Stoptech ST60 Big Brake Kit Initial Impressions and Installation Tips
A big brake kit makes sense, but why Stoptech?
Well, one name pops up routinely around the paddock at any track day event, and that is Stoptech. The brand’s ST40 and ST60 big brake kits are very common sites at the race track, which is confidence-inspiring. Ultimately, the introductory ST40 kit, with it’s four-piston calipers, didn’t feel like enough of an upgrade for the cash. So, I went broke and bought the larger ST60 kit.
That said, everything in life is about balance. The Stoptech kit offers a medium price point product in the market. Brembo and AP are more expensive, and then brands, like Wilwood, are less so. Some people swear by AP, and Wilwood has some less than stellar reviews out there. Ultimately, the ST60 kit fits my goals, and offers a readily-available product with a lot of fast local drivers using them effectively.
The Stoptech ST60 big brake kit for my BMW 135i includes the following:
- Two-piece Stoptech Aerorotors, 355×32
- Two Stoptech ST60 six-piston calipers
- Stoptech stainless steel brake lines
- Caliper adapter mounting brackets
- Stoptech street performance brake pads
Installation
Installing the ST60 kit is a piece of cake, overall. Removing the OEM brakes is a matter of loosening the caliper fasteners, and, removing the caliper brake line from the chassis hard line and then pulling the calipers off. From there, remove the rotor set screw and pull the rotor off. Now, it’s just a matter of bolting Stoptech’s caliper adapter bracket to the hub assembly, putting the new rotor on the hub and then sliding the caliper over the rotor and bolting it down to the bracket.
That said, I ran into one issue during the installation. There is a relief cut into the back of caliper that should provide room for the bracket bolts and fasteners to sit. The relief is slightly undersized meaning that there isn’t enough room for a standard sized socket to grab onto the fastener. I almost rounded off one of them during assembly when the socket slipped. Thin-walled sockets are a requirement for this.
Brake pad installation and changes are a breeze and only require a 5mm allen key. There is a removable bridge on the back of the caliper. Remove the four allen-head bolts from the caliper and the bridge can be pulled out. Brakes just slip-in from that access point. Piece of cake.
Continue reading about the Stoptech ST60 big brake kit.
