Rear Brakes 97 Legacy

[Mark W. Martin]

have a 1997 Legacy GT Wagon with 110,000 miles on it and the rear brakes need to be replaced. I think I read somewhere that you need a special tool to remove the side with the emergency brake on it.

 

And should I replace or turn the rotors or can I get away with just replacing the pads.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thank you,

 

Mark

[WJM]

No special tool that I am aware of.

 

I would check the thickness of the rotors, and if they are over the min by a good bit, then have them turned and get new pads....I would also replace the fronts while you are at it.

[Mark W. Martin]

Thanks for the info WJM. I had just replaced the front pads about 30k or so ago.

 

I took the rims off for further inspection and could see that the driver’s side did not have as much wear as the passenger side. That was the side that the wear tab was touching on. Any idea why one side would wear faster than the other?

[gbhrps]

Mark,

 

If one side is wearing more than the other, you'll usually find that the pads on that side are sticking/rusted in their slide channels and can't entirely release when you take your foot off the brake pedal. They are constantly wearing since they are always in contact with the rotor. The only other thing it could be is that the piston in the caliper on that side is sticking, because it is slightly rusted in place and not releasing entirely. The first one is an easy fix, the second isn't bad either, depending on whether the rust on the piston and the caliper bore can be cleaned up with 0000 steel wool. If the piston is badly scored, it'll need replacing, the caliper maybe as well. Good luck!

[Mark W. Martin]

When I took off the pads on the worn side I did notice a small amount of rust on the end of the piston. It was however easy to push in with a big pair of channel locks.

 

 

When I install the new pads can I use a small coating of anti-seize compound on the ends of the pads and the portion of the piston that touches the back surface of the pad?

 

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

 

[gbhrps]

Mark,

 

Yes to both questions (I always do it that way), but go easy as you don't want heat buildup to have it run onto the pad surface.

[WJM]

yeah, use some good water/weather/heat proof grease on the channels and keep the pads able to move around and on the caliper so it can float like it was designed to do.

[idosubaru]

put new pads on. i wouldn't bother turning them unless you feel vibrations. i've had two 200,000 mile XT6's with the same rotors that were on the car when i got them at 75,000 and 105,000 miles. never had them turned and they never warped or vibrated. i replaced my front rotors on my XT6 at 220,000 miles last year eventhough they were fine, didn't vibrate and i never had them turned. one of the new ones i installed was warped!! go figure?

 

be sure you're loosening the brake cylinder cap when pressing the piston in, the fluid pressure needs to bleed off somewhere or the master cylinder could fail.

 

bleeding your brake fluid would be more beneficial than turnign your rotors in my oppinion.

[Mark W. Martin]

Thank's to all. They went on without a hitch and worked fine. That is until i blew the headgasket.