2005 Brake mods

I recently acquired a 2005 Legacy GT wagon. The only thing I really don't like is the brake feel-mushy. I wonder what members would recommend for modification/upgrades and in what order. My 2001 LGT also had disappointingly soft feeling brakes and I had a firewall brace, stainless lines and eventually Powerslot rotors and Hawk Ceramic pads, (those rotors didn't last long and I went back to Conventional rotors and Carquest's best pads) installed. They are noticeably better than the 2005 brakes. For the newer car, I am considering stainless lines, changing fluid, pads and rotors. I would even consider a caliper, rotor upgrade but that would require some convincing because of the expense.

Thanks for your help.

I have upgraded pads to Hawk HP's, SS lines, StopTech Cryo rotors and ATE Superblue fluid. 100 times better than stock, grippy and no fading. Start with pads and go from there. My .02

I have upgraded pads to Hawk HP's, SS lines, StopTech Cryo rotors and ATE Superblue fluid. 100 times better than stock, grippy and no fading. Start with pads and go from there. My .02

 

did you do these mods individually or all at once? I am wondering how much of a difference a change to SS lines would make in improving the mushy petal. I'm running hawk HP's and ATE superblue already. At the track, the Hawk HP's weren't happy. Great on the street though.

Know the feeling...upgraded pads and much happier. Unless you are tracking/auto x, IMO, you don't need to spend the $ on ss lines, rotors. Basically, new pads and some good fluid and I think you'll be satisfied...could be wrong. I'd go that route before spending anymore money. Good luck.

Goto the Suspension specific thread in Technical, all your questions and more are already answered there.

if your main concern is the mushy feel, ss lines will definitely help. possibly also brake fluid, but it should not amtter unless the mushy feeling gets worse as the brakes heat up.

 

i'm not convinced that upgraded pads and rotors will firm up the feel.

did you do these mods individually or all at once? I am wondering how much of a difference a change to SS lines would make in improving the mushy petal. I'm running hawk HP's and ATE superblue already. At the track, the Hawk HP's weren't happy. Great on the street though.

 

I did the pads and rotors first, which were great. But then just happened to be in the shop and they had the SS lines on sale so I popped those on with new fluid. It definitely offers more solid feel over stock lines, especially when you get on the brakes hard.

I've been searching all over for this thread. I couldn't remember where I saw it but I knew someone on here had them. STisubie, how are you liking the cryo rotors? Are they slotted or no? I've been doing some looking and I've been wanting to upgrade (along with SS lines and pads) but I would like some feedback on the cryo's before I commit to them.

Pads and fluid should make a huge difference for the issues you are describing.

 

Good luck.

I like the cryos, non slotted. I don't do enough track/auto-x to get the slotted, the plain vanilla rotors work great. Put together the new pads and ss lines and you have a solid brake package.