Gen 2 BRZ Owner Finds Huge Consistency, Confidence, and Durability Gains with AP/Essex Radi-CAL Brakes

Though the 2nd Generation Subaru BRZ looks drastically different, and has a larger more powerful engine, one of the items carried over from the previous chassis is a fairly basic braking system. For street driving, sliding calipers are able to get the job done adequately. When pushed hard during the course of an HPDE or other track event, however, they can offer inconsistent performance and be hassle to maintain. Our client Daniel tried the stock brake route during his initial track outings, but has found AP Racing by Essex brakes to be a significant upgrade in numerous ways!

Below is some feedback he recently provided on his experience with the kit so far:

Can you please provide the part number(s) of the kit(s) you purchased?

13.01.10148-ENP - AP Racing by Essex Radi-CAL Competition Brake Kit - CP9660 355mm

If you purchased a complete brake kit, can you please provide the brand, model, size, and offset of the front and rear wheels you’re running?

OEM wheel – 18x7.5 +48 without any spacers needed. Only modification was the stick on balancing weights could not be placed behind the wheel spokes.

Konig Ampliform – 18x8.5 +44 no spacers needed

Apex SM-10RS – 17x9 +48 no spacers needed

Your experience level & driving history

I used to track heavily and race from 2002 to 2012 and then “took a break” until 2022 when I purchased the BRZ.

Sebring International Raceway 40+ days, Homestead Miami Speedway 100+ days, Road Atlanta 2 days – Heading to Barber MSP this year as well.

How have our brakes changed your driving experience?

Original brake rotors would be dead after 2 to 3 track days as well as brake pads. The CP9660 caliper and 355x32mm rotor have dramatically extended service life. Pad sets last 8+ days and my first set of rotors lasted 16 days. Aside from component longevity, brake feel, performance and consistency are in a whole new league. Confidence under braking is MUCH improved.

Problems that the brake kit solved

Stock sized brakes would run too hot which posed a problem for fluid and caliper seals. Pedal feel would change from the beginning of the session to the end which was not very confidence inspiring.

Favorite product feature

Increased thermal capacity and quick pad change features. They are also beautiful!

Comparison to other products you’ve tried in the past

It seems that the BRZ/GR86 community is split on BBK vs no-BBK. In my use case, there is no way I’d ever go back to stock sized brakes. What used to be 2 to 3 brake bleeds a day has turned into not even having to worry about the brakes. They are there, all day, at all times. It allows you to focus on your driving rather than worrying about how the brakes will react this time.

Customer service by Essex before and after initial sale

Customer service from Essex has been great. From answering my SEVERAL questions prior to purchase to support afterwards to help me find better brake balance. Great TEAM!

Documentation and ease of install

Install was straight forward and instructions provided were on point. The only difficulty I found was the car’s fault as the OEM brake lines were coated in an anti-corrosion tar like material and the fittings were SUPER tight. One of the fittings ended up getting stripped which made for an interesting day. Again, Subaru’s fault, not Essex or AP.

Would you buy it again, and would you recommend it to a friend?

Yes, and I recommend AP an Essex to friends all the time.

Race or event wins on our brake kit

Started competing in NASA TT5 this year as well as the new TTT class. In my first event at Homestead this year I placed 2^nd in TTT on Saturday and 1^st in TTT on Sunday!