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5 minute(s) of a 237 minute read
5-13-2014
So the brakes. Where do I start. I've been driving around, what we thought was a busted passenger-front caliper. It was jammed, clamped down on my disc and (on top of my temporary WTF-limited-wastegate-map) was slowing me down. Lag like trying to wade through mud. Turned out the driver-front caliper was also jammed. When we removed the brake-discs, the calipers came with, had to pry them off :/ ... like cold, dead hands o_O
(Stock Caliper looks much happier than the first Brakes job last year, which didn't impress him at all.)
The difference in brake-disc size:
My 17" wheels are DAI Revo in gloss black, they came with the car when I bought it (I believe it's the least expensive model DAI makes, to give you some idea...). They are 17 x 7.5 / 5x100 / offset 42. We weren't sure they would clear the Brembos, but my friend's 42's used to clear them without a spacer (because of the spoke design) so we compared my friend's wheel with mine by mounting it on the Shoop, and measured that my spokes should have maybe 1/8" more clearance than his.
"Should have" lol . No, it didn't clear.
We tried a 3mm spacer, but two of my wheel spokes were touching / scraping the giant caliper - indicator that my wheel isn't straight.
My boyfriend decided to grind the offending area of the wheel (I'm nearly in tears at this point, on the verge of a freak-out), we don't have a plan B if they don't fit, and I'm watching him do a questionable job to my (admittedly inexpensive) wheels. 
We considered mounting my friend's wheels temporarily, but one of them had a nail in the tire; no go.
Then his friend pulls out this box of Firehawk 15mm spacers that he had bought a couple months ago for his '02 STi. 
:
I'm upset because I'd read that spacers are bad. No choice, at 10pm we are trying 'em or we're parked.
These spacers have ten alternating holes - 5 that fit onto the hub's original bolts (where the lugnuts would go) - and 5 with their own locked-bolts to fit the wheel/lugs.
Google says: One of the dangers of using spacers is that it reduces the amount of threading meant for the lug-nuts. While that is not the case with this particular model, spacers move the center of rotation out and away from the suspension, which can have all sorts of negative repercussions on handling. Also, the extra fitting = a potential weakness / mobility in the joint. All I can say is that this spacer business is hopefully a temporary situation until I can afford new wheels.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
We might have time to do the rear Brembos today. There's a little bit of squish in the brake pedal so we need to bleed 'em again; so, the 'stopping' power doesn't impress me yet, I really have to put the pedal to the floor to full-stop. But the lack of resistance caused by my former clamped calipers, that's nice.
Coming back to the wheel situation, my boyfriend's got a set of Enkeis for me for the winter, which DO clear the Brembos. So, this'll be my setup until September, when winter returns. In three and a half months. 
All that being said, aesthetically, it looks great. All the Grrrrr !
But, I feel like guilty, like a mom who has no choice but to feed her kid junk-food:
- it's crap but there's nothing else available;
- funds are limited; and
- it's not good for them but the kids love it. :/
Pix to follow.
^ yep, can't say the Shoop sees any track time either... we kept the original hubs in front so I have an extra set.
and taking it real easy today.... at
