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STI Brembo Brake Upgrade on 99LGT ?'s


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I've decided to do a STI drivetrain on my LGT and I'm getting my parts list together. I want to either buy a front clip or a swap that includes the brakes. My question, what is needed to use the Brembo brake calipers (front and rear) on our cars. Like a caliper bracket to bolt up to the knuckles? I know our cars are a 5x100 vs 5x114 (STI) so my next question is are the STI hubs a straight forward swap or what else is needed? On top of using the Brembo set up with the STI rotors I love some of the OEM STI wheels and are available easily so it would be a bonus swapping in the STI hubs.

I love my Supra and I've always wanted a decent HP AWD car. There are too many Evos, STIs and WRXs out there so having a MK2 LGT w/STI drivetrain will be different. My 99 LGT is my 2nd Legacy I've owned and this one was a AZ car for most of its life. Being 100% rust free I figured it is the perfect car for a build and heck maybe I'll get a magazine cover. LOL.

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in all honesty, if I was you I'd get a swap with brembos and sell them and just do Wrx 4pots. they brake nearly the same, but cost half as much plus the rotors and pads are half the price, easier install, easier to find wheels to fit over them, etc. the brembos just look bigger and "cooler"
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I don't think the Wrx brakes will give me the same performance as the Brembo set, the Wrx front calipers are only a 2 piston. I want to change the hubs so I have a 5x114 so I can run STI 17" or 18" wheels so clearance for the brakes won't be a issue. Will the STI 5x114 hub swap right on?

 

Here's the specs for a Wrx and a STI.

Wrx: rotors F- 11.4 R- 10.3 with a 70-0 @ 188ft

STI: rotors F- 12.7 R- 12.3 with a 70-0 @ 166ft

 

With the larger rotors from and rear and having a 4 pot front and 2pot rear calipers there's no way a Wrx set up will brake better. I'm not only talking about 70-0 braking but when I'm at the track with a good set of pads beating the living crap out of the Brembos they will give me close to zero brake fad and a consistent petal.

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gotta swap the hubs

 

No you don't.

 

Any front caliper bolts on, but you need 04 rotors or a set that are dual drilled (like DBA).

 

For the rear, you need an adapter bracket for the caliper and a special rotor from DBA with a smaller parking brake drum. This kit for example

 

Plus you need wheels that fit.

 

 

I have WRX front and H6 rear brakes. Eventually I will pick up some 4-pot for the front, which use the same size rotor but I would rather have the stiffer fixed caliper.

 

As far as a comparison between the brembos and 4-pots go, the STI brakes give more brake torque and have a bigger rotor. Brembo front rotor is 326x30mm, WRX is 294x24 That means that the bias goes forward (a bad thing), but you get more heat capacity (might be a good thing if you're doing track days). They are also marginally stiffer and have a differential bore sizes which gives you better pad wear under hard braking.

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As for another option look at JDM STI 4pots they bolt on the same, cheaper than 06-07 ones yet they are the same. Other than going Brembo's, Willwood makes a comparable 4pot caliper or if you are sticking with oem go 05-09 lgt fronts, they may be 2pot caliper but they use a 315mm rotor compared to the STI 326mm. Remember a good biting pad will always make the biggest difference stock calipers or upgraded.
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Thats the thing I'm adding more weight with the STI swap, FMIC, oil cooler, accusump system, the electronics, plus its going to get a cage. I want the best braking system I can get and if I'm buying a full swap I mind's well get one with the Brembo brakes. On top of that I seen that the WRXs 4pots are a iron caliper so any weight I can cut I will. I plan on doing SCCA and NASA events as I do with my Supra and learning from that pig big brakes are a must. I have 14" Wilwood 4 Pots front and TT Supra 2pots rear and it brakes like a dream.

So even the Brembos will bolt to my knuckles but I would still need the bracket for the rear? Let's talk hubs again will the STIs 5x114 hub work on my LGT?

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Yes the sti hubs and everything will work fine as long as you are using the sti struts. If you're doing a swap and using an R180 rear diff you will want to go that way anyhow or the axles won't work.

 

The 5x114 bearings are bigger and stronger, which is nice to have if you're tracking the car a lot.

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Yeah I'll be getting a full swap maybe even just a front clip that comes with the rear diff and axles. That way I know the harness won't be cut. I had that problem when I bought my 2jzgte swap. I planned on getting some coilovers for a 02-07 Wrx but why if using the 5x114 hub and bearings would I need to use STI struts? Do the knuckles need to be also from a STI? I looked up a 06 STI wheel bearing and the fronts are same as my 99 LGT so the hope for a stronger bearing it out, the rear seem to be different so I hope those will fit into my LGT knuckles. I planned on replacing them all with the hub swap anyway because it's a must. Subaru has had WB issues, I've done a good amount of them and I noticed they use a plastic cage inside the bearing and I've never liked that design. I do have a great bearing shop in milw that I was gonna take my bearing number and see if they could find me a stronger unit with a all steel design.
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I'm not looking to buy a expensive BBK if I can get Brembos with my swap Im getting. Killing two birds with one stone type of deal.

Ok I see what your saying. The diff that comes from the STI (r180) the axles won't work with our hubs anyway right? Makes more sense for the hub swap for sure now.

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I looked up a 06 STI wheel bearing and the fronts are same as my 99 LGT

 

No, they are not. The 05+ sti front bearing is larger and stronger and bolts into the upright. The upright is larger where it attaches to the strut.

 

Rear sti bearings are also larger and stronger, but that includes the 04 sti and older jdm cars. Anything STI with an R180 has the bigger rear hubs and bearings (there were some early GCs that didn't have them).

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According to Oreillys Napa and Advance Auto parts they list and show it as being the same and a press in type bearing. I'll have to check with my dealer. So if their bolt ins hub and bearing assemblies I would have to use the STI knuckles for the front and rear, plus run STI struts like you stated earlier. Hope it doesn't throw off the geometry of the suspension.
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