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Adapting Subaru Brembo front calipers is a straight forward bolt-on affair.In anticipation of making more power, we decided to make sure we had sufficient stopping ability before amping up the go-pedal. The front and rear Brembo brake calipers and rotors were sourced from a 2004 STi, stripped, and then powder coated a fresh shade of metallic gold. In short order the DIY attempt at refinishing the calipers started to chip, so those will be getting handled by a professional this winter. Getting the new front brakes to fit is pretty simple, just remove the OEM caliper and rotor then bolt the Brembo setup straight onto the hub. No modification required whatsoever. The gunmetal colored 18” Buddy Club P1 wheels you may have noticed in some of the pictures needed to be replaced in order to accommodate the new calipers, a set of ’04 STi BBS wheels solved our clearance issue. These wheels were initially purchased to use for winter only, as they’re a rather narrow 7.5”, but they will suffice until a set of wider 18” rollers can be sourced.
KNS Brakes makes it simple to adapt the rear STi caliper to a Legacy or WRX.The rear brakes required a little finesse in order to fit our Legacy. KNS Brakes manufactures an adapter bracket which we used to locate the caliper in the correct position. We also used the larger parking brake shoe from KNS which allows for the use of a standard ’04 STi rear rotor, otherwise DBA produces a special adapter rotor that utilizes the factory parking brakes shoe. Either method gets the job done, but by sticking with the factory rear rotor specs we have a broader selection of rotor options in the future.
We've reached a plateau for bolt-on power. It's time for a turbo upgrade.Now that you’ve been brought up to speed on where we’ve been and where we’re at, some of you may be wondering what will come next. I mean, a simple bolt-on Subaru booster pack would scratch the itch for many, and we’ve already checked off pretty much every item on that list. But truth be told, after a couple years of putzing around at this power level it has started to get boring. We've reached a performance plateau, and there is no easy way to get more out of our existing setup. What we need is a bigger hair dryer under the hood, something that can comfortably provide us with around 350 horsepower at the wheels on 91 octane without making the power band too peaky.
Next time we bolster our driveline with a new clutch, pressure plate, and flywheel.In order to support the larger turbo that we’re lusting after, we will first need to ensure that the driveline can handle the power without slipping or breaking, that our fuel system is up to the task, and that we have enough grip to safely accelerate, corner, and stop. In the next update we’ll be yanking out the transmission to replace the clutch disc and pressure plate, while also installing a new lightweight flywheel. While we're at it the transmission case will be reinforced with a set of Moore Performance blast plates which are designed reduce flex and improve gear engagement. Lastly we’ll get the insides good and lubed with some fresh fluids.
Let the quest for the perfect wagon continue…
