Huge difference in the size
of the rotors and the calipers. Bigger = better in this case.
Hopefully this DIY helps. The instructions that StopTech provides in the
box are very easy to follow and include all the tools you'll need as
well as the torque specs.. I'll assume if your tackling this project
yourself, you have some kind of decent mechanical background. If you
don't, have a tech install this. Your life depends on your brakes
functioning properly so now isn't the time to learn how to turn a
wrench! That being said, the only special tools you might need besides
your basic metric/standard sockets and wrenches is a 30-torx, torque
wrench, brake cleaner, rubber mallet, and allen wrenches
First, when you remove everything from the package, make sure you clean
the rotor with soap and water, then finish it off with some brake
cleaner. Once that's done your ready to get your car off the ground and
onto some jack stands. Remove the front wheels and keep the rubber
stoppers in the kit handy. Remove the brake line and immediately plug it
off with the rubber stopper to prevent a huge mess. Keep all the washers
in a safe place as you'll be reusing them.
11mm and 14mm wrenches needed
here. Make sure you have the rubber stops handy.
Once your line is removed, your ready to start removing the caliper. On
the drivers side, you'll have to disconnect the pad sensor. The caliper
is held on by two 20mm bolts and they're torqued on tightly so it's
going to take some effort to remove them. Make sure you keep the bolts
in a safe spot because you'll need them to install the caliper bracket
in the kit. With the caliper removed, you'll need the 30-torx to remove
the rotor. After the torx bolt was removed, my rotors didn't come off
without a fight and required some firms taps from a rubber mallet to
remove them. Make sure you keep the torx bolt as you'll be reusing that
also.
View from behind the caliper. The 20mm bolts
are torqued on to 140lbs so they require some effort to remove.
30-torx needed to remove the
rotor.
With everything removed, you'll need to install the bracket from your
kit where the stock calipers went reusing the 20mm caliper bolts. Make
sure you torque those to 140lbs per factory specs. Once the calipers
brackets are installed, your able to install the new rotors. Again, make
sure you've washed then with soap and water, followed by brake cleaner.
The rotors are shipped with a small film of grease coated on them to
prevent them from rusting, so don't forget to wash them.
Caliper bracket torqued to 140lbs.
New rotor installed. Make sure you follow the directions to make
sure that the correct rotor goes to right and left sides, this does
matter!
With the rotor installed, your ready to start on the new caliper. You'll
need to remove the bridge section from the center of the caliper before
installing. Make sure you don't lose the bolts or washers (not that I
did and had to search around the garage forever trying to find a
washer). With the caliper in place, you'll need to torque the bolts down
to 42lbs.
5mm hex allen bolts removed from
the bridge of the calipers. You'll be installing the pads through this
area later.
Caliper mounted up and bolted
on.
Once that's done, you'll need to install the new SS line included in the
kit. The kit comes with copper washers and banjo bolts. Remove the
rubber stopper from the back of the caliper. Make sure you have a copper
washer on each side of the new brake line before securing the banjo bolt
to the caliper. I should also point out that you want the new SS line
positioned in line with the angle of the caliper. Make sure you hold
onto it firmly when tightening the banjo bolt so the new SS line doesn't
move out of place. The kit also comes with washers that go over the
other end of the new SS lines. Place the washer over the other end and
install them to brake line attached to the chassis. For the brake
sensor, remove the pad from the drivers side caliper and cut the wire
around 1.5" from the sensor. Splice the two ends together and secure the
exposed wire with heat-shrink wrap or electrical tape. Your now able to
slide in the new pads and bolt the bridge back onto the caliper.
This is how the new Stainless Steel
line should look secured to the caliper.
Slide the new pads in and
then secure the caliper back to the bridge.
With everything installed, you'll be able to bleed your system. The new
calipers have bleeders on each side, and the bleeding order StopTech
recommends is right outer bleeder, right inner bleeder, left outer
bleeder, left inner bleeder. I was careless and bled my entire system
dry unfortunately so I had to bleed my master cylinder and every
caliper. Make sure you don't do that! I used Motul RPF600, but any DOT3
or DOT4 fluid will work. With everything installed, it's time to bed
your pads. StopTech recommends hard braking from 60 - 5 mph,
accelerating back up to 60 ASAP and repeating this process 10-12 times.
Hopefully this helps any would be installers.
The kit actually comes with solid instructions. I've had these on my car
for a week now and the increased stopping power is impressive! The pedal
feels close to the stock brakes, if just a tad bit firmer. I've
installed other BBK's on previous project cars and had them practically
put you through the windshield with the slightest touch of the pedal. I
have no issues at all like that. With the ST-60 kit, the brakes come on
smoothly and predictably without any diving or jerking. If you need to
stop in a hurry, these brakes will certainly get the job done! I'd be
interested in doing a 100mph-0 test just to see how they do, but the
difference over the stock braking system is substantial. My previous car
was a C63 AMG with a large 14.3" rotor and 6 piston setup and my ST-60's
performance is on par if not better than that. After bedding the brakes,
I haven't noticed any squealing but I suspect I'll get some eventually
as it's common in most BBK systems, only time will tell. I have a track
day set up for the 15th so I'll be able to give a better review once I
get some track time on them.
Once again, thanks to
ModBargains for hooking me up with a great product!
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