Cadillac ATS Brembo Caliper Upgrade for your Subaru

[Phillip J. Fry]

I never did either, even tho I have Sgt.Gator's brembos sitting in a box. I ran race rubber on stock calipers with race pads and centric blanks. Had I added ducting, I'd been golden.

 

On DD, this is pure bling.

 

yeah. been following this thread. "cheaper calipers" end up turning into a new wheel and tire combo. i fail to see the savings.

 

with good tires for dd i just cant understand why this particular setup is needed. for racing? yeah. ok. its nearly impossible to autocross on the street. haha.

[Schrei Wolf]

If the 11-14 WRX wheels fit with shaving down the "hump" on the caliper then stock 17s should fit as well then.

[Dispatch20]

yeah. been following this thread. "cheaper calipers" end up turning into a new wheel and tire combo. i fail to see the savings.

 

with good tires for dd i just cant understand why this particular setup is needed. for racing? yeah. ok. its nearly impossible to autocross on the street. haha.

 

It is cheaper than STI Brembos. And it's proving pretty very cost effective for people that already have '11-'14 WRX wheels that want some caliper bling. Not a single person has said this is needed for street driving from a performance standpoint. I think most of us agree they just look cool, which for some of us is enough to draw some interest. To be honest, I've owned many 4th gen Legacy mostly because I like the way they look (and AWD).

 

No need to add negativity just because other people choose to customize their cars in different ways than you would.

[battelready]

If the 11-14 WRX wheels fit with shaving down the "hump" on the caliper then stock 17s should fit as well then.

 

I think the spokes would hit. I run those wrx rims with a 5mm spacer on my brembos .

 

 

 

 

Waiting on the ensuing argument on cost vs bling vs preference vs performance

[Dispatch20]

I think the spokes would hit. I run those wrx rims with a 5mm spacer on my brembos .

 

Unless I read the Nasioc post incorrectly, I think that shaving the caliper allows you to run on '11 WRX wheels without a spacer at all.

[derp]

No need to add negativity just because other people choose to customize their cars in different ways than you would.

 

No need to get defensive because someone chooses not to modify their car in ways you would.

[fotofan]

Better reliability and pedal feel have been cited as reasons as well, so it's more than just bling. If you already have wheels that fit and need to replace calipers anyway, I see no reason to not go this route.

[battelready]

Unless I read the Nasioc post incorrectly, I think that shaving the caliper allows you to run on '11 WRX wheels without a spacer at all.

 

I believe the the ATS brembo has a slimmer profile then the sti one but inturn is longer and higher.

[rebourne]

So after this upgrade, if you get a flat in front you have to do a rear to front swap, and put the spare in the rear. Is that the same story with the sti brembos?

[rapture]

If i get a flat i cal AAA lol

[JF1GG29]

Better reliability and pedal feel have been cited as reasons as well, so it's more than just bling. If you already have wheels that fit and need to replace calipers anyway, I see no reason to not go this route.

 

The cost isn't much different from replacing with rebuilt sliding calipers from rockauto.com (aside from the returned core cost). It's very viable if you have wheels that are compatible.

 

Finally, improved pedal feel and 'resolution' was a great bonus for a street car. It made the car more enjoyable to drive and to me, that's a pretty big deal.

 

I didn't do this mod, but I did a 4-pot conversion on the WRX and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Edited May 10, 2016 by JF1GG29

[battelready]

So after this upgrade, if you get a flat in front you have to do a rear to front swap, and put the spare in the rear. Is that the same story with the sti brembos?

 

Yep . I have the same issue if i ever get a flat.

[rebourne]

So after this upgrade, if you get a flat in front you have to do a rear to front swap, and put the spare in the rear. Is that the same story with the sti brembos?

 

Yep . I have the same issue if i ever get a flat.

 

To be honest, I threw this out to see what the thoughts are. As an ex-Honda guy, i knew where to jack the side to get both front and rear off the ground, and have found I can do the same with the Outback. I always swap the full meat tire to the front. The skinny mini goes in back.

[Phillip J. Fry]

It is cheaper than STI Brembos. And it's proving pretty very cost effective for people that already have '11-'14 WRX wheels that want some caliper bling. Not a single person has said this is needed for street driving from a performance standpoint. I think most of us agree they just look cool, which for some of us is enough to draw some interest. To be honest, I've owned many 4th gen Legacy mostly because I like the way they look (and AWD).

 

No need to add negativity just because other people choose to customize their cars in different ways than you would.

 

if my facts came across as negative it was YOU who seen them as negative. it was an innocent observation.

 

i have rpf1's and will never buy wrx wheels. why others just happen to have a set is a head scratcher.

 

ive worked in a r&d environment before. seen this same style of cobbling before. in the end its hacked beyond what it should be and its not perfect or clean.

 

look at whats being posted. shaving the wheels? shaving the brakes? buying another set of wheels? for what exactly? the "look" of bigger brakes?

