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Need New Front Brake Pads/Rotors
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 4:49 pm
by LaureltheQueen
Yes, I did a search, though I didnt get any real concept of exactly what I want to do with this. I've got $200 to spend on brakes. I only need front pads and rotors as of now. I dont want to do a full brake swap, as I'm sticking with my stock wheels for a while. I've got a 92 Touring Wagon, and I think I want the rotors cryo-treated. I'd like pads with good stopping power, and dust isnt an issue. I will be autocrossing the car if that makes any difference. Should I go with brembo rotors? If cross-drilled or slotted will add any extra noise, I'm not interested. Thanks in Advance
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 5:06 pm
by BAC5.2
www.buybrakes.com
$50 each for the fronts (OEM). A set of Carbotech Bobcats will take care of that other $100.
Just get plain rotors (no need for drilled or slotted. Dave has some info on the main site, but basically there is no benefit. They cool down faster than you'd need in a daily driving sense and are somewhat prone to cracking.
I can get you the name and number of a great cryo-treater shortly, as soon as my buddy gets online.
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 1:33 am
by Yukonart
Brembo rotors:
1. Likely ALL applications for Subbies would require larger rims than you have now.
2. Because of #1, you'd need to upgrad calipers, etc.
3. They're not cheap. . . AT ALL.
Cross-drilled, I'd never use. . . on any car. Slotted, on the other hand. . . many benefits from slotted rotors. Better cooling, and nowhere near as prone to cracking as cross-drilled. Sure, they don't look as "cool" as CD'd, but eh. . . . who cares?

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 1:58 am
by vrg3
Brembo makes all kinds of rotors, including OEM-replacement ones. In fact, before I switched to WRX front brakes on my car I had Brembo brake discs from The Tire Rack on there; they were $44 each and seemed quite good.
I agree that cross-drilled isn't a good idea. I don't know about slotting, though; In my opinion, if you're sticking to stock disc size (presumably because you don't want to buy new wheels?) you should just stick with quality OEM or like-OEM brake discs; if you want to spend more it'd be better to spend it on larger brakes than on slotting.
You can have whatever discs you buy shipped directly to whatever cryo treatment facility you use. Josh had his done at One Cryo (
http://www.onecryo.com) for like $20 each if I remember right, which is a great price. They have a location in Orting, WA, which is close to you.
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 2:05 am
by Yukonart
Ah. . . I was assuming the upgrade route on the rotor size. My bad.

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 2:14 am
by BAC5.2
The cryotreater I was talking about is
www.300below.com
You say Brembo replacement rotors were good eh? Hmmm, might as well just get those as my OEM replacements. I'll be running stock brakes until i get new rims at which point I'll be running WRX fronts.
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 2:26 am
by mikec
I've got stock size Brembos in the front, and Eurorotors in the rear. Haven't had any complaints yet about either. They fit under the stock turbo rims and some 15" steelies I picked up.
I heard somewhere that Eurorotor is a division of Brembo, or something like that.
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 3:40 am
by Legacy777
200 is going to be a little tight to do everything you want to do. Rotors....just plain are goin to run you around 60-70 a piece.......if you do cryo at one cryo....that's about 80 or so......then you could get some axxis ultimates......for about 80 for front and rear..........or if you want to spend a little more, you could get the bobcats from carbotech.
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 4:24 am
by entirelyturbo
Did I really get a good deal when I got Raybestos brake pads for all 4 corners for about $70, then have Pep Boys turn all 4 rotors for $24, then replace the fluid with Valvoline synth for about $7, for a grand total of $101?
Or is my braking setup not enough for you crazy demons out there?

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 5:14 am
by LaureltheQueen
I dont need to do the rear brake pads, those are peachy keen according to the guys at the japanese auto place. When it dries up i'd like to get under the car and have a good look at everything...
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 6:39 am
by evolutionmovement
Rear brakes on these things seem to last forever. I'd just do the front brakes also.
The cryo place I ordered the rotors from sent me Brembo OEM replacements.
Steve
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 3:19 pm
by NuwanD
I use what are essentially no-name rotors which i get for $35CDN each, and PBR metalmaster pads.... these pads have very minimal fade and that is after 3 hours of lapping at a trackday, the lachute subaru legacy that competes in the canadian rally championship uses the same pads so they must be good
I find that the brand name (KVR, EBC, BREMBO...) stock size rotors have no advantages over the ones i've been getting, i'm guessing they all probably come off the same line as they look identical, even the surface finish. Just make sure to lay off the brakes whenever you come to a complete stop, that's the main reason rotors warp (harder to do in an auto)

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 3:32 pm
by QuickDrive
35$ ea?
where do you get these?
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 7:41 pm
by BAC5.2
NuwanD wrote:... and PBR metalmaster pads...
Since when does Pabst make brake pads?
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 7:48 pm
by QuickDrive
LOL,
They compress the bottoms of the vats with all the gunk and they found out they make formidable brake pads.
Just check out PBRbeerracers.com

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 2:29 am
by BAC5.2
Must be part of their Vegemite pad series.
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 1:54 pm
by edgarmoresco
I maintain the idea that there just isn't enough difference to justify the expense beyond the cheap aftermarket rotors at NAPA and a generic pad kit. Keep it cheap and simple and change them often. The high edge for this car is sharp enough to justify the expenses your looking at. If you want to dump in the cash into a car buy a vette or a mustang and poor it on. The beauty of the Subarus is "skin deep" and they are "inexpensive and built to stay that way".

