Impreza Upgrades?
Discussion
Hi folks,
I took my Impreza on track for the first time yesterday... power was Ok, grip was Ok, body roll was a bit of an issue, but the real humdinger, the real weak link in the chain was the (standard) brakes. The car is a 58 plate, equivalent to a wrx.
By golly, the brakes were woeful. judder & fade in one go... Did not make for a great ride. By the way, the brakes have been perfectly OK on the road.
So, my question is, is it worth upgrading the brakes? If so, what with? I'm guessing big brake kit & better fluid? Any recommendations for who to go to? I'm in the South East.
Or am I better off just leaving the Scoob as a road car and just track my 7?
cheers...
I took my Impreza on track for the first time yesterday... power was Ok, grip was Ok, body roll was a bit of an issue, but the real humdinger, the real weak link in the chain was the (standard) brakes. The car is a 58 plate, equivalent to a wrx.
By golly, the brakes were woeful. judder & fade in one go... Did not make for a great ride. By the way, the brakes have been perfectly OK on the road.
So, my question is, is it worth upgrading the brakes? If so, what with? I'm guessing big brake kit & better fluid? Any recommendations for who to go to? I'm in the South East.
Or am I better off just leaving the Scoob as a road car and just track my 7?
cheers...
Hi fella - one thing with Impreza STi brakes - they're Brembos, and cost the world!
If you didn't see my thread on GG, here's yesterday's invoice for the front brakes only - at a discount rate:

If I may direct you to the thread - linky - there are a few alternative options that may interest you for cheaper.
HTH
If you didn't see my thread on GG, here's yesterday's invoice for the front brakes only - at a discount rate:

If I may direct you to the thread - linky - there are a few alternative options that may interest you for cheaper.
HTH
sebhaque said:
Hi fella - one thing with Impreza STi brakes - they're Brembos, and cost the world!
If you didn't see my thread on GG, here's yesterday's invoice for the front brakes only - at a discount rate:

If I may direct you to the thread - linky - there are a few alternative options that may interest you for cheaper.
HTH
I'm looking to change my breaks soon also, however dont want to spend that much, whats a good alternative to the brembos, that don't cost as much?If you didn't see my thread on GG, here's yesterday's invoice for the front brakes only - at a discount rate:

If I may direct you to the thread - linky - there are a few alternative options that may interest you for cheaper.
HTH
sebhaque said:
Hi fella - one thing with Impreza STi brakes - they're Brembos, and cost the world!
If you didn't see my thread on GG, here's yesterday's invoice for the front brakes only - at a discount rate:
If I may direct you to the thread
there are a few alternative options that may interest you for cheaper.
HTH
You should try having to do all the brakes, fronts and rears, on the standard Brembros, and have to get 4 new tyres at the same time (to get it through the MOT). I've been hoofed in the nuts and it hurt less If you didn't see my thread on GG, here's yesterday's invoice for the front brakes only - at a discount rate:
If I may direct you to the thread
there are a few alternative options that may interest you for cheaper.
HTH

On my 2006 WRX I have DBA4000 series slotted rotors on the front with a trackday pad and high temp fluid.
The rotors are designed with motorsport use in mind and I found a pad with an efficiency range from 0c - 750c....The heat sensative paint on the discs that changes colour with sustained heat tells me the discs have been up around 700c and I have never really experienced any fade. The brakes feel good even when stone cold.
On the handling side of things I fitted an adjustable rear 22mm anti-roll bar with heavy duty mounts and alloy end links. All came from Whiteline and can be fitted in under an hour with a socket set and a couple of spanners. I found this to be an amazing value for money upgrade, at road speeds there is barely any body-roll (even on its softest setting) and on track you can actually feel all 4 tyres working properly.
Pushed to fast in to a corner or sloppy throttle control will still push the car in to understeer however if your smooth its quite easy to get the car in to a nice 'dab of oppo' stance under brakes and under power.
If you want to take it up another notch add on a front anti-roll bar with the alloy end links, anti-lift kit, camber bolts and then go mad with strut braces and bush kits...obviously before doing all this make sure you have a decent set of tyres on the car!
Oh the alloy end links are a must on the anti-roll bar upgrades. The stock ones are plastic and not strong enough to bend the bar without flexing. The heavy duty mounts are also needed because the stock mounts can crack with a stiffer bar bolted to them.
The rotors are designed with motorsport use in mind and I found a pad with an efficiency range from 0c - 750c....The heat sensative paint on the discs that changes colour with sustained heat tells me the discs have been up around 700c and I have never really experienced any fade. The brakes feel good even when stone cold.
On the handling side of things I fitted an adjustable rear 22mm anti-roll bar with heavy duty mounts and alloy end links. All came from Whiteline and can be fitted in under an hour with a socket set and a couple of spanners. I found this to be an amazing value for money upgrade, at road speeds there is barely any body-roll (even on its softest setting) and on track you can actually feel all 4 tyres working properly.
Pushed to fast in to a corner or sloppy throttle control will still push the car in to understeer however if your smooth its quite easy to get the car in to a nice 'dab of oppo' stance under brakes and under power.
If you want to take it up another notch add on a front anti-roll bar with the alloy end links, anti-lift kit, camber bolts and then go mad with strut braces and bush kits...obviously before doing all this make sure you have a decent set of tyres on the car!
Oh the alloy end links are a must on the anti-roll bar upgrades. The stock ones are plastic and not strong enough to bend the bar without flexing. The heavy duty mounts are also needed because the stock mounts can crack with a stiffer bar bolted to them.
Brembo's are seriously expensive, but that doesnt mean they should cost the earth. I picked up a full set of front and back brembo calipers, discs and pads for £450 from a guy on scoobynet. The car had only covered 16k when i had them fitted and the discs/pads didnt need replacing until another 20k went on top of that. I have recently replaced the discs and pads all round at around £300 and now run the Brembo calipers with CRN 40 groove discs and mintex M1144 pads, all is good!!!!!
Scoobman said:
contact Ian at Godspeed
Many years ago when I had my first Impreza I organised a group buy with Ian at Godspeed.Braking performance was superb (I had the brembo caliper upgrade which I believe are reconditioned 993 Turbo calipers) and matching rears cos I'm a tart

Cheaper than an AP or Brembo big brake kit too.
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te. The 326 mm sti brakes are much better. If you want decent brakes go for ap racing 10 pot calipers and 330 mm vented grooved discs. You'll stop like you've hit a tree and they won't fade if you use decent pads.