Help with Brembo rebuild kit information

[ClimberDHexMods]

I have a Brembo 4-pot GT front kit 328mm x 28mm,

and Brembo rear 2-pot __? rear kit 316mm x 20mm, which I think is the same as 04 STi rear. Bought it used, and I regret buying it at all

 

I think I have a sticking front caliper piston.

 

I'm going to take it apart and rebuild it, and send them out for powder coating since the OE powdercoat has not held up.

 

Questions :

 

1) Are the rebuild kits sold for the OEM STi brembos (seals, dust rings) cross-compatible with the Brembo GT kit for Subaru Impreza 02+?

http://www.subaruwrxparts.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=18&idproduct=3436#details

 

http://www.subaruwrxparts.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=3440&idcategory=18

 

I see GiroDisc also has a house label for these?

 

2) Where is a good place to send these to get powdercoated?

 

3) Any special tips of rebuilding these? I've some info here and there on doing the rebuild, but nowhere comprehensive instructions on which I would bet the farm.

 

Thinking of buying titanium heat shields... haven't researched it enough yet though.

 

Thanks in advance for helping me get this cursed car back on the steet!

[ClimberDHexMods]

1A2.6010A -- 02+ Subaru Impreza/WRX 328mm Slotted rotor

[ClimberDHexMods]

Talked with Matt at GiroDisc, who was REALLY nice and helpful.

He referred me to Zeckhausen racing, who knows and does a lot with Brembo rebuild parts. Spoke with Zeckhausen and got this great info:

A) Piston / seal / dust boot sizes should be cross-compatible between Brembo Subaru OEM and Brembo GT.

B) Stoptech seals and dust boot kits are cross-compatible with Brembo calipers.

C) Stoptech pistons are generally cross-compatible with Brembo calipers, though the Brembo pistons should be measured first to confirm.

D) Stoptech pistons run about $25 each, so not the end of the world if you find a piston is not true.

 

Separately, spoke with Matt about powdercoating the calipers.

He said that though it's a matter of preference, he actually recommends powdercoating. He also said the obvious, that even if I do get them powdercoated, they'll just get messed up again through long-term use. He said he has seen very rare instances where a caliper will deform during the powdercoating process. He said I should also consider sanding them down and then painting them with a high-temp paint and a high temp clear. I like this idea, since it will save me some money

Matt was not at all pushy. He was just a nice guy who was very helpful and was kind enough to share his personal experience with me. Disclaimer: this was coming from him, not from GiroDisc as an official policy.

[ClimberDHexMods]

So where should you and should you not apply brake great during the piston install process? And pad install process?

I do not see much use of grease on Brembos, relative to OEM LGT style calipers where you grease pretty much everything. I hope to be corrected.

[BAC5.2]

I installed my pistons with a very very light smear of brake fluid on the piston seals. I didn't use any grease of any kind when installing the Stoptech pads. Fixed calipers don't have any moving parts, aside from the pistons themselves. Fluid pressure keeps them from leaking, so there's really no need to worry about extra grease or anything.

 

Centric makes pistons for almost all Brembo calipers, Zeckhausen carries them.

 

I powdercoated mine, and I'm happy with the results. A quality PC job will look great for YEARS, and unless the person doing it is an idiot you can't hurt the calipers.

 

Do the GT calipers have the external cross-over pipe? If so, then they are likely closer to the OEM EVO calipers than the Subaru calipers (which use an internal cross-over that is both a blessing and a curse).

 

I rebuilt mine by using an air blower attachment on an air hose, and removing the bleeders. I locked the pistons in place with wood and cardboard and blew out the insides of the calipers through the bleeders. I sprayed the insides with brake-kleen, then blew it all out the bleeders. Then I reinstalled the bleeders and removed some cardboard to pop the pistons out. You want all 4 pistons to extend without any of them breaking the seal. Then you can pull them out by hand. I picked the dust boots out before popping the pistons out.

 

Then use a pick to pull the seals out and wipe them down. I just sprayed them down with Brake-Kleen.

 

I seated the dust boots on the pistons before pushing them back into the caliper by hand.

 

I did all 4 calipers in ~1 hour or so, taking my time and trying to be methodically clean.

[ClimberDHexMods]

Thank you, affirms everything I've read, and then some. My calipers do have the external crossover IIRC. Going to pull them off the car (again) and get to work on them... Do you have Subaru OEM brembos?

Stoptech is the piston Zeckhausen says they use, and I assume Centric = Brembo since why make multiple pistons for the same brembo application... unless doing a super expensive version that does not transfer much of any heat.

[BAC5.2]

I have OEM brembos, yes. From an 05, iirc.

 

Centric is actually a third party. They make reman parts for almost everything.

 

If Zeck says that the Stoptech pistons work, then I'd trust him. I'd also pull your calipers apart and send him measurements to confirm.

 

I was going to make my own pistons out of precision ground Ti rods, but machining Ti is dangerous and I didnt feel like not installing my brakes anymore. Plus, I would have had to sit down and do math to properly size them. And they would have cost me 3-4x OE replacements.

[ClimberDHexMods]

Yeah ~$300 just for the round of titanium, I'm good.