2008-09 LGT/3.0R Ltd vs 3.0R rear calipers differences

[axisofevol]

Just realized I should have edited the subject and removed the "rear", since my question kind of evolved into one about fronts and rears. Anyway, the 2008-2009 Legacys had different brake setups depending on whether the trim was 2.5i/3.0R or 3.0R Limited/LGT. The main difference that's obvious is the rotors are larger diameter on the Limited & GT. The question I have is whether the calipers are different between the two trims (smaller rotors vs larger), particularly the rears because I find tons of info on differences and upgrades for fronts but much less about rears. Subaru lists two different part numbers on the rear calipers, one for "Legacy, Outback" (26692AG072) and the other just for "Legacy" (26692AE0518A). I assume the latter is for the larger rotors, since it's listed for only Legacy and I know the 3.0R sedans and Outbacks have the same brake setup as the 3.0R (non-Limited) sedans. Both rears are single-pot calipers so there's no difference there.

 

They also list two different part numbers for the fronts, depending on rotor size: 26292AG042 (prob the smaller rotors because they are the less expensive of the two) and 26292SA001.

 

I'm wondering whether I should also upgrade the calipers when I upgrade to the larger rotors from the LGT/3.0R Ltd, to ensure they're matched. I'm putting them on an Outback 3.0R Limited, which as mentioned has the same smaller rotors as the 3.0R sedan (I think - it's really difficult to know for sure because Subaru doesn't give specific part numbers for specific trims, but usually even the highest trim of Outback didn't get the same brake setup as the highest performance trim of the Legacys - I need to keep researching this and make sure mine doesn't already have the largest rotors available). There's a ton of info to be found about brake upgrades but I have not found any reference to this particular aspect. I'd appreciate any info about this that anyone has from experience and their own research.

Edited April 11, 2020 by axisofevol

[Brunzo]

Largest rotors - 315mm in diameter for 2 pot front calipers. These came on tribeca also. You will need calipers, rotors, pads. Installation plug and play but will have to cut the edge of the dust plates for larger rotors.

 

Rear brakes do not make upgrade sense as braking efficiency is important for front axis.

 

I have upgraded mine this way. Please note - the smaller rim size is 17" for such setup.

 

Another option is to take big brembo gold (or black) 4 pot fronts and 2 pot rears (usually from impreza sti) . It has smaller front braje rotorson front, and does not make grabbing noise. Front direct swap, rears - with the custom adapter.

[axisofevol]

Largest rotors - 315mm in diameter for 2 pot front calipers. These came on tribeca also. You will need calipers, rotors, pads. Installation plug and play but will have to cut the edge of the dust plates for larger rotors.

 

You're saying I can't use my '09 3.0R OBW calipers with the larger rotors and the GT caliper brackets (which I already have)? Is this because the GT rotors are also thicker than what I have?

 

Rear brakes do not make upgrade sense as braking efficiency is important for front axis.

 

I want the vented rear rotors.

 

Please note - the smaller rim size is 17" for such setup.

 

My car has 17" on it, the stock alloys.

 

Another option is to take big brembo gold (or black) 4 pot fronts and 2 pot rears (usually from impreza sti) . It has smaller front braje rotorson front, and does not make grabbing noise. Front direct swap, rears - with the custom adapter.

 

I know about this and it's tempting but it's going to cost so much more that it's really not worth it for what benefits it provides, plus having to find the right rotors to keep the 5x100 bolt pattern (which I believe is only on the 2004 STi's).

Edited April 14, 2020 by axisofevol

[nevets27]

As far as I know off the top of my head. The base model 3.0R, which I think was only available in 2009 came with the smaller/lower end brakes. I do know the Canadian version has the limited/premium trim but lacked the larger brakes the limited 3.0R got in the states. Ask me how I know.....

 

The front brakes are a larger diameter. There rears are the same diameter but the limited brakes are vented.

 

For the rear, the calipers would need to be changed due to the thicker rotor.

 

The front I have been told the calipers needs to be changed but I'm not 100% if that's true. I have thought that maybe just the bracket is different, allowing the caliper to sit out further and accommodate the larger rotor.

 

I would be interested I getting a definitive answer on that as that would save the cost of replacing perfectly good calipers, for the front at least.