 

now i can agree what ive typed is negative but not the other one. im super curious why people are chipping away at a square wheel to make it round.

 

i am curious. sure. but knowing how the stock brakes work i wont be doing a change for looks. at least you need to be honest. people are doing for others to look at. for lack of self confidence. guess im at a stage in my life where i dont understand why people are desperate for others recognition.

 

some basic measurements would save everyone a LOT of time guessing what will fit and what wont etc. its quite a bit faster than trial and error.

[LatentWagen]

if my facts came across as negative it was YOU who seen them as negative. it was an innocent observation.

 

i have rpf1's and will never buy wrx wheels. why others just happen to have a set is a head scratcher.

 

ive worked in a r&d environment before. seen this same style of cobbling before. in the end its hacked beyond what it should be and its not perfect or clean.

 

look at whats being posted. shaving the wheels? shaving the brakes? buying another set of wheels? for what exactly? the "look" of bigger brakes?

 

now i can agree what ive typed is negative but not the other one. im super curious why people are chipping away at a square wheel to make it round.

 

I'm all for discourse in a thread, and I think that a few of your criticisms have actually been valid... but you've clearly got tunnel-vision. We heard you the five times. But, we will continue to disagree with you; it's not just for looks: Bigger rotors. More torque. Fade resistance. Better feel. ALL of these are valid reasons for upgrading. Further, there's no shaving, or cutting required, provided you have a set of wheels that do clear. Wheels can be bought and sold. I've had at least 20 sets, myself.

 

i am curious. sure. but knowing how the stock brakes work i wont be doing a change for looks. at least you need to be honest. people are doing for others to look at. for lack of self confidence. guess im at a stage in my life where i dont understand why people are desperate for others recognition.

 

some basic measurements would save everyone a LOT of time guessing what will fit and what wont etc. its quite a bit faster than trial and error.

 

I went ahead and bolded your quote to point out how what you call "your facts" turns into classic psychological projection. There's no need to attack other's self-confidence based on a brake upgrade.

 

To be quite blunt, I think it's you who lack the confidence, intellect, and overall demeanor to have a productive civil discussion. Maybe you're looking for recognition that you haven't received in life? Who knows. You won't find it here, with an attitude like that.

 

Now, for the sake of everyone else, please find the nearest exit

[Phillip J. Fry]

its painfully obvious none of you are engineers.

 

if you want to be hacked honda go ahead.

 

this is the same situation of needing a faster car because you cant drive what you have. its false beliefs for lack of skill. instead of understanding and maximizing what you have you choose to cobble something else together. for what?

 

youve easily proven my point about circle jerking. thanks for that.

 

stop tech pads dont really fade. most of you who cobble this together will use some generic pad that isnt that good because dust is low then will use a low friction tire are near stock widths.

 

lower it then do camber to make it fit. but then you loose contact patch for braking. oh noes.

 

i can understand your lack of thought, insight and plain old ignorance. it happena to the all of us.

 

i did say i was curious how it comes out. read my first paragraph and see why im worried we wont get full effect.

 

bragging about 20 wheels and having 0 measurements...it proves my point.

 

pedal feel? no fade? serriously?

 

please continue on. im curious what the end results are , the final costs and most of all the cost of your time through all of this. would like to see some performance improvement figures as well. stock vs modified stock vs this setup. what pads and tires are used. stopping distances. you know. some real quantitive data.

 

thank you for all your efforts. i truly look forward to the end results.

[LatentWagen]

its painfully obvious none of you are engineers.

 

if you want to be hacked honda go ahead.

 

this is the same situation of needing a faster car because you cant drive what you have. its false beliefs for lack of skill. instead of understanding and maximizing what you have you choose to cobble something else together. for what?

 

youve easily proven my point about circle jerking. thanks for that.

 

stop tech pads dont really fade. most of you who cobble this together will use some generic pad that isnt that good because dust is low then will use a low friction tire are near stock widths.

 

lower it then do camber to make it fit. but then you loose contact patch for braking. oh noes.

 

i can understand your lack of thought, insight and plain old ignorance. it happena to the all of us. This sentence made me

 

i did say i was curious how it comes out. read my first paragraph and see why im worried we wont get full effect.

 

bragging about 20 wheels and having 0 measurements...it proves my point. I've had 8 Subarus over the years, so 20 sets of wheels is not a lot between winter/summer sets. The point was that wheels are easily swapped out for another set.

 

pedal feel? no fade? serriously? Straw man. Nobody said "no fade"... however, I'll stand behind what I did say: more "fade resistance" due to bigger rotors.

 

please continue on. im curious what the end results are , the final costs and most of all the cost of your time through all of this. would like to see some performance improvement figures as well. stock vs modified stock vs this setup. what pads and tires are used. stopping distances. you know. some real quantitive data.

 

thank you for all your efforts. i truly look forward to the end results.

 

Everyone gets what you are saying. It's not ideal, even if you have the right wheels to clear. However, neither are the stock brakes.

