2018 Subaru Forester 2.5 Premium brakes brand recommendations

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LmG7119

Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
47
Location
MN, USA
I'm looking for new rotors and pads for 2018 Forester premium 2.5
Rock Auto has black-coated rotors vs geomet-coating ones.
I live in the north Midwest. Do not drive much but want to make sure rust does not get to rotors too fast.
Something like POWER STOP CRK6082 vs CENTRIC 90947014 OE Coated(semi-coated) that have black centerpieces vs RAYBESTOS 1114H981787E3 Element3; Coated Rotors With Hybrid Technology Brake Pads. Have no clue what those "hybrid" pads are or mean.
PowerStop are the cheapest $240.59-65(rebate) total 175.59
RAYBESTOS front and rear set 246.29 total
CENTRIC set is 312.06 total
I used to use Zimmermann on my German cars. Those were just zinc-coated but I don't think they make any for foresters.
Any recommendation? I don't really like to go THE cheapest route.

Also. Rockauto shows sizes for my forester. Does my 2.5 Premium need 293mm vs 316mm size?
 
Nuclear_42 said:
About $589 for everything OEM. Why OEM? Because it’s an exact fit with zero question on performance or fitment. If your on a budget I understand. I don’t like to cheap on breaks period. I have a 2021 outback in Mn as well and have almost zero rust on mines.
Click to expand...
That is like twice as much as the most expensive one I showed. There is really no need to pay that much. Even if you get akebono pads( which is what Subaru uses) you can still get everything cheaper. You do understand that Subaru does not produce rotors, right?
 
I think the 293mm is the 2.5 non-turbo and 316mm is for the XT turbo, so you probably have the 293mmm front rotors :unsure:

Powerstop coated rotors are awesome :D

For you, it would be part #JBR1165EVC for the front and JBR1548EVC for the rear

Pair them with Pagid Silver ceramic pads, part numbers 355035601 for the front and I think it's 355035571 for the rear. Pagid lists two different part numbers for the rear depending on whether the rear brakes are from Akebono or NBK; so I looked up the part numbers on Subaru's parts site, and the OEM part number crossed to the number I listed.

And remember, don't forget the 5% discount code ;)
 
"Pagid Silver ceramic pads, part numbers 355035601" I checked it and it does not look like is valid for 2018 Forester. 355035571 is the right one for the rear.
Why not just do the POWER STOP CRK6082 kit?
 
LmG7119 said:
"Pagid Silver ceramic pads, part numbers 355035601" I checked it and it does not look like is valid for 2018 Forester. 355035571 is the right one for the rear.

Why not just do the POWER STOP CRK6082 kit?
Click to expand...

For the Pagid pads:
355035601 is for the front for the 2018 Forester 2.5. The list is long but it is there :D
Filter the pads for front only, and enter Pagid in the search bar. They will show up

Powerstop rotors are awesome, but their pads aren't that great. Pagid's pads are better, and they ship from the same warehouse as the Powerstop rotors.
 
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Powerstop coated rotors are supposedly real Geomet, if you believe them.

For friction I prefer dealer pads. The friction formulas and hardware are different for the dealer pads, even within Akebono.
 
The Critic said:
Powerstop coated rotors are supposedly real Geomet, if you believe them.

For friction I prefer dealer pads. The friction formulas and hardware are different for the dealer pads, even within Akebono.
Click to expand...

I've NOT had good results with Powerstop Rotors on my 17 OB. I'm in the Northeast and often travel to VT & NH in the winter. I've had 2 sets of Powerstop rotors (both coated) rust out really fast. I'm running NAPA Plat pads and rotors this time around and so far so good. Will know more after this winter. I've used Powerstop for a while but it seems to me the product is not as robust as it once was.

I'm with you on the dealer pads.
 
Powerstop Z23 were the worst of 4 sets I installed on a 2013 outback.

I like the raybestos element 3 line but I had to grind the pad ears for fitment.
I heard they recently cheapened the rotor coating though.

Next set will probably be raybestos with matching pads but I'm not married to them I'll evaluate my options at purchase time.
I definitely might use OEM pads as on subarus as the pad ears on aftermarket pads often dont fit well.

