Brake job questions.

[Hollow]

My Outback is going to need brakes soon. The heavy rush hour traffic conditions demolish the front pads rather quickly, I'll be getting 25-30K out of this set.

The rotors are pretty badly rusted, and it costs little more to replace them than have the re-machined.

I'm considering doing the front and back at the same time, although the rears are at about 30-40% life left. Waste of money?

Is it better to have matching equipment on the front and rear when replaced, or would there be any problems with putting a lesser pad on the rears, as the vehicle is weight biased to the front.

Thinking of Centric Premium rotors (for their rust resistant coating) and either Akebono Proact or StopTech front pads, with a more budget oriented rear pad like Centric or PowerStop. Pads will be ceramic.

 

[exranger06]

I would just do the front, leave the rear alone for now.

 

[Donald]

Just the fronts. Akebono are excellent pads. I go for them or Wagner TQ. I have the Cebtric Premium rotors. I will look today for rust.

 

[pandus13]

my front pads lasted 34K from start to metal (same area, same traffic).

if your rotors are fused because of rust, before the "take a BIG HAMMER" faze, there is a video of an F-150 on youtube using some long screws and a few pairs of nuts.

try to use gloves if you like your hands without "cosmetic" additions.

probably change the fluid if you're there also.

 

[redhat]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Just the fronts. Akebono are excellent pads. I go for them or Wagner TQ. I have the Cebtric Premium rotors. I will look today for rust.


Good to know someone in NY is also running a similar setup. Just ordered and received Centric Premium Rotors and Akebono ProACT for all 4 corners of my '09 Accord.

 

[supton]

Won't hurt to do the rears, but no real good reason to do so, until they need replacement. That said, it'd be good to make sure the pads are sliding properly. Take the rears apart and make sure inner and outer pads are wearing evenly. And, I don't know about this car, but it seems the rear discs require a windup tool to push (twist?) the rear pistons back in. Can't push them in like on the fronts.

From what I've read, it's best to replace than to turn rotors these days. They make 'em thin to begin with, and as you've found, they do rust and wear. YMMV.

 

[threeputtpar]

The PowerStop pads may be more budget friendly, but they are far from a budget pad. I've got them on my A6, and they are better than the Akebonos they replaced at half the cost. I suggest Rock Auto as they must be closing out the PowerStop stuff because the pads for your car are cheaper than most of the rest.

The Centric Premium rotors are a good call. They're very good quality.

I'd agree with the other responses that there's no need to change the rear until they get to the minimum pad thickness, unless after you do the fronts you notice that the car really dips down in the front when you stop. That means that the rears aren't doing their fair share and should be changed.

 

[stephen9666]

I would echo what others have said. Leave the rears for now.

I would also add a couple pad to your list of possible choices. I too had the Akebono ProACTS as one of my top choices on my last brake job. You may also want to consider Bendix CT-3 pads. They're made in the US or Canada and many applications have a GG friction rating, which is quite good for a street pad. Mine also seem to have low dust, but I don't really care about dust that much.

Another option, if you've been happy with the OE pads, you could go with them again. I don't know how much they cost from a Subaru parts dealer, but there are two companies that also offer pads that claim to use the same friction formula as the OE pads.

Beck Arnley's 089 line are pads sourced from the OE manufacturers and spec'd with the same friction formula as the OE pads.

Centric also claims their 100 series pads use the same friction material as OE pads.

Here's a vido on the Beck/Arnely pads if you want to know more:

 

[tomcat27]

I have done over 100 brake jobs and my fave is Akebono for the fronts. no prob with lesser on the rear. personally, I would consider replacing the rear, just to get it over - but thats just me. at least pull them off and ensure the pads are wearing evenly. of course, at that point, why not replace the pads.

 

[GMBoy]

That was a good video. I like their business model!

 

[artificialist]

I would leave the rear brakes alone if they pass inspection. I do this on nearly every car I work on, and don't have problems.

Also, I would just throw out the old rotors when doing the job.

Since you live where there is road salt, I would prepare myself for needing replacement calipers.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
is road salt, I would prepare myself for needing replacement calipers.


