AP Racing Brake Install

[Sgt.Gator]

AP Racing Brake Installation on a 2005 LGT Wagon

 

AP Racing brakes are a major upgrade for an LGT. My car already had the STi Brembo brake package installed years ago, but now it's time to step up into the real racing brakes for my dedicated race car.

 

For more about my race car see: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/cool-article-05-scca-wagons-floating-around-still-73859.html

 

AP Racing designed these brakes originally to fit the STi hubs, but they recently drilled extra holes to fit our hubs. As of today this feature is not reflected on their web page.

This is the first installation on a Legacy GT.

The package is here: http://www.essexparts.com/shop/complete-brake-systems/competition-brake-systems/essex-competition-brake-system-subaru-impreza-wrx-sti-bundle.html

 

Now for the installation. I'm not going to repeat the exact sequence of steps, they are already detailed in the pdf from AP Racing in the above link, along with a wheel template for checking they will fit. I will note that the calipers are smaller than the Brembos already on my car, so fit was not an issue for me.

I will point out changes I had to make, and tips that will help your installation go faster.

 

First a little brake porn:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tools Needed

Torque wrench capable of 10-90 lb.-ft.

Breaker bar- OEM caliper bolt and wheel removal

7mm socket- Caliper bridge bolt

14mm socket- Banjo bolt on caliper end of brake line

19mm socket- OEM caliper bolt removal

21mm socket- Wheel lug nuts

5mm hex key wrench/socket- Caliper bridge bolt

8mm hex key wrench/socket- Bolt, caliper to bracket

10mm hex key wrench/socket- Bolt, caliper bracket to upright

7/16” box end wrench- Caliper bleed screw

10mm line wrench- Brake line at hard line attachment

17mm open end wrench- Brake line at hard line attachment

Needle nose pliers- OEM brake line spring clips/retainer

Small hammer- Secure brake line clip on new lines

Rags- Brake fluid

Brake fluid cleaning solution

Funnel- Brake fluid

Optional: Bleeding tool like a Motive Power Bleeder

Eye protection

Gloves

2 or 3 500ml bottles of brake fluid

 

Pair of jack stands- If you can’t figure this out, drop the other tools and walk away!

 

TIME:

About 1 - 1.5 hours if you have a power bleeder. If you don't have a power bleeder it will probably take two hours or more. The difficulty level is low if you've done prior brake work on your car.

 

First my car with the Brembos removed. This gives a good view of the brake duct backing plate and hose:

 

 

Problem #1. I ran into was the top caliper bolt runs into the bottom bolt on my JRZ dampers. Once I took the bottom damper bolt everything was easier. On the passenger side I took the bottom damper bolt first. Much easier!

 

 

My car is NOT RUSTY like these images make it look! The reason you see so much rust color behind the wheel is I was using an LED worklight back there and it threw the colors off in the pics.

 

Problem #2. The brake duct backing plate on the right side of the image has two points that interfere with the AP Racing Adapter fitting. Out came the Dremel cut off wheel to remove the two small sections. Compare:

Before Trimming:

 

After Trimming:

 

Now the Adapter fits!:

 

 

If you don't have brake ducts this is a non-issue. However if you don't have brake ducts why are you buying/installing these brakes?!! Brake ducts should be the first thing you do when you want to improve your braking on a LGT track car, (not including track pads!!)

 

The rest of the installation went quickly:

 

 

A couple of more notes:

The package comes with Spiegler SS brake lines. I already had Goodridge lines so I didn't swap them.

 

The package is only for your front brakes. I'm not sure if these will overpower the stock rear brakes. It was designed to work with the rear Sti/Brembo brakes, which I already have. I don't think it will be an issue to use them with the stocker LGT brakes, the rear brakes on these cars barely do anything when it comes to threshold braking on a track anyway. But a logical progression would be Brake Ducts> STi Brembo 4 wheels> AP Racing front wheels.

 

I ended up with a lot of air in my lines. I used 1.5 liter of high temp brake fluid bleeding out the entire system. First a I bled the two front brakes since that's where the lines came off, then the back brakes, finally back to the front brakes again. I use a Motive Power Bleeder so it's an easy one person job.

 

Swapping pads on the AP Racing calipers is SUPER easy! Unbolt one pin, pull out the old ones, stick in the new ones, slip the pin in and tighten, done! The pin does use a slightly unusual metric size nut, you need a 5mm socket or box end wrench to hold the nut and a 7mm hex head to turn the pin. Only 1/4" drive socket sets will have a 5mm socket and many box end wrench sets don't include it either.

 

May 1-2-3 I'll have my car at the races and will post up an update here on the new brake performance.

[LegacyDan]

Very nice, i have AP's one mine althought probably just the road going versions. They need a re-build and new pads and also need to replace the rotor sections.

[Sgt.Gator]

The brakes worked flawlessly at Portland International Raceway this last weekend. (Something I can't say about the rest of the car.)

The brakes were especially taxed to the max because this was a Non-Chicane race, which at PIR means we use the entire "old" front straight, a distance that got me up to 141mph before the brake zone.

 

The Ferodo pads worked well but are a bit of a process to bed in properly. I'll probably be switching to Essex's CL RC 8-6-5 Sintered pads for the long run. The CL pads last longer, the bedding in is a non issue, they have extreme high temp tolerance, and they brake good when cold too.