XYZ Racing Hollow Front Brake Kit — Subaru FORESTER (1997-2003)

The SF-chassis Forester sits noticeably higher than the Impreza it shares its underpinnings with, and that raised centre of gravity loads the front axle considerably harder under braking. On the turbocharged S/tb models, 170bhp from the EJ205, the standard single-piston sliding calipers were already marginal on a fast forest road; ask them for repeated hard stops on a long descent and brake fade becomes something you notice in a hurry.

The XYZ Racing Hollow Front Brake Kit is a direct response to that limitation. It is a single-axle kit, a matched pair of front calipers and two-piece floating discs for the left and right corners, configured around how the car is actually used rather than defaulting to whatever compound was cheapest at the factory.

What this brake kit does for your 1997-2003 Subaru FORESTER

The step up in swept area and clamping force gives the front axle a more stable character under the hard braking the SF platform’s AWD drivetrain permits. The hollow-vane disc construction draws cooling air through the rotor body so heat sheds continuously, moving it away from the friction surface faster than the standard caliper allows and keeping pedal feel consistent across repeated braking events. The two-piece floating discs pair an aluminium centre bell with an iron friction ring, holding the disc true through repeated heat cycles and trimming rotating mass at the wheel. Less rotating and unsprung weight keeps the front end sharp and lets the suspension settle cleanly over the broken surfaces these cars often see.

Three pad compounds match the friction to the use. Street is the quiet, low-dust road default, improving initial bite without the cold-pedal penalty of a track compound on a car still doing daily mileage; Sport adds heat range for fast-road and the occasional track day; Racing is a full circuit compound that lifts the thermal envelope for stage or circuit work. Braided stainless lines are included for a firmer, more repeatable pedal than rubber hoses that swell under pressure.

About the Hollow Front Brake Kit

The hollow-vane design describes the disc’s internal ventilation. Cooling channels run through the rotor body and draw air across the friction surfaces while the wheel turns, so heat sheds into the airstream rather than soaking into solid iron. The bracket design is specific to the SF Forester’s front knuckle, not a universal adapter exercise. The calipers are hollow-body as standard for stiffness without excess weight, and the kit replaces the original front hardware as a left-and-right pair rather than installing alongside it.

Discs come drilled or slotted at the same price, so you can choose on looks or wet-weather feel. Included caliper finishes are Red, Yellow, Gold, Black and Anodized Black at no extra cost, with a Custom Color to any Pantone code for a small upcharge. Premium polished-forged finishes (Titanium, Polished Gold, Polished Silver) and candy finishes (Candy Teal, Candy Blue, Candy Red, Candy Orange) sit in a separate upgrade tier. Two-tone centre bells in five anodized colours, or a titanium bell, are selectable at checkout. For serious track use there is an optional Hollow Racing caliper, run without a dust cover, rated to 1000C and backed by a two-year warranty.

Fitment for the Subaru FORESTER (1997-2003)

This kit covers the first-generation Subaru Forester (SF chassis) across the full 1997 to 2003 production span, including the naturally aspirated EJ20 and EJ25 variants and the turbocharged S/tb models, and fits the front axle as a left-and-right pair. If the car has been fitted with non-standard front brakes at any point, a common modification on this generation given the original equipment’s fade limitations, confirm the existing knuckle hardware is still in its stock configuration before ordering.

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Pad compound, disc style and caliper finish are all selected when you order, so the SF Forester front kit ships built to your spec.