Evo 8/9 Brake Mods
When building an Evolution 8/9 into the car they've always wanted, many people will take different routes with modifications. Many people start at the engine, some begin with the suspension, and others make visual mods first. While there is no wrong way of doing it, one very important aspect of the ride that should not be left alone are the brakes. Here is a short list of items to consider upgrading from the braking system.
- Replacement Brake Pads
- Stainless Steel Brake Lines
- High Temp Brake Fluid
- Performance Rotors
But why are these so important to your Evo 8/9 build? It's simple. They allow your brake system to perform much better thanks to higher quality materials often passed up by the manufacturer due to cost. Below, we'll explain why each component is important, and why you need to install these parts! We offer a complete kit including all of the parts listed, so check out the MAP Stage 2 Evo 8/9 Brake Upgrade kit or give us a call for more information!
Evo 8/9 Brake Pads
The biggest piece of the braking puzzle, your brake pads provide friction to the rotational movement of the brake rotors, which effectively slow you down. As you can imagine, Evo 8/9 brake pads see a ton of friction and heat, and as a result suffer greatly from intense braking often associated with racing.
| Economy/Street | Street/Light Track | Heavy Duty/Track |
| StopTech or Magic Pad | Magic Pad or Girodisc S/S | Raybestos ST43 or Hawk DTC |
For performance Evo 8/9 brake pads, we recommend running a set of semi-metallic pads over ceramic and organic types. Semi-metallic Evo 8/9 pads are affordable and easy on rotors, with a decent lifespan:performance ratio in that they will provide optimal stopping power at high speeds over extended use. This type of pad is great for the daily driver who still see's a bit of action on the track.
Stainless Steel Evo 8/9 Brake Lines
Probably one of the most overlooked brake component, the brake line is responsible for bringing brake fluid to the calliper. Most of the static brakes lines on your car are steel, but at the wheels they transfer to rubber which allows for movement as you travel over obstacles. Heavy braking causes brake fluid to heat up, making this rubber soft and vulnerable to expansion. This can have an adverse effect on braking power and reliability.
| Economy/Street | Street/Light Track | Heavy Duty/Track |
| Techna-Fit Brake Lines | Goodridge SS Brake Lines | AMS Braided Stainless Lines |
Stainless Steel Evo 8/9 Brake Lines have a durable outer braiding that allows them to move as the wheel travels, but solid enough to prevent the inner teflon tube from expanding. The stainless steel braiding also protects the hose from cuts and damaging debris.
Evo 8/9 Brake Fluid
Driving in heavy traffic isn't as fun as ripping around the track with the pedal to the metal, but both can be just as damaging as the other in regards to brake fluid. Extreme braking (especially in hot conditions) can be hell on brake fluid. We wont get into the science behind it, but movement inside the brakes lines causes it to heat up, which is very dangerous and can lead to a soft brake pedal and unresponsive brakes!
| Economy/Street | Street/Light Track | Heavy Duty/Track |
| Motul RBF DOT 4 Fluid | Motul RBF DOT 4 Fluid | Motul DOT 5.1 Fluid |
The best way to remedy this is by replacing the factory fluid with a high quality, non-silicone based synthetic DOT4 approved fluid. These types of fluids all have a higher boiling range, which means they wont heat up and will provide much faster brake pedal response without the "spongy" feeling found with stock fluid. We recommend Motul fluids, and they're all we've used in our builds!
Evo 8/9 Rotors
By now you're probably noticing a common trend involving brakes and heat. The same can be said for Evo 8/9 brake rotors. Brake rotors see just as much heat as the pads, so it's important to keep them cool. Heat causes rotors to wear prematurely, warp, and in some cases even crack.
| Economy/Street | Street/Light Track | Heavy Duty/Track |
| Centric or Rotor Pro's | Powerslot or DBA Slotted | Girodisc 2-Piece or Racing Brake |
The best rotors come in either slotter, drilled, or both drilled and slotted patterns. These special patterns allow the rotor to remain cool under intensed driving conditions. While these patterns reduce heat quite well, they have an adverse feature of applying extra wear on the brake pads. It's best to chose a rotor based on your needs, otherwise you'll be replacing pads often.
