Brake Pad opinions

[cap86]

I've been paying my local Subaru Guy (Happy & satisfied for many years) for routine maintenance & replacement jobs however at this time I need to save some money and take on things like axles brakes mufflers etc. myself. I'd like to avoid some of the common mistakes & get it right the first time.

 

Is there a big difference in cost of pads from Subaru vs. Auto parts houses? do you get the right clips with them? how about those flat & smooth surface plates that go between the pads and the caliper? Do you need to get them from Subaru?

 

Not looking for performance or anything special, just a nice balance of cost, longevity, & quietness

 

Also the rotors, any plusses and minuses between Subaru and others? is there a big difference in cost?

[4x4_Welder]

That is what auto parts houses are there for- I usually run mid-grade semi-metallic pads, they seem to hold up the best but do wear the rotors a little faster.

 

Usually those pads are about 60-75% of the cost of the dealer ones, and either come with the springs and shims or those are available for fairly cheap separately.

[davebugs]

What year/model?

 

I buy name brand good quality. Bendix, Wagner(more available locally what I mostly use), even Coni-Seal on my personal car because I needed them in a hurry and they have been working well.

 

Never done ceramics.

 

Terrible few experiences with Advance Silver's on Suby's (whne I needed pads in a hurry).

Edited May 18, 2009 by davebugs
typing abilities

[idosubaru]

brakes are VERY easy to do yourself. axles and mufflers can be much trickier if you have rust and old/seized parts to deal with. brakes are simple on Subarus, this is a great place to save cash and money and typically you can do a better job than a mechanic.

 

rotors - don't replace those unless they're vibrating or have issues. if driven and maintained properly i've actually put 200,000 miles on cars without ever changing the rotors.

 

as far as pads i've yet to have any bad experiences. the worst i've had is the cheapest pads tend to wear very quickly, but i haven't had that happen on any of my subarus. personally i'd recommend avoiding the cheapest, and get a medium grade or high grade pad from your store of choice.

 

be sure to remove the master cylinder cap when compressing the piston

be sure to grease the caliper slides.

 

Subaru has an online article, referenced in another thread, about filing any pads that are a tight fit. Read that, as it's a common problem across all cars and pads.

['84 Flat-Four]

That is what auto parts houses are there for- I usually run mid-grade semi-metallic pads, they seem to hold up the best but do wear the rotors a little faster.

 

Usually those pads are about 60-75% of the cost of the dealer ones, and either come with the springs and shims or those are available for fairly cheap separately.

 

I agree completely... but also want to add that I have found the clips missing from the sets in the auto parts stores. Hold onto the ones you got and just re-use them (I know this now... )

[NorthWet]

...be sure to remove the master cylinder cap when compressing the piston...

As with many disc brakes that also incorporate the parking brake, the front disks' pistons on pre-Legacy Subarus are compressed by screwing the piston into the caliper. A special, simple tool makes this easier. You also need to align the slots on the piston with the pin on the pad; if not, installation will be difficult, and the results will range from unpleasant to dangerous.

 

None of this is the least bit difficult to do, you just need to know the little quirks.

 

I, also, stick with the mid- to high-end offerings from name brands (Raybestos, Bendix, et al). I have never bought pads or rotors from the dealer, so I have little knowledge of pricing differences.

[mudduck]

On the front a usually go with the mid priced pads. Not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either. The drums I have always gone with cheaper shoes.