Has anyone used the Brake Booster Brace?

I purchased the Grimmspeed brake booster brace for our cars. Have you guys ever tried it?

No but I want to.

Excellent. Once it arrives ill install it and report my results. For $80 why not? Everyone in WRX's n shit like it. Have you watched our firewalls flex when you press the brakes?

I was told this might help with brake pedal responsiveness. Even with new pads, I still feel I have to put a lot more pressure on the brake pedal than other cars. All the other Subies I've driven (including our old '94 Legacy and my parents' 2000 Outback) were the same way. Let us know if you notice a big difference once it's installed.

I made my own a while ago. Noticeable difference on my car.

I am using the Grimmspeed one. Works great here. I noticed the difference

Have you watched our firewalls flex when you press the brakes?

 

Yeah, I poke my head in there once or twice in my last car while braking hard

 

But, I believe Baddog did, and has had his on for a while. He posted pictures and whatnot as well.

 

What exactly does this effect? Pedal feel and stiffness? I really haven't found anything wrong with our stock GT/OB brakes except for heat fade. That can be cured with upgraded rotors and pads, but these things stop like all hell and the brakes allow for so much control as they are stock!

Damn, he beat me too it hahahaha

Yeah, I poke my head in there once or twice in my last car while braking hard

 

But, I believe Baddog did, and has had his on for a while. He posted pictures and whatnot as well.

 

What exactly does this effect? Pedal feel and stiffness? I really haven't found anything wrong with our stock GT/OB brakes except for heat fade. That can be cured with upgraded rotors and pads, but these things stop like all hell and the brakes allow for so much control as they are stock!

 

Lol you can watch it from a stand still. At least I saw it last time I bled my brakes. Apparently it's supposed to stiffen the pedal feel by keeping it from flexing. I didn't upgrade my rotors, but I did do the pads and it's much better.

Hmmm I'm really curious now. I'm going to have to do this when I do the brakes and axle next weekend.

What exactly does this effect? Pedal feel and stiffness? I really haven't found anything wrong with our stock GT/OB brakes except for heat fade. That can be cured with upgraded rotors and pads, but these things stop like all hell and the brakes allow for so much control as they are stock!

 

It keeps the master cylinder from moving. The deformation and movement that occurs when you hit the brakes takes away from braking performance. It's kind of the equivalent of pushing on a trampoline - all spongy because the material flexes. Take that flex out (steel braided brake lines, for example, also give the same sort of improvement) and your brakes will feel much more solid since everything is deforming less. Less deformation not only gives a "sharper" pedal feel, but BETTER braking, because all of the force you put into the pedal goes to pushing the pads against the rotors, rather than into pushing your master cylinder out of position, or ballooning your rubber brake lines.

I am running Hawk HPS pads, Duralast (autozone) rotors for an 04 WRX. Techna-Fit SS brake lines, GS Master Cylinder brace and the H6 rear brake upgrade.

 

Whenever I drive another Subaru it feels...Well not normal to me. I put new brakes on the girls Impreza and kept thinking this just doesn't feel right. Felt right to everyone else just not me.

 

So the difference to me overall was huge. I did the SS brake lines and brace at separate times. Noticed both.

 

I suggest both.

I've seen the braces available online but mostly for Subaru- is the flexing a problem specific to Subaru's and not other cars? I'd never heard of this brake until after I bought the Subie and began poking around online.

Have someone pump the brakes and watch the MC. I thought it was BS at first but there's actually a noticeable (and frightening) movement of the whole thing.

lots of vehicles do it. not all are lucky enough to have an aftermarket brace available to help with it.

lots of vehicles do it. not all are lucky enough to have an aftermarket brace available to help with it.

 

Im a mechanic for a living, almost every car has some sort of flex to the firewall allowing the master cylinder to move. Just mostly poor building i suppose.

Whats also nice is at least on my 93, there happens to be four threaded "nuts" right next to the master in the strut tower, which works handy for a brace.

I made one for my car, cost me less than 10 bucks for the steel. Great add-on. Wish all cars would have 'em.

(twiddles thumbs) stillllll waiting for this thing.

Got me interested in getting one of these. It's $99 + shipping thru Grimmspeed, but I found an Ebay seller selling the same exact part (at least they say it is- but they sell a variety of Grimmspeed and Perrin items) for $88 or best offer shipped... tempted...

I've now added SS brake lines and this brace to the mods list for the 96 LGT. They will be things added down the line, but we'll see how they help on top of upgraded brakes and tires.

I've heard good and bad about the SS lines, but probably not a bad idea to replace 16 year old rubber brake lines. I figure the brace is the easier item to install first. Here's the auction I saw:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/260896692233?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I'm curious about what bad things you've heard with regards to SS brake lines. There is nothing bad about them unless you buy really shitty ones that leak or something...

I'm curious about what bad things you've heard with regards to SS brake lines. There is nothing bad about them unless you buy really shitty ones that leak or something...

 

It was posted to a thread I had here a while back- I'll have to dig it up again but I recall somebody posting that sometimes there can be issues with SS lines.

 

I'll likely takes the brace first anyway, especially if I can got from the guy on Ebay for $80- $85 shipped.

After I got home tonight, I had my wife push the brake pedal while I watched the master cylinder- yeah I could see it move slightly (I'm thinking like 1/16" of an inch or so- not sure if that's typical or have some people had worse flex than that...). I'm wondering if the brace preventing that movement will have much of an effect on braking or not.

WELL! We're gonna find out cuz my brace came in yesterday!

WELL! We're gonna find out cuz my brace came in yesterday!

 

Let us know how it goes. The Youtube install video made it look pretty easy. I' ready to pull the trigger on getting the one I saw on Ebay- just hoping it makes a difference on mine.