I was wondering how good the OEM WRX brakes are. is it worth upgrading?

about how much is a good set of new brakes?

 

I can offer you this: I was out at Streets of Willow Springs race track this weekend with the Porsche Owners Club so this is from first-hand experience.

With stock brakes, the friction and amount of negative acceleration is totally acceptable -- for about two to three laps. Then the stock fluid starts boiling, the pedal goes to the floor and things get a bit, um interesting.

So, I too am in the process of "fixing" my front brakes (which are fine for street use). I'm planning on installing braided stainless lines and completely flushing my brake system and replacing the stock fish oil with some high-quality high-temp brake fluid like Super Blue.

With these fairly simple mods it seems the braking performance will be drastically improved. Then again, maybe it'll just uncover some other fault in the system that will need attention next?

Anyway, that's just my <I>too sents</I>...

--BA

 

when you say "drasticaly improved" do you mean how long the fluid will last before the "weird things" start happening. or do you mean actual braking performance too, like stopping distance?

 

noWRX,

You're correct. That's why I said that maybe all these changes will do is uncover the next, and potentially most glaring fault.

I did spend numerous breaks between my session bleeding the lines. But as you alluded to above, that only goes so far. And as for the braided lines, improved feel is the goal there and will be a real plus, for me at least.

--BA

 

how much brake fluid is needed to change it in the 02 wrx?

 

Something not being addressed is the pads.
If you're having problems with brake fade, it's because the brakes are getting too hot (yeah, I know, duh). Pad compound can make all the difference. I did nothing but change from stock pads to Hawk brand for my application (track days) on my Audi Coupe and all of my fade problems vanished. Only downside is I have a lot of brake dust and sparks come off the rotos, which is really cool until the corner workers think my brakes are on fire.
Pad compound helps control the heat and the gases that are created with hard braking, lessens the heat transfer to the calipers, and thus prevents fluid from boiling. Plus, the pad change itself greatly reduced stopping distances.
Just my .02.