With the 2nd generation of Subaru BRZ (2022+) this model switched to an aluminum knuckle that's slightly different in shape compared to the standard steel knuckle found on the first generation BRZ, as well as the Toyota GR86. When Subaru put the Brembo calipers (4 piston front and 2 piston rear) on the tS models, they actually switched back to the steel knuckles. We wanted to look into seeing if the calipers could be retrofitted without needing to swap the front knuckles and (spoiler alert) have now done so successfully on multiple ZD8 BRZ that didn't come with factory Brembos. Some have advised that they think there will be substantial flex/soft pedal feeling that comes with mounting such a brake setup on the aluminum knuckles, but we are also happy to report to the keyboard engineers that this is not the case and the pedal is rock solid.
Why Upgrade?
In our opinion, this brake setup is the only thing we'd care to have out of the tS package for a track build. The Hitachi dampers are pretty underwhelming compared to a proper coilover and camber plate setup. And no one would disagree that the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires included on the 18" wheels are pretty worthless for real high performance duty. The tS is a nicer trim with cosmetic and interior upgrades, and for those shopping brand new we feel the $4600 CAD (at the time of this post) difference is still worth it. However, there are a lot more used base BRZs to choose from compared to tS models and you're more likely to find incentives on non-tS cars. So if you're building off of a used platform, the information below might be of use!
The WRX STI brembo calipers are essentially the same as the tS setup except the piston diameters are staggered on the front caliper (40/46mm), whereas the tS has the same 40mm diameter on all the front caliper pistons. In theory the staggered pistons may accelerate or cause uneven pad wear, but in practice we have not found this to be the case. The reason why we recommend going with an STI caliper is simply cost and availability. The STI used these calipers for over a decade and remanufactured ones are a dime a dozen, hovering around $200 USD a caliper. For those that track frequently, the pad shape of this caliper (as well as the tS calipers) are extremely easy to find as they're shared with various Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, and other models as well that use a similar caliper. The rotors are also extremely affordable so in case of an emergency, finding replacement parts prior to a track day is going to be a lot easier with these off-the-shelf parts that can be found at many auto parts retailers both online and in brick and mortar shops.
Brake Comparison
While many might say this is not a necessary upgrade and the standard brakes are more than adequate, not only do we feel this brake setup looks a lot better but it ultimately does perform better and hold heat a lot better for extended track use. There is more pad surface/swept area and more rotor mass at the end of the day. Here is a comparison of the brakes.
| BRZ Standard Brakes | BRZ w/ STI Brembo | |
| Front Caliper | 2 Piston Sliding | 4 Piston Fixed |
| Front Rotor | 294x24mm | 326x30mm |
| Front Pad |
e.g., Hawk HB711 Shape |
e.g., Hawk HB453 Shape |
| Rear Caliper | 1 Piston Sliding | 2 Piston Fixed |
| Rear Rotor | 290x18mm | 316x20mm |
| Rear Pad |
e.g., Hawk HB671 |
e.g., Hawk HB180 |
Cost-wise, the whole front and rear brake setup including rotors and pads is going to be cheaper than a front only dedicated track caliper from a brand like AP Racing or Paragon. Wilwood's 6 piston brake kit is a more affordable alternative but we're not a fan of it's 12.88" x 1.10" rotor. Replacement is more tedious and this rotor is on the thin side so durability as well as thermal capacity are not amazing. The BRZ tS rotors come in at a slightly thicker 30mm. And again, this is an OEM+ upgrade meaning less concerns about backorders since so many brands make replacement parts for these STI Brembos. Yes there are better brake setups out there but we disagree that there are better ones for the money ~$2000 USD incl. parts and labour, and certainly none with easier servicing or sourcing of replacement parts.
Parts/Work Needed
The STI brake kit is a near perfect bolt on with the only real custom modification needed being the rear dust shields. We would advise trimming the OEM dust shields rather than swapping a correct one from the BRZ tS as these wheel hubs tend to get seized on very easily and it will be a lot more labour intensive to pull the hubs and e-brake mechanisms and transfer to the new backing plate. The outer edge of the dust shield needs to be trimmed to accommodate the much larger rear rotor and caliper. The front dust shield does not need to be replaced as it will just clear the larger front rotor and caliper, although a tS option is also available which will give you more wiggle room between dust shield and rotor.
For the calipers, the bolt thread pitches are different from the standard BRZ calipers. The bolt also is not quite as long as the tS one as there is no reinforcement bar used on the aluminum knuckles. Make sure to buy rotors for the 5x100 car as most STIs run 5x114.3 which will not work on the stock hubs. Some aftermarket rotors are dual drilled however. The part numbers listed below are for black calipers but the gold calipers from the GD generation STI will also work the same. Essentially search for brake calipers from 2005 to 2017 Subaru STI and you should get good results
See the parts list below for some of the OE cross reference part numbers that will be needed to do this retrofit.
| OE Subaru Cross References | |
| Front Left Caliper | 26292FG010, 26292FG011 |
| Front Right Caliper | 26292FG000, 26292FG001 |
| Front Rotor | 26300FE001 |
| Front Caliper Bolts (4 needed) | 901120103 |
| Rear Left Caliper | 26692FG031 |
| Rear Right Caliper | 26692FG021 |
| Rear Rotor | 26700CA000 |
| Rear Caliper Bolts (4 needed) | 901000326 |
Other than the brake dust shield trimming in the rear, this whole brake setup is essentially bolt on. We also used the Goodridge 28003 stainless steel brake lines for the retrofit along with Torque RT700 brake fluid. Brake lines are not required for this install however. The caliper stickers are optional, we had these custom made and felt they looked great on the white car with black calipers.
Contact us today if you're looking to upgrade the brakes on your vehicle and we can explore the various options!
Install Pictures
