Rear Brake & Grease

Recently completed a 2015 rear brake pad change. 2015 ltd with eyesight.

The manual does not show grease points for the rear brakes. The Subaru parts kit does does not include grease. The instructions in the pad kit do not mention grease.

Inspection of the old original parts show no residual grease on the ears , brake rear face or in the ear slots on the caliper. No grease on the caliper bolt/swivel pins.

Just for fun I guess the front pads are greased, manual shows where, pad kit includes 2 types of grease and instructions where to apply.

Any insight?

Apply grease to the backs of the pads. I usually do the whole backing plate instead of trying to figure out where the the caliper and piston touch. The slides don't really need it unless they are high mileage.

I do this every time I bed new Ferodo DS2500 pads.

This will stop any brake chatter or squeal. Reapply when necessary.

Apply grease to the backs of the pads.

No! Not to the rear pads. See my post above.

From Subaru tech training materials:

As the [rear caliper] piston moves towards the inner brake pad, the serrations machined into the outer face of the piston bite into the inner brake pad shim (permanently mounted to the brake pad) to prevent the piston from rotating when mechanical force begins to increase. Do not lubricate or apply any anti-seize paste to this area. [emphasis in original]

Guess the calipers are different on a Gen 6 Legacy from Gen 5 Outback. Gen 5 has a rear drum parking brake. I've run Ferodo DS2500 racing pads and stop tech slotted rotors and been greasing the backs of the pads for 6 years without issue. Front and rear. If you don't grease the racing pads you will get an insane amount of squeal. The grease pretty much cooks during the bedding process and leaves a patina.

I'm curious if the rear pads require a shim and what would happen if it wasn't there. Ferodo and Hawk Racing Pads do not have this shim.

I just bought a 2019 so I haven't changed in the pads and rotors just yet. I'm actually quite interested to know if the car will understand how to handle the extra braking torque of the pads with EyeSight turned on.

Guess the calipers are different on a Gen 6 Legacy from Gen 5 Outback.

I think you may be confused about generations. The Gen 6 Legacy and Gen 5 Outback (both MY 2015-2019) share the same platform; the brake calipers are identical.

Gen 5 has a rear drum parking brake.

Good reply - thanks.

One other unrelated to grease thing but important piece in changing pads. In the older models the piston was usually driven back into the housing with C clamp or some sort of threaded tool.

That is not the case with this model.

The piston must be threaded back in. There are special tools available, some simple others more complex. A simple effective one is a small cube with various configurations on each face. Definitely get one before doing the job.

There is a video showing the use of flat nose pliers - don't do it. One slip and you puncture the rubber boot the repair job just got way more complex and expensive.

... In the older models the piston was usually driven back into the housing with C clamp or some sort of threaded tool.

That is not the case with this model.

The piston must be threaded back in.

For Gen 6 Legacy/Gen 5 Outback the front caliper pistons can just be pushed back. Only the rear caliper pistons have to be rotated to retract them (assuming you don't have access to the Subaru SSM scan tool).

I highly recommend that anyone planning to work on their own Legacy or Outback purchase a copy of the Facrory Service Manual before beginning. Most of the answers you'll need are already there.

I grease the contact points, and I do not use the (in my opinion completely useless) electronic parking brake

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I grease the contact points, and I do not use the (in my opinion completely useless) electronic parking brake

 

 

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What's completely useless about the parking brake? I use mine several times a day. I hate the POP on the transmission when coming out of park on an incline (something is loaded up with tension and doesn't like the sudden release). In fact, in some hairbrained idea of trying to preserve the CVT a little bit, my routine when parking is foot brake, parking brake, neutral, release foot brake, shift to park. Comes out of park later like a dream and with no pop. Gentle. As a car you want to last forever ought to.

What's completely useless about the parking brake? I use mine several times a day. I hate the POP on the transmission when coming out of park on an incline (something is loaded up with tension and doesn't like the sudden release). In fact, in some hairbrained idea of trying to preserve the CVT a little bit, my routine when parking is foot brake, parking brake, neutral, release foot brake, shift to park. Comes out of park later like a dream and with no pop. Gentle. As a car you want to last forever ought to.

Same process here, unless on flat ground.