Brake callipers sticking.

[hanzz]

When I jack my car up and spin the rear wheels, I can feel the pads/callipers not releasing. So I know i needs to take the pads out lightly sand them and lube them up. What I don't know is how the come off/out. Do they just snap in? set screw? I'm clueless..secondly when I lube them is there a certain type of lube I should use. I would think with all the heat that will get generated it would need to be non flamable???

Anyhelp would be great!

[Airgne]

you need to get a haynes manual before you start anything. read the brakes section.

its not hard to do. brake pads never fully release off you rotors

[Okin DaVanh]

you need to get a haynes manual before you start anything. read the brakes section.





This x's 100000000000000000000





Never play with your brakes or steering if you don't know fully how they work. With that said:



Anti-seize is good to use on the slider pins of the caliper, and your pads have a "lube" you can buy that is meant for them, at any local auto parts store. If they carry brake pads, they'll have the "lube" you're looking for.

[d1giPhux]

Don't let these guys scare you.. brakes are easy as tits. Just gotta make sure they are working before flogging the car down the highway at 100MPH and coming to a slamming-brake stop! :lol:

If you have a BD series subaru, check out my sig for the FSM (Factory Service Manual)

Here are a couple of DIY brake articles for you on subarus (yours will be the same pretty much):

http://www.weblumen.com/subaru/brakepads.html

http://www.clubwrx.net/forums/maintenan ... s-wrx.html (http://www.clubwrx.net/forums/maintenance-service-repair/5889-changing-brake-pads-wrx.html)

A couple of things. You don't need to take BOTH of the 14mm Bolts off the brake caliper.. you can leave one side and just slide it up if it allows you.

Then you pull the old brake pads out, use a C clamp and compress the pistons back into the brake caliper slowly till they are flush with the caliper, then stick the new pads in.. and rock out.

Don't forget to pump your brakes a couple of times before using them. DO NOT FORGET THAT!
--------------------
RECAP:

1. remove 14mm bolts (or just one) on the brake caliper.

2. Pull old brake pads out, and shims if your car has them. Clean shims off and inspect brake pads for un-even wear. Also inspect rotors just for fun. Remove the clips from the caliper as well if you have new ones (most brake pads come with new ones).

3. Use a C-Clamp to compress the caliper pistons back into the caliper housing so they are flush. This allows you to stick new brake pads into the calipers.

4. Install new brake pads w/brake grease on the back of them. Some new pads don't require this as they come with a 'anti-squeal' type material on the back.. but i always use a little just for good measure. You don't have to though.

5. Place caliper back on rotor and re-install the bolts that hold the caliper to the caliper bracket. Don't over tighten them.. just a tiny bit more then snug is fine.

I don't think your brake pads would be causing the calipers to be sticking however.. more than likely its the slide pins in the caliper. You could pull them out, and re-grease them.. may help. Thats just my opinion, if anyone feels different feel free to correct me.

There you go.. easy as all hell!

[Okin DaVanh]

LOL!! Easy for us that are familiar with brakes, but from reading his post.... it seemed as if he was a novice.

and you said:


Just gotta make sure they are working before flogging the car down the highway at 100MPH and coming to a slamming-brake stop! :lol:



How's he going to know, if he isn't familiar with the braking system? Though I'm glad you posted up those DIY's. Good read Digi :smt023

BTW, NO GREASE SHOULD BE USED ON BRAKES!

Grease sounds universal. I suggested using anti-seize (a compound).

[hanzz]

:grin: novice would be correct! I'm 17 so this is my first car, and I love working on stuff, and hate paying someone to do something I know I can do. I'm quite mechanical so I could probably jump into the brakes and figure it out...butt I also like learning the correct way which lead to me asking. Thanks for all those diy's! also thanks for the haynes suggestion, I have been thinking of getting one for some of the bigger jobs, so I might just start here! Thanksss!!!

[d1giPhux]

Yeah.. good call on that. I meant specifically 'BRAKE LUBE / GREASE' or whatever the hell they call it. The stuff you apply to the BACK of the brake pad / shims (if you have them). OBVIOUSLY do not be retarded and put any type of LUBE / GREASE / ANYTHING on the front of the brake pad that makes contact with the rotor (disc).

I assumed he was a novice too. Its really not that hard though. And once you do one of them, you will be thinking to yourself: 'wow.. i cant believe i've never done this before! Its so friggin easy!'

Here are some videos you can watch on youtube as well to get a general sense of an idea of what your doing:

This is a good one. Not on a subaru.. but close enough. Your pads will not have the same type of 'clips' or whatever that he bends out of the way. Also, it shows the slide pins which may be causing your problem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mB2-fk6nlg

Here is one ON a subaru.. but not as good. Also has removing the rotor, so he does a bit of extra stuff. Use this mostly as a view of a subaru brake system rather then following exactly what he does:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axSa9dWCcQo

BTW: what year is your car? Download the FSM in my SIG.. its the factory service manual and has everything about taking your car apart!

[hanzz]

Great thanks! I'll watch those videos! Ha about lube on front of the pad, I work in a bike shop and had a new bike tech come in and throw some lube on the front of the pad's because they were squeaky. I went to test the bike after for him to make sure all worked right not knowing he lubed the brakes. Well, they didnt work to well :shock: anyways won't be doing that on my car. btw it's an 01 outback

[d1giPhux]

Nice.. alright, we'll my FSM will be a bit different then your model of car.. since its mostly made for 95-99 Model Legacies. However, here is the FSM link to your car:

http://www.9500i.net/manuals/Subaru/Legacy/00/

Its the same as 2000 if I am correct. Either way.. there ya go!

Or if you want a torrent :

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5723

[hanzz]

Thanks for the link! That should help alot with a bunch of projects!

[Huffer]

If your calipers are sticking, you will need new "caliper slide pins" - buy them for a few bucks at the auto store.
If it's your caliper piston, you are better off buying a reman'd caliper.

[d1giPhux]

^ CAN you buy subaru caliper slide pins at any old auto store? I sort of doubt it. Just take yours out.. clean em off real good with brake cleaner, maybe use some super fine steel wool and go at em, then lube em up and put em back in.

Also.. if it is your caliper itself sticking, then yeah, I would go with a reman'ed one.. or just find someone parting out a car on here and get a cheap one!

[Airgne]

^ CAN you buy subaru caliper slide pins at any old auto store? I sort of doubt it. Just take yours out.. clean em off real good with brake cleaner, maybe use some super fine steel wool and go at em, then lube em up and put em back in.

Also.. if it is your caliper itself sticking, then yeah, I would go with a reman'ed one.. or just find someone parting out a car on here and get a cheap one!


yes you can its called ask for the hardware kit for you yr car.

[Okin DaVanh]

yes you can its called ask for the hardware kit for you yr car.



:smt044

[d1giPhux]

Didn't know they were all the same.

[Huffer]

I wouldn't have recommended it if I didn't know it/do it myself... you know me better than that!

[hanzz]

So, check calipers, if it's just the slides buy new slides. If its the calliper itself buy some new/reman'd ones. Anything else I should check while I got the wheels off?

[d1giPhux]

Check the condition of the rotors to see if there is any un-even wear which could also indicate a piston / caliper going bad, or un-even brake wear for some reason.

[ouch1011]

It should also be noted that disc brakes always drag a little bit. If you can spin the wheel without getting a hernia then they are probably OK. If it takes a LOT of force to spin the wheel, then yeah they are probably dragging. I've already had to replace both my front calipers for that reason. I should also note that it was the caliper pistons that were causing them to drag, not the guide pins.