 

I'm actually interested to see more real world feedback from people who are trying new things instead of lobbing insults from the sidelines. I'm really not sure why you would look forward to any results, if you're not interested in the premise

 

Doing a quick search of your posts, you seem to get into it in just about every thread you post in. Reminds me of an old saying: If you meet one a'hole in the morning, you met an a'hole. If you meet a'holes all day, the a'hole is you.

[I3eXa]

Doing a quick search of your posts, you seem to get into it in just about every thread you post in. Reminds me of an old saying: If you meet one a'hole in the morning, you met an a'hole. If you meet a'holes all day, the a'hole is you.

 

 

Hahaha. Nailed it! #boomroasted

[snow05gtRI]

its painfully obvious none of you are engineers.

 

I've seen you say this exact statement in multiple threads. Get off your high horse. You're the worst type of engineer, a closed minded one who lacks any acceptance of others' ideas. You also spout opinions and rhetoric without backing it up with data, while demanding others provide data to prove your opinions wrong.

 

If you don't realize it, your coworkers probably can't stand you.

 

I really doubt you're even an engineer. If you are, it was probably on the coattails of others which gave you an inflated sense of self worth. I haven't seen one post where you've actually contributed to the thread besides taking the opportunity to knock down those around you.

 

I am embarrassed you carry the user name of Phillip J. Fry. You honestly don't deserve it.

[Bonkerz1005]

In for the fight and info:lol:

[Flinkly]

Are the ats brembo's lighter than stock? In for potential weightloss.

 

EDIT: as for the cock-eyed slant of the caliper, why not just re-invent the re-invented caliper mount and rotate the caliper a little more? making 2 bolt locations to align the new bracket to the knuckle mount, then a second set of bolt location for the AST calipers...

 

could also align the ATS caliper for complete pad overlap and probably get it a little closer to the hub for better wheel fitment.

 

and along with a potential weight savings, i'd love to get away from the sliding caliper that doesn't always slide. less parts to fail. KISS

 

<- mechanical engineer

Edited May 11, 2016 by Flinkly

[Smithcraft]

Not everyone has the same needs for their cars, so different people do different things. Just because I don't understand why they do it, doesn't mean it's not worth doing. Unless it's that stupid camber BS, then there is no point to that!

 

One of the things found in my pre-purchase inspection was that the brakes are near the end of their service life. If it's just the pads, then Great! I'll just get new pads/get the rotors turned. If it needs new rotors, then why not upgrade to better rotors?

 

From what I've read here, the factory calipers some times don't do what they are supposed to do, and I would rather have calipers that do what they are supposed to do.

 

If I'm going to upgrade/replace the calipers, upgrading to one of the best options for a less expensive amount than the factory option certainly seems like a good way to go. If I don't like the stock SpecB wheels, which I don't, then now would also be a good time to get rid of them, if I were to consider this particular modification.

 

I would also say that just measuring the radius of the caliper on the mount would be the best way to determine what wheels fit, rather than trial and error.

 

SC

[iNfEk]

you guys are too entertaining sometimes. this thread was supposed to be about the process and being a potentially less expensive actual brembo upgrade for the community. it's now turning into who's dick is bigger thread.

 

it's funny as hell (i'm from the old school where this shit is normal and funny at the same time)

 

but i think we get the point that no all people will modify their cars for a certain reason other than attention or a look. granted, everyone does have an idea of what they do and do no like. if no one else other than myself actually mounts and tries these calipers out they will never know!

 

there is a ton of information on these now on both LGT.com and NASIOC and other forums. what happened to the subaru community?

 

yes, this thread isn't about stance or wheel specs or fitment or maybe it is (less the stance thing).

 

i'm just trying to enjoy the car and honestly the brakes perform pretty well (i feel better than the great LGT stock brakes). Tires also play a role in stopping distance as well and it's all valid but in each case someone will only be able to have one type of thing change out and will the results of this upgrade by noticeable? I surely think so.

 

now everyone hold hands, kiss and make up LOL

[dieselsquid]

He may be an engineer but he sounds more like a scientist. Have to prove it wrong because you can't prove it right

 

Regardless. My intentions of this brake upgrade was simply because I like making things work. I'm actually going to try and make a new bracket to make them mount level to the center instead of slanted because I think it will increase inner wheel gap and assist with pass contact patch. I could be wrong. But I want to find out.

 

Yes I'll need bigger wheels. I already planned on them so why does it matter?

 

I just enjoy creating, and allowing others how I did it.

 

-Squid

[SBT]

Regardless. My intentions of this brake upgrade was simply because I like making things work. I'm actually going to try and make a new bracket to make them mount level to the center instead of slanted because I think it will increase inner wheel gap and assist with pass contact patch. I could be wrong. But I want to find out.

 

Yes I'll need bigger wheels. I already planned on them so why does it matter?

 

I just enjoy creating, and allowing others how I did it.

 

-Squid

 

Sound like some Bubbleheads I know. Look forward to seeing what you come up with.