BlueSubie

sounds like my crappy sidepull brakes on my old ten speed! very good advice and it may apply to my rotor/pad problem, thanks!!!

great questions to ask this mechanic, many thanks!!!

interesting! didn't know about the plates, i'm assuming the pads are non-subaru but this is good to know to re-address problem, thanks!!!

cool, will look for it in stores and ask the mechanic, thanks!!!

my first usmb post, thanks for any help on this! for my recently purchased 97 outback, the situation is that i have had a mechanic install new rotors and pads dec 2005 and when braking, the front wheels/brakes make a substatial creaking noise that is fast and high pitched at higher speeds and slower, lower pitched and almost comical noises as the car rolls to a stop. the mechanic has re-addressed the problem three times and has sanded down the rotors some to see if that works but no solution. totally weak. it doesn't seem to be an issue of correct placement/alignment and there is no history of this ever before on this car. another mechanic told me that the stock rotors that come in an unmarked white box and stock pads i bought are of dubious quality. to me, new parts should do what they are designed to do and shouldn't be an issue, right??!! other than going to a new mechanic and asking to replace with top of the line parts, any other thoughts or advice? thanks!