This truly is a question of curiosity, but what do people do to calipers to get them to rust? Of all the cars we've owned over the years, we've yet to replace a caliper on a car. My truck is 20 years old on the original calipers, which operate normally. In fact, they aren't even rusty..

And yet I read constantly about people in salty areas replacing calipers every other year...

 

[Hollow]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: artificialist
is road salt, I would prepare myself for needing replacement calipers.


This truly is a question of curiosity, but what do people do to calipers to get them to rust? Of all the cars we've owned over the years, we've yet to replace a caliper on a car. My truck is 20 years old on the original calipers, which operate normally. In fact, they aren't even rusty..

And yet I read constantly about people in salty areas replacing calipers every other year...


Do you have a garage? Means to wash your car frequently during the winter?

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: artificialist
is road salt, I would prepare myself for needing replacement calipers.


This truly is a question of curiosity, but what do people do to calipers to get them to rust? Of all the cars we've owned over the years, we've yet to replace a caliper on a car. My truck is 20 years old on the original calipers, which operate normally. In fact, they aren't even rusty..

And yet I read constantly about people in salty areas replacing calipers every other year...


I question that also. What about the caliper is there that is rusty enough to warrant replacing the caliper? The pins can be cleaned or replaced.

 

[michaelluscher]

One of the few things in autodum that needs a Jeremy Clarkson school of thinking.

Need a bigger hammer...

 

[rjundi]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: artificialist
is road salt, I would prepare myself for needing replacement calipers.


This truly is a question of curiosity, but what do people do to calipers to get them to rust? Of all the cars we've owned over the years, we've yet to replace a caliper on a car. My truck is 20 years old on the original calipers, which operate normally. In fact, they aren't even rusty..

And yet I read constantly about people in salty areas replacing calipers every other year...


I question that also. What about the caliper is there that is rusty enough to warrant replacing the caliper? The pins can be cleaned or replaced.


I have had to replace two front calipers now on our turbo Legacy. I think a design defect(05/06 turbo Legacy/Outback) and my mechanic tried to clean the pins/slides etc to no avail. So unfortunately I recently I just had a rebuilt(single) installed for $120 parts and $45 labor.

 

[doitmyself]

All of the calipers I have serviced over the past 30 years here in Michigan have developed a rusty surface as shown in the pictures below. But, this has never been the cause or replacing the caliper, as it is only surface rust.

I always put a very thin coat of moly paste on any of the critical points of contact so they don't become pitted or deformed (pad contacts, hardware contacts, etc..). I did have problems with Escort calipers where rust would develop under the one piece slide pin boot and swell the boot, causing sticking. This was remedied by cleaning and grease application.

The only reason I have replaced calipers, usually after 100,000+ miles is when the piston chrome started flaking and pitting. DIY rebuild was almost as much as buying a good rebuilt unit from NAPA/CarQuest. And, at some point in time/mileage, one has to think that the internal rubber components of the caliper will wear and repair/replacement should be considered.

 

[supton]

I had to do rear calipers on my vw, one had a sticky piston, the other had a sticky parking brake. Fronts have been fine though. I do try to have brake flushes every two years, but the rear calipers still went.

 

[Hollow]

Parts ordered.

Rotors: Centric Premium.
Pads: Powerstop ceramic.
Speedbleeders.

Should be my Saturday project next weekend.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: artificialist
is road salt, I would prepare myself for needing replacement calipers.


This truly is a question of curiosity, but what do people do to calipers to get them to rust? Of all the cars we've owned over the years, we've yet to replace a caliper on a car. My truck is 20 years old on the original calipers, which operate normally. In fact, they aren't even rusty..

And yet I read constantly about people in salty areas replacing calipers every other year...


I question that also. What about the caliper is there that is rusty enough to warrant replacing the caliper? The pins can be cleaned or replaced.


I often find the pins rust so badly that they get stuck. Also, unbolting the calipers often means the head of the bolt simply shears off, even if penetrating oil is used.

The reason I don't know that much about road salt damage is because I have never lived where road salt is needed, and most of the year, I don't encounter cars that were driven on road salt.