Alcon Big Brake Kits for Subaru WRX, STI & BRZ

Subaru & 86 Platform Coverage

WRX & STI (all generations 1992–2024+):

• GC (1992–2001): Classic 1st-gen Impreza WRX — front kit available, suits restored/built cars
• GD (2001–2007): Bug-eye, blob-eye, hawk-eye — front 343/355/380mm options
• GR/GV (2008–2014): 3rd-gen widebody hatch + sedan — front and rear kits available, classic STI Brembo replacement
• VA (2015–2021): 4th-gen WRX and STI — front and rear kits, the volume STI Brembo upgrade target
• VB (2022+): Current WRX — front kit available, suits owners chasing real brake performance vs the factory 2-pot

BRZ & Toyota 86/GR86 (all generations 2012+):

• BRZ ZC6 (2012–2020): 1st-gen BRZ — front and rear kits
• BRZ ZD8 (2022+): 2nd-gen BRZ — front and rear kits, same fitment as ZC6
• Toyota 86 ZN6 (2012–2020): 1st-gen 86 — shared fitment with BRZ ZC6
• Toyota GR86 ZN8 (2022+): 2nd-gen GR86 — shared fitment with BRZ ZD8

Wheel Clearance Guide:

• 343mm rotor: 17" or larger wheels (the original-classic-wheel-size option for owners keeping factory 17s)
• 355mm rotor: 18" or larger wheels (the volume choice)
• 370mm/380mm rotor: 19" or larger wheels (track-focused builds)

Verify against the Alcon fitment template before ordering — wheel design and offset matter as much as diameter. BBK kits are built to order and not returnable for wheel clearance issues.

Why the Subaru WRX, STI and BRZ Need Brake Upgrades

The Subaru performance lineup has a brake problem that splits cleanly across the range — but every chassis has a meaningful reason to upgrade.

1. Factory WRX/STI Brembos are aging. The GD STI's Brembo 4-pots were excellent when new in 2002. They're now 20+ years old in many cases. Seals are hardened, pistons are sticking, factory rotors have been replaced multiple times. The same applies to GR/GV STI Brembos (15+ years) and even VA STI Brembos (now 4-9 years old) on hard-driven cars. Brembo caliper rebuilds are expensive enough that the Alcon BBK upgrade often makes more sense than throwing money at factory hardware reaching end of life.

2. WRX VA (2015-2021) factory front was a single-pot floating caliper. Unlike the STI, the WRX VA shipped with a dual-piston floating caliper on a 316mm rotor — adequate for stock-tune road use, deeply inadequate for serious track work or tuned cars making 300+kW. The Alcon BBK represents a transformational upgrade rather than a marginal improvement.

3. WRX VB (2022+) factory brakes are improved but still cast. The current AU-spec WRX uses 2-piston cast aluminium calipers on larger 330mm rotors. Better than VA, but still cast construction with single-piece iron rotors — meaning the same heat-soak and warping issues that affect every cast-caliper hot hatch on track.

4. BRZ and Toyota 86/GR86 factory brakes are notoriously undersized. The shared BRZ/86 platform's factory brakes are sized for street use and a 2.0L (later 2.4L) naturally aspirated motor — adequate from new, completely inadequate for serious track use. This is why every BRZ/86 Time Attack car in Australia runs upgraded brakes from day one. The Alcon BBK is the proven solution.

5. STI Brembo rebuilds aren't cheap. Genuine Subaru/Brembo rebuild kits, plus the labour to rebuild aging calipers, plus replacement rotors — easily $1,500-$2,500 to bring 20-year-old STI Brembos back to factory spec. For not much more, an Alcon BBK gives you better hardware than factory, with modern construction that won't suffer the same age-related issues.

The Alcon BBK addresses all of these: motorsport-derived caliper construction, 2-piece floating rotors that don't warp under sustained heat, modern seals and pistons that won't deteriorate over time, and engineering specifically validated against Subaru's hub geometry.

Front Kit Options — WRX, STI & BRZ

CAR97 MONO6 — The Volume Choice

The workhorse Alcon front kit for the Subaru range. Cast monobloc construction, 2-piece floating rotors, direct bolt-on to factory hub geometry across all WRX/STI/BRZ generations.