[axisofevol]

As far as I know off the top of my head. The base model 3.0R, which I think was only available in 2009 came with the smaller/lower end brakes. I do know the Canadian version has the limited/premium trim but lacked the larger brakes the limited 3.0R got in the states. Ask me how I know.....

 

The front brakes are a larger diameter. There rears are the same diameter but the limited brakes are vented.

 

For the rear, the calipers would need to be changed due to the thicker rotor.

 

The front I have been told the calipers needs to be changed but I'm not 100% if that's true. I have thought that maybe just the bracket is different, allowing the caliper to sit out further and accommodate the larger rotor.

 

I would be interested I getting a definitive answer on that as that would save the cost of replacing perfectly good calipers, for the front at least.

 

 

Sweet, that's all in keeping with what I've figured out so far, and I'm pretty sure you are correct about the rear calipers needing to be changed because the vented rotor is wider than the solid one. I forgot about that when I originally posted the question. Also, the caliper brackets do need to be changed all the way around to move them farther out for the larger rotors. The question that remains is whether or not the front calipers themselves are really any different on the LGT/3.0R Ltd than what the other trims have.

 

The other thing I have to figure out is where to source good rebuilds of the calipers. RockAuto has several options but I'm not sure any of them are worth buying (the Raybestos remans, maybe?). The OEM units are $300 each, which significantly increases the cost of doing this swap, even if I just replace the rears. I already have salvage yard cores for all four so getting remans would keep the cost pretty low, as long as I can find ones that are reliable.

[nevets27]

Yeah that's the real question I've wanted a solid answer for also. Are the front calipers the same?

 

I did a quick look at a couple places. Rockauto, parts.subaru.com and opposedforces.com

 

Rockauto parts cross reference usually works well but every caliper on there comes with the bracket so the part number of course will be different and therefore that's not helpful.

 

Really oddly though is on both subaru part sites it lists the same part numbers for most things between the 15&16in and the 17in. They even list the rotors with the same part number, which of course makes no sense.

 

But on opposedforces it does list the calipers with different part numbers. And if you look at the fitment it shows that part only fitting on the GT etc. But I think that's coming back to the fact that it includes the bracket.

 

So I think the only way to know is to actually get the GT caliper bracket and see if it fits.

 

Or at the very least talk to a subaru parts guy and see if there is even a part number for the bare caliper. I get the feeling there isn't.

[axisofevol]

Yeah that's the real question I've wanted a solid answer for also. Are the front calipers the same?

 

I did a quick look at a couple places. Rockauto, parts.subaru.com and opposedforces.com

 

Rockauto parts cross reference usually works well but every caliper on there comes with the bracket so the part number of course will be different and therefore that's not helpful.

 

Really oddly though is on both subaru part sites it lists the same part numbers for most things between the 15&16in and the 17in. They even list the rotors with the same part number, which of course makes no sense.

 

But on opposedforces it does list the calipers with different part numbers. And if you look at the fitment it shows that part only fitting on the GT etc. But I think that's coming back to the fact that it includes the bracket.

 

So I think the only way to know is to actually get the GT caliper bracket and see if it fits.

 

Or at the very least talk to a subaru parts guy and see if there is even a part number for the bare caliper. I get the feeling there isn't.

 

 

If you look at this and scroll down to the lower section where all the parts are itemized and priced, there are two listings each for the rotors, calipers, and caliper brackets, depending on the trim: https://parts.subaru.com/a/Subaru_2009_Legacy-30L-5AT-4WD-Limited-Sedan/_54106_6024737/FRONT-BRAKE-17INCH/B13-262-02.html The first 5 digits of the part number is what's shown in the diagram, and those are the same between the parts (26300 for the rotors, 26225 for the caliper brackets, and so on), but the rest of the full part number varies depending on the trim (you may know this already).

 

The rears are listed like this as well, though the rear rotors are in the parking brake section. So unfortunately there's still no info about whether the front calipers on the base trim and the LGT are actually any different from each other or if it's just the brackets. My guess is they are not different, and the rears are different only to accommodate the thicker vented rear rotors, unless the larger front rotors on the LGT are also thicker.

Edited April 17, 2020 by axisofevol

[nevets27]

Well according to this: https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/gt-brakes-xt-gt-dust-shields-required-283849.html?p=5987706

 

The front calipers and brackets are needed. Including front dust shields if you want to keep it oem. Otherwise you can ditch them.