XYZ Racing Hollow Rear Brake Kit — Subaru FORESTER φ 265/ φ 171 (1997-2003)

The first-generation SF Forester carries its mass high and tail-heavy when loaded, an AWD turbo wagon that asks more of its rear axle than the factory rear discs were ever sized to give. On a quick B-road or a loose gravel section, those standard rears are the first thing to wilt once the heat builds. The XYZ Racing rear brake kit for the Subaru Forester (1997-2003) puts a larger 265mm rear disc behind the wheel to claw back that lost stopping authority.

This is a rear big brake kit, a matched pair of rear calipers and two-piece floating discs, aimed at owners running their SF Forester harder than Subaru intended: spirited road use, light track and gravel work, or simply restoring bite to a 20-plus-year-old wagon whose rear brakes are long past their best. With three pad compounds and a choice of caliper finishes, it is specced to match how the car is actually driven rather than sold as one-size-fits-all.

What this rear brake kit does for your 1997-2003 Subaru Forester

Moving up to the 265mm rear disc gives the SF Forester a longer thermal runway, so the pedal stays firm through repeated stops instead of going long after the third or fourth hard application. The larger rotor and uprated caliper restore rear-axle braking torque, which steadies the wagon’s tail under trail-braking and stops the nose diving as sharply into a corner. The two-piece floating disc trims rotating mass at the rear hubs, easing the load the AWD driveline carries as the wheels spin up and slow down. Choose the Street compound for road duty, the Sport pad for harder fast-road use, or Racing pads when the car sees circuit or gravel time; pedal character shifts with the choice. Across all three, the rear end finally matches the traction the symmetrical AWD system already puts down.

About the rear big brake kit

The XYZ Racing rear brake kit is a direct rear-axle upgrade built around a 265mm two-piece floating disc and a matched caliper. The hollow-vane internal structure of the friction ring cuts rotating and unsprung mass while keeping the swept area needed to shed heat, and the floating mount lets the ring expand under load without warping its alloy bell. Disc faces come drilled or slotted at the same price, chosen when you order. Three pad compounds are offered: Street for everyday driving, Sport for harder fast-road work, and Racing for track and gravel use. The caliper bodies are hollow-cast as standard, with an optional Hollow Racing upgrade for serious track use that removes the dust cover, is rated to 1000C and carries a two-year warranty. Calipers come finished in Red, Yellow, Gold, Black or Anodized Black at no extra cost, with a custom Pantone match available, so the kit can be colour-matched to a wheel or kept understated behind a closed design. It is sized for the SF-generation Forester’s rear geometry rather than adapted from another platform, which keeps fitment clean and the front-to-rear brake balance sensible.

Fitment for the Subaru Forester (1997-2003)

This kit is sized for the rear axle of the 1997-2003 Subaru Forester, the first-generation SF chassis, running a 265mm rear disc. It is a rear-position kit only, so it pairs naturally with a matching front big brake setup or goes in on its own to address the rear brakes specifically. Confirm your exact trim and wheel clearance against the disc and caliper dimensions before ordering.

What buyers also search for

• Subaru Forester rear brake upgrade for fast road and light track use
• 265mm rear big brake kit for the 1997-2003 SF Forester
• Subaru Forester rear brake kit with Street, Sport and Racing pad options
• Coloured caliper choices for the SF Forester rear axle: Red, Yellow, Gold, Black or Anodized Black
• Restoring rear braking bite to a high-mileage AWD Subaru wagon

Pick your pad compound and caliper finish for the rear axle and build your Forester’s brake kit from the options above.