Brake questions (Brat with rear disks)

[Flowmastered87GL]

Well I am still trying to button up what needs to be completed on my BRAT.

 

Afew questions:

 

I have the rear end partly taken apart right now because I am installing longer brake lines to the rear disks (because of the lift, dont wanna stretch anything, so I am using the hardlines from the stock drums)

 

Anyway... I got new pads for all 4 corners of the brat today at Autozone. Also got some brake cleaner.

 

I need to bleed the brakes also because the lines were removed on all 4 corners.

 

Now... the questions start.

 

I know I SHOULD get all the rotors turned but do I HAVE to??

After I get the second brake line bolted on what do I do next? Install all 4 corners of pads and THEN bleed all the brakes?

 

Or do I do the rear pads then bleed the rears (I do know you start bleeding at the farthest from the master cylinder) then tranfer the jackstands up and do the front?

 

Should I do a anything with the calipers? I saw a tub of caliper grease at autozone, but didnt buy it.

[LUVMYBRAT]

turning all rotors will get the longest life of new pads, it will also decrease the possiblity of the rotors glazing which can cause a premature failure and also that everpresent squeal, it's worth the $ to do it if you want to get your moneys worth out of the parts you put on.

 

Install all pads at all corners then bleed, you have to compress the pistons in the calipers when installing new pads(they're thicker) so if you were to bleed front or rear seperatly after doing pads you would be doing twice the labor as necessary. ther is also a specific subaru bleed seqence, you bleed opisite corners because of the proportioning valves and the way there set up.

 

caliper grease is there to keep the pads wearing evenly, it helps the caliper slide on its mount bracket when applying brake pressure so that both pads apply the same amount of pressure to each side of the rotor, not using it can possibly lead to the caliper binding and putting more pressure on one side then the other, which in turn will wear out pads faster.

 

REMEMBER:Brakes are a SAFTEY ISSUE what do you trust your life too?

DONT SKIMP ON SAFTEY! Your life depends on it!

[Turbone]

And dont forget that Subaru calipers dont compress in, they screw in CW.

[mcbrat]

the rear calipers push in though.... no slots to turn them... although the way I pushed them in, they could have been turning I suppose.....

[JWX]

I wouldn't turn the rotors; ever, bad thing to do if you ask me. now scuff them up with some sand paper or get new ones

[mcbrat]

I just always get new ones. sometimes for just slightly more than the cost of turning them, I find 'em on eBay.....

[Flowmastered87GL]

Ok... working on the rear right now... ran both brake lines... installed pads on one side, all is well... but... cant get the caliper piston go go back in... wont rotate or anything! do I have to open the bleeder screw or something to get it to move??

 

 

Also... the clips that hold on the stupid pads... 2 of them are toast... so now the ONLY place to get them is off my parts trailing arms (destined for my GL) OR from SUbaru... so I need to yank the used clips off my parts, use em on the brat then get new genuine subaru brakes for my GL so I can get replacement clips... Ugh... its never gonna be done!

[baccaruda]

i think you only have to rotate the caliper piston if the caliper has anything to do with the e-brake. so old subie rear calipers should be push-innable. the e-brake actuates with an internal screw-type mechanism which is why an e-braked caliper has to be screwed back in. clockwise as rob said!

 

rotors SHOULD be turned because if they're smooth then 100% of their surface area can grab the brake pad. if they're glazed they won't work right, and if they're warped, then they'll only grab the brake pad on the "high" spots, and either of those conditions can cause your brakes to squeal. also, warped rotors only get worse, and reduce your brakes' stopping ability. If you feel them and they feel smooth (if you have to ask if it feels uneven, then it IS) you could get away with turning them every other brake job.

 

my favorite tactic is to go to the JY, get an extra set of good looking front rotors, and have them turned before you do your brake job so you have some ready to go, less down time for the car that way. then you just rotate which set you use each time. i only do this with front rotors as the backs aren't serviced often enough to warrant the space and cost of another extra pair. get some extra clips too!

 

the bleed pattern is front left, rear right, front right, rear left, i believe. i keep a turkey baster in the toolbox for removing some brake fluid from the MC before i reset the pistons. yes, opening the bleeder screw can help.

 

some calipers come with metal shims that adhere to the backs of the pads, some don't. I usually buy pads from Napa, and they include the shims. i have a tube of orange brake goo from CRC that acts the same way if I get pads with no shims.

[mcbrat]

and the little pad holder clips can be had aftermarket. tough to find, but my import partsplace was able to find them.

[Flowmastered87GL]

Hook a brotha up!

 

I'll take a set of 4 of those clips if you can get em plus some $$ for your trouble. PM coming your way.

 

Oh and Craig showed me what I was doing wrong with the rear calipers... I had to put a pad on em and used a C clamp to slide em back in. So one corner is done (other than bleeding)