Just installed -Stoptech Brake pads

I'm picky about my brakes. After test driving the LGT the terrible brakes were nearly enough to stop me from buying. Shaky-steering-wheel finally motivated a change. Two years ago I replaced the OEM pads with Hawk HPS.

I only replaced the front pads -that's the caveat. Within 5 minutes of bedding, i thought "these feel just like stock". And that's how the pads performed. Never liked them.

Today I installed 4 Stoptech pads and went for a drive. (the Hawks had about 1%? of the pad used. Other than being dirty, like my wife, they look about the same size as day one, unlike my wife.) I did multiple 50-10mph stops. Terrific bite. Excellent fade resistance. Quiet. Didn't use any type of brake-quiet stuff. Too soon to comment on dust. The ABS would activate frequently - there were times w/ the previous pads I began to forgot I had ABS - it was as if the pads never gripped tight enough (thatswhatshesaid) to evoke the ABS. Now the car feels right. This brake set up should be the minimum for anyone serious about braking or other performance.

Find somebody selling Stoptech brakes (I used http://www.adrenalineracing.com - ask for Eddie. Eddie has never steered me wrong on suspension or brakes for either car) and buy a set.

I will probably never track this car - I cant afford the suspension mods which might-could make this car a viable track car - but for around town, on stock rotors, the Stoptech pads are amazing.

I have these too and they rock.

Too bad my rotors are warped now though lol

I'm installing these this week. I have Stoptech BBK in front and OEM rear brakes + SS lines all around. Been running Axxis Ultimate pads for 60k+ in the front and they're gone, OEM rears are gone too.

I'll be running the Stoptech Street's with new front replacement rings from RB (330x28mm). Rear rotors look good so we'll probably just scuff and load pads. New blue fluid too... I'm excited.

@ dmp:

good to hear about your positive experience w/ the stoptechs.

i just ordered centric rotors (w/ e-coating), stoptech pads, and stoptech ss lines.

currently im running oem blanks w/ hps pads, and stock lines. not terrible, but not great.

my new setup should yield a noticeable improvement (hopefully).

Part #'s for the Stoptech pads, front/rear 06 LGT?

threw my boxes away...sorry...

Check the link I sent - contact those folks if you need pads...good people. Ask for Eddie Wu.

I'll be running the Stoptech Street's with new front replacement rings from RB (330x28mm). Rear rotors look good so we'll probably just scuff and load pads. New blue fluid too... I'm excited.

My mechanic refused to install my brand new RB rings due to several failures locally with RB products. I ended up just selling them BNIB on NASIOC and taking a loss. I can't personally comment on their products though. I still need to pick up some genuine Stoptech rings sooner or later. Hope the RB rings work out for you.

replacement rings??? rings?

Yeah - these are direct replacements for OEM pads.

Were those the Stoptech Street Performance brake pads that you installed? Are they a directly replacement for the OEM pads?

I got my StopTech Street Performance Series 309 Front and Rear Pads from BrakeWarehouse.com in 11/09.

In talking with the dealer and from what I read, these were StopTech's answer to the Axxis Ultimates that they were using in their big brake kits. Apparently they had problems getting them, so they formulated their own version.

I bought these over the Hawks only because I have heard a lot of reports about poor initial bite with them and I really didn't want another pad that takes a couple of stops to work.

These do have great initial bite and no fade for me (also replaced my rotors with new oem rotors and added stainless lines at the same time), but I don't track our auto x so ymmv. They do dust more than stock pads, but with my bronze wheels it doesn't show up much.

They are a direct replacement for the stock pads (think that Axxis only offered rear pads for our car).

The part numbers on the invoice were CTC 309.10780 and CTC 309.07700 and cost $155 delivered.

My mechanic refused to install my brand new RB rings due to several failures locally with RB products. I ended up just selling them BNIB on NASIOC and taking a loss. I can't personally comment on their products though. I still need to pick up some genuine Stoptech rings sooner or later. Hope the RB rings work out for you.

That's pretty strange. They look very high quality, heavy as shit. Not sure how they could possibly fail.

Legend - this is likely what your mechanic was talking about concerning RB rotors. If you read this thread you will realize, generalizing that all RB rotors suck and will fail is kind of like seeing the famous picture of a broken Rota wheel and assuming the same thing of Rota's.

In the case of the failure, the guy ran 2 track days back to back, then the rotors catastrophically failed the next day at the drag strip. These were 1 piece stock sized rotors that were overheated to the point where the metal failed. On page 4 there is a very thorough inspection/diagnosis by Racing Brake, and in the end they took fantastic care of the OP and provided him with 2 piece rotors more suitable for track abuse, of which he was/is entirely pleased.

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f68/racingbrake-com-slotted-rotors-35277/

I would say there is absolutely no reason to fear these rotors. If you want to pay twice as much for ST rotors go ahead, but you'll be wasting your money.

^^ You are probably right that is probably the case referenced by the mechanic, especially since it is a local story. My impression was that there were other incidents as well, but maybe not. I didn't do any research on my own and just took his word. He works on the side very cheaply ($25/hr) so figured the extra expense of the rotors would be offset by the labor savings (by not having to take it elsewhere). Six months later and I still haven't bought new ones...

Matt, I agree with your assessment that there is no reason to fear the rotors. If this is the sole source of the bad rap then it surely isn't fair to RB. Let me know how it goes and your impressions... hell maybe I'll just buy RB again and just have Firestone do it.

rotors, pads and ss lines installed today. huge improvement over the hawk hps + oem rotor combo.

short of a bbk, this is the way to go.

replacement rings??? rings?

The stop tech rotors are two piece, so the pieces are called the top hat (center section that bolts to the vehicle's hub) and the friction ring (the part of the rotor that the caliper/pads 'grip').

http://www.powerslot.com/partsapp/images/stoptech/uploads/details/StopTech%202%20Piece%20Slot.jpg

__________________

~Scott

'05 Outback 2.5i Wagon

Willow Green Opal/ Moss Green Metallic

225/60HR16 Bridgestone G009's