• Caliper: Alcon CAR97 MONO6 — 6-piston monobloc, gravity die cast aluminium, ZG-spec pistons (30.2 / 34.9 / 38.1mm)
• Rotor options: 343mm × 32mm (17" wheels), 355mm × 32mm (18" wheels), 380mm × 32mm (19" wheels)
• BRZ/86 specific: 370×36mm rotor option available for tighter-clearance wheels
• Bell finish: Black anodised or silver anodised
• Compatibility: Direct bolt-on, works with OEM ABS, OEM master cylinder, and factory rear brakes
• Best for: Daily-driven WRX/STI/BRZ, street + occasional track days, owners replacing aging factory Brembos with better-engineered modern hardware

CAR89 TA6+ Forged — The Track-Day Choice

For Subaru owners pushing the car harder. Forged aerospace-grade billet aluminium construction, dust-sealed for street use, lighter and more heat-resistant than cast.

• Caliper: Alcon CAR89 TA6+ — 6-piston forged aerospace-grade aluminium, radial mount
• Piston sizes: 27.0 / 31.8 / 38.1mm staggered configuration
• Pad thickness: 18mm (deeper pad capacity than CAR97)
• Best for: Regular track day Subarus, Time Attack builds, owners running serious power who need forged construction's thermal headroom

CRB343 — The Race-Only Caliper

For dedicated track WRX/STI/BRZ builds — Alcon's 4-piston radial-mount race caliper. Non-dust-sealed, not suitable for street use, but the right answer for cars that only see the track.

• Caliper: Alcon CRB343 — 4-piston radial mount, B-type
• Construction: Aluminium pistons standard, stainless steel optional
• Weight: 2.4kg dry per caliper
• Applications: Rally, Group N+, Touring Car, General Race use
• Critical warning: NON DUST SEALED — track use only. Not suitable for street-driven cars.

Rear Kit Options

Subaru rear kit options pair naturally with the front choices:

• CAR98 MONO4 (rear, paired with CAR97 front): 4-piston monobloc, gravity die cast aluminium — same construction philosophy as CAR97. Available with 343mm/355mm/380mm rotor options for WRX/STI, 355mm/380mm for BRZ/86
• CAR49 TA4+ (rear, paired with CAR89 TA6+ front): 4-piston forged radial mount — the daily-usable version of Alcon's CAR49 race caliper. See our dedicated CAR49 / TA4+ collection
• CAR36 Street (rear, alternate option): 4-piston two-piece P-type — alternative street rear pairing

Pad Compound Selection

Pad compound selection matters as much as caliper choice on the Subaru range. The WRX/STI's weight (1450-1550kg depending on generation) and the BRZ/86's track-focused usage pattern both demand pad compounds matched to intended use. Chicane stocks the full DIXCEL range across street, street/track and dedicated motorsport compounds — all designed to work with Alcon's caliper geometry.

• Daily driving + spirited road: DIXCEL Z-Type or M-Type — strong initial bite from cold, low noise and dust, reasonable wear for daily use
• Daily + occasional track days: DIXCEL ES-Type — higher operating temperature range, more aggressive bite under load, still street-usable
• Dedicated track / Time Attack: DIXCEL R-Type or RA-Type — race-spec compounds, not suitable for cold-pad street use

See the full DIXCEL collection for vehicle-specific pad sets, or get in touch and we'll spec the right compound for your build and intended use.

Build Path — Where Brakes Fit

Stage 0 — Aging factory Brembos (STI GD/GR/GV/VA). If your STI's factory Brembos are showing their age (sticking pistons, hardened seals, scored rotors, soft pedal), the Alcon upgrade is often the smarter long-term play vs rebuilding 15-20 year old factory hardware. Modern construction, modern seals, won't suffer the same age-related issues.

Stage 1 — Track-day BRZ/86 owner. The factory brakes are this platform's biggest weakness on track. Even modest track use generates fade fast. The CAR97 front + CAR98 rear kit transforms the car's track behaviour. This is the most common BRZ/86 Alcon configuration.

Stage 2 — Tuned WRX VB / VA (200+ kW wheels). Once you've added supporting mods and a tune pushing the EJ257 or FA24 harder, the factory brakes start running out of thermal headroom. CAR97 front kit minimum to keep pace with the additional power.

Stage 3 — Built motor STI / Time Attack BRZ. At serious power levels or dedicated track use, move to CAR89 TA6+ front + CAR49 TA4+ rear. Add race-spec pads, motorsport brake fluid.