Also my most recent set installed-- front brakes on the 2020 elantra were Raybestos element 3 and no issues.
 
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Never have bought oem disks or pads for anything. Trucks are on duralast rotors and ceramics. No noise, they stop like new, and last a long time. I'd buy those powerstop ones, they're known to be good. oem isn't worth that premium.
 
LmG7119 said:
That is like twice as much as the most expensive one I showed. There is really no need to pay that much. Even if you get akebono pads( which is what Subaru uses) you can still get everything cheaper. You do understand that Subaru does not produce rotors, right?
Click to expand...
There truly isn't a reson to pay that much. Same as those that scoff at buying ngk plugs because muh oem but the oem plugs are just ngk plugs with the oem brand printed on them.
 
Nuclear_42 said:
About $589 for everything OEM. Why OEM? Because it’s an exact fit with zero question on performance or fitment. If your on a budget I understand. I don’t like to cheap on breaks period. I have a 2021 outback in Mn as well and have almost zero rust on mines.
Click to expand...
No rust so far is good! probably they switched suppliers or specs on them? Our OEM ones rusted pretty badly from the start, developed shudder if parked for more than a week, but it always went away. Front pads were at 2-3mm at 70k miles which is a record for fastest brake wear in my vehicles, but not bad I guess. Anyways I wasn't going to pay double for that again, but we'll see, so far the Centric ones have been just as good as OEM for a year, only 3 more to go to match the OEM.
 
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BISCUT said:
I've NOT had good results with Powerstop Rotors on my 17 OB. I'm in the Northeast and often travel to VT & NH in the winter. I've had 2 sets of Powerstop rotors (both coated) rust out really fast. I'm running NAPA Plat pads and rotors this time around and so far so good. Will know more after this winter. I've used Powerstop for a while but it seems to me the product is not as robust as it once was.

I'm with you on the dealer pads.
Click to expand...

Were you able to remove the Powerstop rotors without a hammer? Did they slide right off?

I've had them on an SJ Forester for 3 years in the northeast, and they are still holding up. There is some rust developing, but they're not completely rusted out. The rotors look like they will still slide off with no problem :)
 
BISCUT said:
I've NOT had good results with Powerstop Rotors on my 17 OB. I'm in the Northeast and often travel to VT & NH in the winter. I've had 2 sets of Powerstop rotors (both coated) rust out really fast. I'm running NAPA Plat pads and rotors this time around and so far so good. Will know more after this winter. I've used Powerstop for a while but it seems to me the product is not as robust as it once was.

I'm with you on the dealer pads.
Click to expand...
From the latest reviews, that is my impression. I think this is why they are the cheapest. Which napa ones are you riding?
 
Rand said:
Powerstop Z23 were the worst of 4 sets I installed on a 2013 outback.

I like the raybestos element 3 line but I had to grind the pad ears for fitment.
I heard they recently cheapened the rotor coating though.

Next set will probably be raybestos with matching pads but I'm not married to them I'll evaluate my options at purchase time.
I definitely might use OEM pads as on subarus as the pad ears on aftermarket pads often dont fit well.

Also my most recent set installed-- front brakes on the 2020 elantra were Raybestos element 3 and no issues.
Click to expand...
Do you know what those Hybrid Technology Brake Pads mean?
 
The last SJ I did I just used O'Reilly's best kit which is their Import Direct stuff. It seems the Import Direct gains you full coating vs just the hat on their Brakebest. No idea who makes the orange pads, but they work (shrug)

Typically ~$170 at the commercial level for the kit (retail looks to be ~$230)
 
This is what I came up with. I think this is very reasonable. Total $225.89. Let me know what you guys think.
1728050690332.webp
 
slacktide_bitog said:
Were you able to remove the Powerstop rotors without a hammer? Did they slide right off?

I've had them on an SJ Forester for 3 years in the northeast, and they are still holding up. There is some rust developing, but they're not completely rusted out. The rotors look like they will still slide off with no problem :)
Click to expand...
I was able to wack em a few times w rubber mallet. They weren’t frozen. They also weren’t the same quality as other Powerstop rotors I bought in the past. 2 sets so I don’t buy them anymore.
 
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