just saw the stoptech brake stage kits the other day, i was wondering if anyone has bought one of em. http://www.stoptech.com/cgi/Products.cgi
the kits with the rotors-i wouldn't really need them if i'm not doing track stuff, right? also, does anyone know if there are other aftermarket brake lines out yet? i know the axxis pads that are included in the kit sell for about $90 front and rear. that means the brake lines and the brake fluid costs $190. if the lines can be bought for like $140, is that brake fluid worth $50? sorry for all the questions. i just need to figure out what brake stuff to get-the tc brakes leave a lot to be desired imo.

 

I am running there brake kit on my car and they work great. It is the TRD kit (Made by Stoptech.) We run the same kit on our Celica race car.

 

That looks nice!

 

I find the stock brakes to be more than adequate for spirited driving. Going beyond spirited and into aggressive, then, yes I agree, they fall short as one would expect on any car short of a sports car designed for hard use. And the rear tends to get squirmish under hard braking at high speeds, but I'm not certain that's an element of the braking system itself. That said, the Stage 1/2 kits are ideal, in my opinion. It's pretty much exactly what I was going to do, minus caliper paint, in order to avoid dropping big $$$ on a big brake setup.

Back to your question, here's a price break down of the items when purchased individually.

Motul Brake Fluid x3 $39.00
SS Brake Line Set - $148.00
Axxis Ultimate F/R Pads - $125

Subtotal: $312.00

You could get the kit from ClubSciontc.com for around $265, so, I'd say that's a nice savings. If you're wondering if the brake fluid will help and if it’s worth that cost, then I would say yes, definitely. It has a higher wet and dry boiling points than the stock DOT3 and is ABS compatible. Going to DOT4, however, you'll have to watch over the fluid more closely. Read some of StopTech's articles on the differences between the fluids to find out more, they're very informative. Goodridge also manufactures SS brake lines but I don’t know if they a kit for the tC yet.

 

ok, cool. so i guess i'm gonna get that kit. can i install the lines myself or do i have to get someone to do it-bascially, is this a simple install? obviously i don't wanna be driving around one day and then suddenly realize my brakes don't work and i can't stop the car. that'd be kinda crappy. i really like the big brake kits too, the trd and the brembo i heard were really good, but they cost around $2000. the only one i would consider buying is the wilwood set because it's around $1000. since i'm not planning on doing any track driving i don't feel like wasting the money on something i don't really need-but, i do love the way those calipers look. decisions, decisions.

 

Yeah, the big calipers are sexy, but the prices.... ouch!. Especially for someone who will never even get good use out of them. For that "performance" look, I would recommend you paint the calipers. There are several kits out there, TireRack has a nice one that includes everything, even the caliper cleaner. That's pretty much what I plan to do, get a stage 1 or 2 (I was planning this before it was even a package) and painting the calipers. As for if you can install the SS lines yourself, I would say yes, go ahead. Since you're going to be changing the fluid anyway (you'll want to do a complete flush) go ahead and do the break lines. These lines don't run all the way to the master cylinder, so, don't worry about having to trace lines under the car into the engine bay or anything. Stoptech also has a nice article on changing the brake fluid, even w/o a pump. Their site is packed with great info. I know there's a Stoptech rep on these boards too, so, you may want to change the title of your post to something that might get his attention if you want him to chime in on this post. You could also just PM him directly. If you're still a little nervous about it, order a copy of the Service Manual. I would do that regardless, before doing any work on the car, as well. That way, you can see exactly what you'll need to do, and what tools you may need to buy, before you dive into the project. It's expensive, but well worth it. Having a physical paper copy of it makes it more convenient and accessible, imo too.

 

Big breaks are awsome

 

I'd be definitely interested in stage 1 kit!!! SS lines and good pads can make all the difference. And I really think TC's brakes feel a little mushy - sponge ...

 

i think the abs is a death sentence waiting to happen personnally

 

i couldn't agree more-the abs on the tc blows. it kicks in way too quickly. it engaged on me today just driving down the street at a stop sign. i wasn't going that fast or stopping that hard. if that happened at a traffic light i would've definetly nailed the guy in front of me. stupid abs.

 

The StopTech Stage kits are intended for street use. The pads that are included in the package will most likely fade given the harsh conditions of the track. We recommend changing to track pads for the track.

We also have a philosophy of if the rotors are not at their minimum thickness or if the cracks aren't big enough to hook a fingernail in, then you might has well run the rotors until they do reach that condition. So if you are looking for performance upgrade for the stock calipers, then the stage kits would be perfect.

The stage kits are a packaged deal. If you were to purchase all the parts individually, they would total than more of the stage kits.

The fluid in the stage kits has a high boiling point, so if you are ever out doing some spirited driving and you feel your pedal sink down the the floor, this will help prevent that.

I would recommend getting the stage kits through performancescionparts.com.

Clubsciontc is not an authorized reseller and therefore no warranties will be given whatsoever. The guys at performancescionparts.com are authorized resellers of StopTech products.

 

whered you get that carbon fiber kit

 

The widebody kit is from Import Trenz and the Hood and Hatch are from BBist.

Here is a link to pictures of the car.

http://www.airheartsales.com/hotchkistc.htm

 

i believe there is a group buy for the stage 1 wilwood kit(approx $1100) in a recent thread. I would rather buy that if i had the money.