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WRX Caliper Swap

41K views 166 replies 35 participants last post by  DylanJZA 
#1 ·
Looking to do a caliper swap on my 22.

I've seen folks do it - JW about the parts. I've actually seen people get them on amazon for around 130 a set for the fronts.

Wondering - Also what pads I should get, also stainless lines. And the rears also I'd like to do.

Does anyone have part numbers I can reference? Thanks!
 
#7 · (Edited)
They're still a worthwhile upgrade especially when retaining stock rears to leave the bias alone.

4lbs lighter per caliper, stiffer, better pedal feel, easier to change pads, and they (subjectively) look way better. I paid $150 for the calipers and bought all the OE clips and pads for like $110 iirc.

I've had mine on since May timeframe.

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#12 ·
They're still a worthwhile upgrade especially when retaining stock rears to leave the bias alone.

4lbs lighter per caliper, stiffer, better pedal feel, easier to change pads, and they (subjectively) look way better. I paid $150 for the calipers and bought all the OE clips and pads for like $110 iirc.
Any idea what the brake bias is compared to stock when doing just the fronts and/or with the rears swapped as well?
 
#32 ·
For those who swapped; any recommendations on a pad for strictly street-use?

Not really too versed in the different compounds and options out there. Powerstop Z26, Powerstop Z23, Hawk HPS, EBC Yellow & Blue, etc. all come to mind.
I daily the Z23s and took them out in Sebring with 0 issues
 
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#37 ·
Nice, I installed my front calipers this past Saturday. I’m going to hold off on the rears for now. It may be the placebo effect but the brake pedal is much stiffer and stopping distances are shorter during my regular commute. I haven’t gone balls to the wall with the new setup yet.
 
#49 ·
Wow what an awesomely cheap swap! I’d prefer the last gens brembos but they’re so hard to find and crazy expensive. Definitely going on my list when i get my GR86. Will probably only do the fronts though.

For anyone interested, if you look up the 06-07 WRX on rock auto, power stop has red ones available for the fronts. It says it comes with both for about $240
 
#50 ·
Wow what an awesomely cheap swap! I’d prefer the last gens brembos but they’re so hard to find and crazy expensive. Definitely going on my list when i get my GR86. Will probably only do the fronts though.

For anyone interested, if you look up the 06-07 WRX on rock auto, power stop has red ones available for the fronts. It says it comes with both for about $240
Just looked, those are sweet but are actually for the 06-07 WRX STI which has its own separate brake system with 5x114.3 hubs. Might still fit with and adapter but would have to look into.
 
#52 ·
In case anyone else come across this post and wants to check out pad availability, the fronts are AP460 and the rears are AP461. Seems like these are Z32 calipers all over again (240sx flashbacks 😅 ).


Set of 4 Pieces FRONT for NISSAN 89-96 300ZX,92-96 300ZX Turbo, 89-95 Skyline GTR R32, 93-98 Skyline GTS R33 2.5 Turbo, 97-02 Skyline GTT R34, 06-07 Subaru WRX NOTE: This is a custom part which becomes a "Porterfield Product" once cut from its original brand / Custom Pads are non-returnable, lead time for custom made parts varies.
Set of 4 Pieces REAR for NISSAN: 89-96 300ZX, 92-96 300ZX Turbo, 89-93 Skyline GTR R32, 93-98 Skyline GTS R33 2.5 Turbo, 97-02 Skyline GTT R34// SUBARU: 06-07 WRX NOTE: This is a custom part which becomes a "Porterfield Product" once cut from its original brand / Custom Pads are non-returnable, lead time for custom made parts varies.
 
#55 ·
If anyone is getting early US WRX calipers, I don’t remember the year, but there was a running change where the pads were different within that model year. I found that out the annoying way.

As a side note, it was a non-ABS car and the extra front bias caused front lockup way too quickly, so braking was worse than stock and I never got around to balancing it with larger rears. I thought it would cure brake fade and wavy rotors while decreasing stopping distance, but I should have just got another set of cryo rotors (solved the wavy rotor issue) and performance pads and lived with the stopping distance.
 
#56 ·
Just had these Amazon front calipers arrive. I need to disassemble them and drop them off at my powder-coater.

With me having a Neptune Blue 86, I think I'm gonna go with a deeper shade of yellow coating for the powder-coat to mimic that of a Porsche GT3 in Miami blue.

I'm then going to design some Gazoo Racing decals in black to adhere to the caliper.

Here's an example based off of a digital painting I did a year or two ago.

 
#57 ·
Just had these Amazon front calipers arrive. I need to disassemble them and drop them off at my powder-coater.

With me having a Neptune Blue 86, I think I'm gonna go with a deeper shade of yellow coating for the powder-coat to mimic that of a Porsche GT3 in Miami blue.

I'm then going to design some Gazoo Racing decals in black to adhere to the caliper.

Here's an example based off of a digital painting I did a year or two ago.

Exactly my setup.
 
#58 · (Edited)
Has anyone had a noise after install?
When hitting the brakes I get a click/ clack noise from front drivers side.

Everything torqued to spec, new hardware, not cheap shit that came with calipers, double checked everything was tight.

UPDATE-
Noise was definitely coming from drivers caliper, swapped the stock one back on, silent, passenger side is also silent. Sending it back to Amazon.

As others have stated, do not use the spring clips that come with the calipers. They are not the correct size and will pop out.
 
#59 ·
Is it just a one and done when you step on the pedal, or a constant noise till you let off? Only other thing i could think of is maybe the lube on pads, but if theres an integrity issue (cracks or poor casting etc) with the caliper from amazon then that would be kind of scary!
 
#63 ·
Mine do it on the first use of the brakes after a long while parked. I do not mind it, I haven't noticed any performance issues and chalked it up to the pad fitment being slightly different and sliding along the pins.
 
#65 ·
Swapped caliper last night, noise is still there.
Swapped pads from side to side and various arrangements, one side would make noise or both depending on pad arrangement.

After looking at a Subaru parts diagram and noticed there are 4 clips that I'm not using.
I couldn't find any info on what they are for or exact placement, but I ordered them from a local parts place, should have them tomorrow.


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#71 ·
After looking at a Subaru parts diagram and noticed there are 4 clips that I'm not using.
I couldn't find any info on what they are for or exact placement, but I ordered them from a local parts place, should have them tomorrow.
That's likely your issue. I bought the factory pads and they included all the extraneous clips and I have no weird noises etc.
 
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