Brake Pad Replacement Walkthrough?

Is there a walkthrough for replacing brake pads....I searched but didnt come across anything for basic factory brake pad replacement. I'm sure its out there, I must have overlooked it

I'd ask a friend and watch the first time.

 

Very basic?

Jack up car

Remove wheel

Unbolt brake line from strut

Loosen one caliper bolt

Remove other bolt

Rotate caliper to gain access to pads

Remove pads

Push the caliper piston back to allow new pad to be inserted, do it carefully

Install in reverse order

 

edit: that is for the fronts, rears involve a bit more because of the parking brake

I've watched video walkthroughs for other cars, but I was hoping to find something Legacy specific so I know what I'm looking at before I start taking stuff apart. I figure its just a pair of rear pads and it shouldnt be that hard; seems ridiculous to pay $100 to have a shop do it.

$100 might be worth it one time if you could sit there and watch.

WCBJR hit it pretty well, I'd just add that you should slather a brake-quieting grease onto the pad backing plate (not on the brake pad friction surface) prior to re-installing.

 

Front brakes are one of the easiest jobs you can do. I haven't done them on the LGT yet, but on most cars all you need is:

 

Jack & Jack Stands

Tire iron to remove lug nuts (and torque wrench to re-install them correctly)

Socket and ratchet to remove one caliper bolt

Brake pads and brake grease

http://www.hspn.tv/?videoid=44&catid=1

 

This video is for an STI w/ Brembos, but the process is pretty much identical.

http://www.hspn.tv/?videoid=44&catid=1

 

This video is for an STI w/ Brembos, but the process is pretty much identical.

 

Actually, the process for Brembos is much, much different than with our stock brakes- we don't have the simple access by removing the retaining clip and simply pulling the pads out. It's really not similar at all...

 

For our sliding calipers, you have to do what's outlined above- remove one of the sliding caliper bolts, rotate the caliper up and away from the pads, and replace the pads. If your rotors are worn/grooved, it'd be a good idea to remove the rotors and have them turned (or replace them if they have a lot of miles).

I find it surprising that this site, which is a valuable resource, does not have this information.

I find it surprising that this site, which is a valuable resource, does not have this information.

 

Post #2 has it up above.

I just did it tonight for my front pads as a learn-as-i-go experience. First one took about 90 minutes, second one took about 30. Ill try to post pictures later

 

1: block wheels if necessary to keep the car from rolling, jack up car, support with jack stands.

 

2: Remove wheels (it may help to loosen the lug nuts while the car is on the ground)

 

3: Unscrew clip that holds brake line to the strut

 

4: For fronts: remove the bolts that hold the caliper to the bracket (14mm head)

 

5: Remove caliper, do not allow it to hang from the brake line, set it on a tool box or something. Note where the clips are on the old brake pads and remove the pads.

(at this point you can take the caliper bracket off by removing the bolts with the 17mm heads and remove the rotors, it might be a good idea to have them turned so the new pads are making good contact with the rotors. if the rotors are stuck on, evenly screw in an M8 bolt to each of the 2 holes in the caliper. You can find one of these bolts on each of your radiator mounts)

 

6: Reinstall the rotor and caliper bracket if they have been removed. Torque the 17mm bracket bolts to 51-65 lb-ft.

 

7: Install new pads in reverse order of removal. I've heard to add some kind of lubricant but im not sure where to put it. Use a small screw driver if necessary to get some of the retainers/clips out of the way, and make sure the new pads fit flush against the rotor.

 

8: I didnt have a clamp, or any luck at all trying to push the pistons back into the caliper, so i had to unscrew the bleeder bolt (attach a hose first), and use an old brake pad to push them back in all the way. Tighten the bleeder when this is done.

 

9: Slide the caliper over the pads (making sure they are still flush against the rotor). Reinstall 14mm bolts, torque to 32-42 lb-ft. One of these bolts went bad on me and stretched past it's yield point, so be careful if it keeps turning and doesn't tighten like it should.

 

10: You'll need a friend to help you bleed the brakes.

 

11: Bolt wheels on, torque lug nuts to 89 lb-ft. Lower car off stands.

 

12: Bed in brake pads using whatever method you feel is right for you.

 

 

Sorry for no pics, steps only for front brakes/shitty directions. I'm tired. I'll try to fix it later.

You can use the old brake pad and a thick screw driver for leverage to push the piston back in.

 

89lb-ft for lug nuts is rather high. It is supposed to be ~65lb-ft. I've always used 70lb-ft

I removed my pads without noticing where the clips on the pads are facing. How important is the clip orientation? can someone with a 2006 OBXT with stock brakes take a look and let me know which way the clips are facing? Thanks.

89lb-ft for lug nuts is rather high. It is supposed to be ~65lb-ft. I've always used 70lb-ft

 

Legacys up to '04 (and pretty much all other subarus) took around 60-72lb-ft, newer ones have a higher torque value. This is going by a chart that a lot of shops have hanging on their wall.

There's no reason to pull the entire caliper (unless you want to inspect the rotors closely). Just remove the lower bolt and it pivots up on the upper bolt.

 

However, I was pulling the lower bolt on my rears the other day - just to inspect the pads more closely since they seemed close to replacement time - and something weird happening. The bolt would not come loose, and I realized it was stuck to the sliding pin behind it, and I had to grab that with a skinny wrench (fortunately it had a hex surface machined on it). I've done quite a few pad changes on various Sube's and never run into this problem. Made me wonder what holds that pin from rotating and what was wrong with mine ...

I usually leave the pad on the piston side in place and use a C-Clamp to push the piston back in works pretty well. (used this on many other vehicles, but have not had to do the brakes on the legacy, YET).

here http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/project-mu-front-brake-pad-installation-139141.html?t=139141

here http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/project-mu-front-brake-pad-installation-139141.html?t=139141

 

So, any thoughts about why the 14mm bolt (on my rear ones) was stuck, and when I rotated it with force it made the whole pin spin and I had to grab the pin with another wrench to get it loose ?

So, any thoughts about why the 14mm bolt (on my rear ones) was stuck, and when I rotated it with force it made the whole pin spin and I had to grab the pin with another wrench to get it loose ?

Really, no thoughts on this ?

I found this video helpful. It's clear in the video how to install front brakes and rotors on a 2010-2014 Outback.

Really, no thoughts on this ?

 

Rust, but may be by now 4 years later you've figured that out.

 

 

The brakes on these cars are pretty simple and straight forward.

 

I lube the slider pins and paint my calipers yearly. use anti-seize compound on all the bolt and nut threads, yes even the lug nuts.

 

PB Blaster works great to help remove rust when breaking the bolts free.

 

If you pull the slide pin and it won't go back in, just remove the rubber collar thing at the end, you don't need it. removed mine years ago.