boxkita Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I take it you're joking. The firewall is very flexible on these cars. The brace for $80 will take his mushy brakes and dramatically improve them. There is no sense in putting on a new master cylinder when the problem is the firewall. Sometimes I wonder about your advice. The $80 mod is probably the best single brake mode out there. I could feel a massive improvement and I've had others comment on it as well. Go do some research please. Box is an Autocross whore with a highly prepped wagon so I'm pretty sure that he does know what he's talkng about. That might'v been his sarcasm. I think he meant you won't realize how much slack/slop there is until you're bangin corners on a track. That's my guess. flexible firewalls? taking 1/8 inch of freeplay out of braking system caused a huge difference in the overall braking ability of your car? perhaps you should stick to engine longevity advice. a dd doesn't need the mbc. a dd won't even notice it. Even as a bling part, its really low on the install list. I'd rate dipping your wheels white as better performance mod than an mbc. at least you can guage how much brake dust you're accruing. if you're braking properly, you'll be using 60% of the brake right off the bat. and going to full braking force right afterwards. the "freeplay" will never ente8 into the equation. rob-2 you have an 05 car, not an 08. not sure how you can give subjective or objective advice about an 08? Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 yeah I think she has new oem and rotors...there isn't even any rust on the top hat yet......that's why I was thinking brake lines and fresh fluid... do you have stainless steel lines? before changing anything major on the brakes swap in a sey of street performance brake pads. you don't need an Autocross pad like hawk hp+ or equivalent. just hawk hps or equivalent. oem pads really are limited if you like to drive hard. Nearly every vendor on this forum recommends Hawk HPS with Centric Premium rotors as a starting place for brakes. I know I'm the voice in the wilderness but drive your car a bit before making mods and then do the changes in small chunks. ss lines are more of a safety issue than a perf issue. You have to get the brakes really hot before the difference shows up. upgrading the brake fluid temp should be done first. if you've never taken a high performance driving school you might find the brakes don't need much modification. again with the voice in the wilderness Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 ^ that's why we say Hawk HPS pads. Good cold bite, but they dust up fast. Hawk Ceramics are good if you warm them first then get on them. I do that on the off ramp on the DD to work. Nice banked curve at the end of the down hill ramp, I can leave the curve at 60mph, but don't tell anyone... the company posted speed limit is 15mph. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schlanseay Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Nice find! I was trying to fly out and buy the same car!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavoni8297 Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 okay about the stainless lines and I am going to drive her to shake things out....will do the pads in the spring so I can do it. about 10k on the exhaust without a cat.... Yeah the car is pretty sweet....lucked out.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 My wagon is catless too. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob-2 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 flexible firewalls? taking 1/8 inch of freeplay out of braking system caused a huge difference in the overall braking ability of your car? perhaps you should stick to engine longevity advice. a dd doesn't need the mbc. a dd won't even notice it. Even as a bling part, its really low on the install list. I'd rate dipping your wheels white as better performance mod than an mbc. at least you can guage how much brake dust you're accruing. if you're braking properly, you'll be using 60% of the brake right off the bat. and going to full braking force right afterwards. the "freeplay" will never ente8 into the equation. rob-2 you have an 05 car, not an 08. not sure how you can give subjective or objective advice about an 08? Odd it was the first thing I noticed on the test drive. The mushy brake pedal. My wife's Saturn Ion, the piece of crap that it is, has better factory brake feel. I agree he should drive it but has mods go I don't think it's bling - heck no one sees it. Just tweaking the feel of the brake system and removing the mush. I wasn't aware they improved the firewall for 08... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavoni8297 Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 I thought I perceived a difference in pedal feel just from stainless lines....but whatever.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LatentWagen Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I thought I perceived a difference in pedal feel just from stainless lines....but whatever.. The majority of the difference you felt was probably because you changed/bled the brake fluid. LW's spec. B / YT / IG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I wasn't aware they improved the firewall for 08... so you know that statement is completely ludicrous? if the firewall truly flexed that much it would have broken already. the flex is in the master cylinder brake booster . Have your SO press on the brake while you look under the hood. if you can't see it put your finger on the end while brakes are being activated. if you really want to see it put a go pro next tonit and for a drive. beep the horn when you apply brakes. if you can coordinate then beep horn when feel like they are working. all this presupposes you don't have the gs brace on Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob-2 Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I thought I perceived a difference in pedal feel just from stainless lines....but whatever.. The flex you'd prevent with stainless would require very hot fluid under heavy brake applications. Normal driving doesn't see the lines swell much if any. so you know that statement is completely ludicrous? if the firewall truly flexed that much it would have broken already. the flex is in the master cylinder brake booster . Have your SO press on the brake while you look under the hood. if you can't see it put your finger on the end while brakes are being activated. if you really want to see it put a go pro next tonit and for a drive. beep the horn when you apply brakes. if you can coordinate then beep horn when feel like they are working. all this presupposes you don't have the gs brace on Yes that was the point! Ludicrous as your bling comment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobyscoodle Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I only have experience with the GS MCB on my 06, I don't have one on the 09 so I can't speak of any differences between the years. IMO I equate the MCB as the same thing as a heavier shift knob, it looks cool, cheap and easy install, and improves the feel, but you're kidding yourself if you think it makes your braking system actually perform any better. That being said I certainly noticed the difference the brace made on my 06, did more for feel than SS lines for sure, but is nowhere near the improvement I picked up with the sti bb/mc swap. However, the VDC equipped cars look like a PITA to do the swap because of the larger hard lines. All things considered I think its worth the money for the improvement in feel if nothing more, but I've got a lot of things that are higher priority on the list before I pick one up. Good find on the 'B, enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Donated thefultonhow Posted January 19, 2014 I Donated Share Posted January 19, 2014 Odd it was the first thing I noticed on the test drive. The mushy brake pedal. My wife's Saturn Ion, the piece of crap that it is, has better factory brake feel. My Spec.B had a very mushy pedal. Amazingly, it tightened back up a lot when I swapped on my Stoptech pads. The problem was not slop in the system, it was lack of initial bite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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