route.

[REDrum]

Originally Posted by swift2fly

i c. so are you guys saying that stronger pads. new rotors and SS lines would be sufficient enough..even with the power i am running? all i need is more stopping power and if i can do with out the 4pots or a BBK then i would go the cheeper route.

Thats my opinion, assuming you just roll on the street and have modest funding for car mods.

[Razlak]

Stopping power is a function of the tires and pads. If you have pads good enough to lock up the tires, then get new tires. If you can't lock them up, get better pads. Rotors are strictly for heat absorption and dissipation(i.e. the ability to stop multiple times in a short time period, like on a track).

Everything else (calipers and lines) is for feel, with the exception of shifting bias around, like the Stoptech BBK and rear brake upgrades do. With that, you move more bias to the rear, getting more overall braking force.

Overall my recommendation would be either(assuming you already have good tires):

A) Put on a Stoptech front BBK, this is the no-brainer upgrade, you get plenty of heat capacity for repeated stopping, better feel from the stiffer calipers and lines, some good street pads, and the extra braking force from moving the bias rearward.

B) For a cheaper setup, get some good pads all around, Carbotech Bobcats would be my pick, and upgrade the rears rotors to the larger legacy ones. This gets you about the same bias shift as the Stoptech BBK, for that extra bit of force.

[Arnie]

yup, I agree with razlak, all you need are good pads, fluid, ss lines (if you want a bit better feel). rotors are optional. You won't gain any real brake performance(fade resistance) unless you pick a rotor with some decent venting or a 2-piece type. DBAs 2 piece are pretty decent and their normal rotors have better venting than stock rotors. doing the H6 mod is good for brake bias or even going with the Legacy GT rear rotor/caliper is good because you have a larger rotor/better bias and its vented. If you are always using 17" wheels then the Legacy GT front kit is also a great upgrade. I would do this over doing the 4pot subaru caliper.

And lastly, tires, tires, tires. The most important piece of the braking puzzle. the stickier your rubber, the better your braking.

[swift2fly]

goodstuff. thanks guys i will just upgrade the brake pads, fluid and upgrade to SS lines. i do have good tires so i should be set. thanks again. BTW can the stock rotors be turned? and what pads are better...hawks or bobcats?

[Boxologist]

Originally Posted by swift2fly

to get an idea of the power my car is pushing, it is pretty much the same as a tuned sti with a TBE & CAI.. since i have a 2.5L bottom end swap. i would think that the power would need some pretty decent stopping power. reason why i am asking is because after a WOT pull it takes a while for the car to come to a stop..a lot later than b4.

this incorrect way of thinking always kills me. are u on the gas pedal while u are ur brake pedal? u should always be braking dead weight or rotational weight. except for minor instances, ther is no reason to be on both pedals. so u shouydl be considering how brake power u need based on teh weight of ur car, the speed u need to decellerate, or the distance u to stop in.

[Arnie]

I hear what you are saying there. In the end, it doesn't matter how much power he has, if he's winding up to 3 figure speeds he'll need to stop in a hurry. That's a personal discipline problem, not a braking problem. But stepping off my high horse for a bit, it is much easier to get to irresponsible speeds much quicker with huge HP, and it would be the better part of valor to have the braking capacity to get it down to sane speeds quickly and efficiently.

[swift2fly]

Originally Posted by Boxologist

this incorrect way of thinking always kills me. are u on the gas pedal while u are ur brake pedal? u should always be braking dead weight or rotational weight. except for minor instances, ther is no reason to be on both pedals. so u shouydl be considering how brake power u need based on teh weight of ur car, the speed u need to decellerate, or the distance u to stop in.

i hope i'm not on the brake while on the gas. i was testing my stopping distance..i went WOT then tested the brakes(after letting off the gas), under certain circumstances, after WOT u may have to hit the brakes. so my thing is getting up to a certain speed in a certain amount of time. in this case, quicker than b4, how quick can i bring it to a stop. i recently upgraded my car with power mods and just wanted to test my stopping power to see where i stand.

[Arnie]

Well, of course it will depend on what sorts of speeds we are talking about here mang with this WOT! Are you saying you are zooming up to 60 and then throwing out the anchors? Stock brakes can handle that easy. Now if you are being bad and zooming up to some seriously illegal speeds then you need serious binders to keep you in check if you don't have the discipline to keep it on the track. The various abovementioned solutions will certainly be adequate.

Here was a good article to let you know what to expect with the various brake possibilities: http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=2852

[Evil STI]

I wouldn't go slotted, since you're still using a standard sized rotor- you need every bit of surface area due to the small size of the rotor. Hawks are great for the price, Pagids are the ones to get if money is no object. Stoptech, Cobb, Goodridge all make quality, jacketed stainless braided lines. I used Motul RBF600 with great results. Proper bedding is crucial also.

[swift2fly]

Originally Posted by Arnie

Well, of course it will depend on what sorts of speeds we are talking about here mang with this WOT! Are you saying you are zooming up to 60 and then throwing out the anchors? Stock brakes can handle that easy. Now if you are being bad and zooming up to some seriously illegal speeds then you need serious binders to keep you in check if you don't have the discipline to keep it on the track. The various abovementioned solutions will certainly be adequate.

Here was a good article to let you know what to expect with the various brake possibilities: http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=2852

laws are broken all the time and a lot of it are traffic laws. some obey the laws and some don't..that's not the point here. so please do not give me this discipline lecture. i'm responsible enough to know when and where i can play on the streets...knowing that it is illegal, that is a risk that i am taking. i can be an idiot and push the car to the point of no control and harm others on the road. well that's not me..i play when everyone else is asleep. brakes are a concern because i choose to play and want to take the proper steps of better control. not everyone tracks their car...like the original post, i stated "daily driven and occasional aggressive street use". i am 100% sure that you drive semi aggressive in the local canyons and/or on the streets. please do not take this post the wrong way just making things clear here before assumptions are made. thanks for the link BTW.