Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Still think the lines over the servo.

Blimey, Godspeed are still on the go!!

https://godspeedbrakes.co.uk/

I think the owner is Ian Godney.

I've seen them mentioned on Suby forums, nice but pricey!

Does your car have the two piston sliding calipers on the front and the single pot on the rear, like a stock WRX, or does it have the Subaru labelled 4 / 2 pot setup like a WRX STI?

The bugeye WRX onwards had nice four pot callipers not the sliding callipers, I thought the Forrester did the same about 2000 ish?

STi had Brembos iirc

Mine's got Subaru 4 pots on the front just like these pictured, I'm not sure about the ones on the back tho', they're not the same.

2 Attachments

Are you taking this on the track? That's a pretty beefy brake setup for a road car as is no?

They may look beefy but they aren't performing the way I'd like them to. No track (yet!?!), it's just my evening and weekend 'taking the dog down to the beach' car (⛳).

It's pretty nippy, I'd like to be able to slow down as quickly as I can speed up.

Have you taken the car to a backroad and really stood on them? The 996 brakes have very light assistance so a lot of people find them “too weak”, but the power is there if you apply enough shove.

We run the subaru branded 4 pots on both of the rally cars (and so does everyone in the same class) and they are, in my experience, mega brakes.

you likely just need to put decent fluid in (as in, flush the system and replace) and put decent pads in with decent rotors

Believe the fluid has been changed.

If it were me I would disconnect the battery. Put at least 100kgs better 200kg over the rear suspension (if front wheel drive) to make sure the rear brake bias valve is open and leave the brake pedal wedged with a length wood between the pedal and seat frame and push the seat till the brake can move no more. Then leave for 24 hours.

If that doesn't improve things, rebed in the brake pads, empty dual carriageway and go up to 60/70 mph and stamp on the brakes, not enough to set the abs off but hard enough to put some decent force on the pads and come off the brakes between 10 to 5 mph don't come to a stop, as that could warp the discs by heat being too concentrated.

But that is just me.

I have and I almost put my foot through the floor!

@mcmyk This is good to know, fluid was changed but I'll change pads and rotors as well.

Do you just find it doesn't stop very well? It's not that the pedal travel is long or the pedal is soft etc?

Just shit brakes, worst stopping I've ever had on a car. Which isn't great when it's the fastest car I've driven. 😬

Could be many things all adding up to shit braking. Even with a fluid flush the lines might not be clean. Can take multiple goes to get them clear and air free too. Old pads could be glazed so not 'biting' or maybe being an import it's got some fancy race pads on that are shit when not hot i.e street driving? I would think the discs would be ok as long as they are not grooved or heavily worn.

Definitely try braided lines as the old rubber lines could be well past their best and basically acting as balloons and sapping power/feel. Then you'll do new fluid anyway and a re bleed.

Then your brakes will be good and your tyres will need an upgrade.... And then....

if the pedal travel seems ok and doesn't pump up and become harder then the fluid is probably ok, lines could be expanding though

I'd chuck pads and rotors on the front, could have glazed pads and rotors also get deposits from the pads/contamination on them which can be an issue.

There should be no reason this setup won't be good - the impreza and legacy we run will pull up from 200kmh+ on gravel like you wouldn't believe, we run genuine STI discs and winmax pads

In your experience, would you say subie brakes are not over assisted compared to other makes?

As an example, my Audi is has a very boosted brake feel, like just touch em and you stop. Good for creating an impression of braking power.

My Peugeot though, it has race spec 380mm alcons up front with higher spec fluid and pads and braided lines. It's got a softer more progressive feel, yet doesn't feel immediately bitey so maybe be assumed to be less powerful. They have proven themselves from repeated high speed stops to be plenty powerful though, and easier to modulate.

It's definitely a money gun problem, eh? Funnily enough my BBSs are in the air and on the way to me, they will need tyres this time next week! 💸

You and @mcmyk have nailed it, refreshed rotors, pads and lines is probably the answer and will hopefully fix everything. If that doesn't work then I obvs need huuuuuge Brembos (and bigger rims to accommodate them) so I can take the dog to his favourite walkies spot safely and in the utmost comfort.

1 Attachment

One thing you can try before firing the money gun is re-bedding the pads in. If the pads or discs have glazed a bit, it can really help with getting the pads re-acquainted with the discs.

Rather than writing it all out, follow this guide:

https://www.zeckhausen.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=6446_6443

I've been using this same guide for 20 years (they update the pic but the text is the same).

When you do this do you get fade?

Yes

"The brakes may begin to fade after the 7th or 8th near-stop. This fade will stabilize, but not completely go away until the brakes have fully cooled. A strong smell from the brakes, and even some smoke, is normal."

I've read the piece, I'm asking for your experience.

Also on front wheel drive cars do you put weight in the back to get the rear brakes to do something?

Yeah i think thats a common complaint - the rally cars are especially under assisted as they both have no servo/booster at all.

I have an impreza road car with the two piston sliding caliper on the front and the brakes on that are awesome but you do have to lean on them a bit harder, compared to say my mk7 golf

Yeah I usually get fade from the 4th application on road pads and later depending on how spicy the pads and brake setup is.

I've never needed to weigh down a FWD car even with a completely stripped out one

You lot have got me paranoid about my brakes now. I've been doing some testing today, applying more pressure, all the way to the floor, etc, jury's still out. Maybe it's just me or it could be that my D-Max's brakes are so amazing that a 25 year old car can't compete.

Anyway, I'm off on Friday so will bed them in again and put them through their paces on some winding mountain rides, what could possibly go wrong, eh? Thanks, @NurseHolliday! BTW Did you get the part in the Commodore?