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:56 pm
by LaureltheQueen
the rotors actually look fine... Plenty thick... I'll probably just replace pads.
and as a response to edgar, If i had money for a corvette, or could afford insurance for one, i'd probably consider buying one, but as an 18 year old student, it's not possible for me to spend lots of money on my car. What I CAN spend money on is things that are required for my safety and comfort doing things that I love (ie:autocross). Yes, subarus are inexpensive cars(not cheap). Is there a HUGE difference between aftermarket rotors/pads? Not really. Am I going to be kicking myself when I stop 3" past where i should have because I wasnt willing to spend an extra $20 for higher performance pads? YES. If something needs replacing, might as well replace it with something even slightly better than stock. I needed new suspension, so i bought whitelines and agx's. Have I regreted spending the $650 on those items? NOT ONCE. My seats were falling apart, could I have gone to the junkyard and picked up 2 new seats for $20 apiece? YES. Did I? NO. When I wanted a CD player did i pick up the cheapest sony explod that I could find? NO, I went with a nice pioneer that plays MP3's. Why? Because if i'm going to be spending time driving my POS cheap subaru, I might as well be comfortable and enjoy driving it. Do you think that my descisions in modifying my CHEAP car are silly? At least I'm not putting spoilers on hondas.
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 6:53 pm
by evolutionmovement
Inexpensive and built to stay that way was for the old models and thay couldn't have been any truer - just try to have spent money on them and you couldn't (unless you're talking body work). There wasn't even much means for performance enhancement.
A Vette can't carry my My bike, kayak, or 4 other people and my insurance is dirt cheap. Plus people don't think I'm a chest-wig gold-chain-wearing poser in the Subaru. Not that I hate Vettes - its just a perception people have of most of those who own them. Blame GM for doing it to themselves. Th same reason the Camaro had to go while the Mustang soldiers on, but I digress.
Steve
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 7:43 am
by edgarmoresco
Hello Laurel,
Interesting post...But I'm not sure of your tone...or the subliminal meaning...
All I'm trying to say is that Subarus, particular the legacy, are in general an advanced and refined piece of hardware that short of major modifications cannot dramatically be improved upon. Get out a copy of the sales brochure and read the specifications and features to someone without telling them the brand of the car. After you get past the desciption of the multiport fuel injection, all aluminum flat 4, fully independent, 4 wheel disc with ABS yadayadayada ask them what kind of car they think it is. You will more than likely get a guess of a porsche that a Subi. My point is the amount of resources to improve on what Fuji already threw in the box has to be enormous to make a difference. The braking system test data I recall was 60 to 0 in 131Ft. Not too shabby even by today's standards!
My mistake for not suggesting upgrading on the tunes though! I would always beef up the music as a first choice. When I was your age I would have spent every cent I had just to make the license plates rattle! That was along time ago when THD for auto sound was still around 1%! My kids say the electron tube era! LoL
As for the link to the womans clothes...I bet you would look pretty hot in that STi Spaghetti Tank and the Classic Thong! I don't like the white though. Oh Baby! Dye them the same bright cranberry pearl my GT wagon has then we're talking!

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 3:52 pm
by NuwanD
35$ ea?
where do you get these?
a small shop about 5 min from my house... "AHA auto parts", I could possibly set up something to get others a similar or same price but i dunno about shipping heavy brake parts
Since when does Pabst make brake pads?

Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:13 pm
by LaureltheQueen
Well, yes it IS hard to improve upon the legacy, but even my minor suspension modifications have done wonders for the performance of the vehicle around corners(that's what it was built for, sort of). I just figured there's no reason NOT to add minor performance gains if they're at all possible. If we didnt, everyone would have a stock legacy on this site, and what fun would that be?
Thanks for the compliment btw. Not really sure how to take that.

Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:15 pm
by Legacy777
stock = the suck!
I've done more customizing on my legacy......some to personalize it.....some to make it perform better. But I do like to think I've improved upon the original platform.
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 9:08 pm
by edgarmoresco
LaureltheQueen wrote:Well, yes it IS hard to improve upon the legacy, but even my minor suspension modifications have done wonders for the performance of the vehicle around corners(that's what it was built for, sort of). I just figured there's no reason NOT to add minor performance gains if they're at all possible. If we didnt, everyone would have a stock legacy on this site, and what fun would that be?
Thanks for the compliment btw. Not really sure how to take that.

Hello Laurel,
It should be taken as a complement on your fabulous appearance, wonderful personallity and brilliant mind.
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 9:12 pm
by edgarmoresco
Legacy777 wrote:stock = the suck!
I've done more customizing on my legacy......some to personalize it.....some to make it perform better. But I do like to think I've improved upon the original platform.
Hey...Mine is stock. The only mods I have are slight body changes that seem to be interferring with the areodynamics if your know what I mean!