Stage 4 — Dedicated competition cars. CRB343 or CAR89 Motorsport (race-only, non-dust-sealed) for cars that don't see street use. The platform regularly competes in Group 3E Production Car Australia categories where these calipers earn their place.

Completing the Subaru Build — Supporting Modifications

The Alcon BBK handles braking. For the rest of the build, pair with the Chicane Australia Subaru range:

• Cooling — WRX/STI: KOYORAD WRX/STI aluminium radiator — direct-fit upgrade across GD/GR/GV/VA chassis (manual transmission only)
• Cooling — BRZ/86: KOYORAD 86/BRZ/GR86 aluminium radiator — covers both manual and auto, ZC6/ZD8/ZN6/ZN8 chassis
• Pads: DIXCEL compound options across street, street/track and motorsport
• Replacement rotors: Paragon Performance 2-piece replacement rotors for factory caliper compatibility or service replacement rings for the Alcon 2-piece system
• Suspension: Hardrace control arms, bushings and supporting suspension components — Subaru-specific applications across all generations
• Exhaust: KORSH WRX/STI exhaust components
• Engine internals / valvetrain (EJ20/EJ25/FA20/FA24/BOXER): Tomei Powered for cams, manifolds and motorsport-grade engine components

Sourcing & Lead Times

The Alcon Subaru kits are built-to-order with caliper colour, pad compound and bell finish selected per order. Typical lead times: 2-4 weeks for standard configurations (silver caliper, DIXCEL street or street/track compound), 4-6 weeks for custom colours or race-compound pads. We hold inventory of the most-requested Subaru configurations — get in touch before ordering and we'll confirm current lead time.

Alcon Subaru WRX, STI & BRZ — Frequently Asked Questions

Does the same Alcon kit fit GD, GR/GV and VA STI?
Yes — Subaru kept the front hub geometry consistent across the GD/GR/GV/VA generations of WRX/STI, which is why the same Alcon kit fits all four. Only the rotor size and caliper specification are configured per buyer preference and intended use. The GC (1st-gen Impreza) uses a different hub and has its own dedicated kit. The VB (2022+) also has its own dedicated bracket due to the larger factory rotor size.

Will the Alcon kit fit my STI Brembo 17-inch wheels?
Yes — the 343mm rotor option is specifically designed to clear 17-inch wheels, including factory STI 17-inch wheels and most aftermarket 17s. This is the right choice for owners who want to keep their factory wheels. For 18-inch wheel owners, the 355mm option is the volume choice. For 19-inch wheels, the 380mm option is available for track-focused builds.

Does the same kit fit BRZ and Toyota 86/GR86?
Yes — Toyota and Subaru jointly engineered the BRZ/86 platform with shared hub geometry. The Alcon kit for the BRZ ZC6 also fits the Toyota 86 ZN6, and the BRZ ZD8 kit also fits the Toyota GR86 ZN8. Same kit, same fitment, same configuration options.

I have a WRX (not STI) — can I run the same Alcon kit?
For the GR/GV and VA generations, yes — Subaru used the same hub geometry on WRX and STI variants, so the same Alcon kit fits both. For the VB current WRX, there's a dedicated bracket. Note that base-spec WRX models came with smaller factory brakes than STI variants, so the upgrade is more transformational on a WRX than an STI.

Will the Alcon kit work with my factory rear brakes?
Yes. The Alcon front BBK is engineered to maintain factory brake bias when paired with the OEM rear brakes — the standard configuration for owners doing front-only upgrades. For owners who want a complete front+rear upgrade, the Alcon rear kit options pair natively with the front kits (CAR97 front + CAR98 rear, CAR89 TA6+ front + CAR49 TA4+ rear).

Should I rebuild my aging STI Brembos or upgrade to Alcon?
Both are valid. STI Brembo rebuilds (genuine kits + labour + replacement rotors) typically run $1,500-$2,500 to bring 15-20 year old hardware back to factory spec. Alcon BBK upgrades start around $3,500-$4,500 depending on configuration — for not much more cost, you get better hardware than factory, modern construction that won't suffer the same age-related issues, and significantly more thermal capacity. For STIs that see track use, the Alcon path is generally the better long-term investment.

How quickly can you source an Alcon Subaru kit in Australia?
Standard configurations typically ship 2-4 weeks from order. Custom-colour builds and race-compound pad options run 4-6 weeks. We hold inventory of the most-requested Subaru configurations — confirm current lead time before ordering and we'll verify wheel clearance against your specific wheels.