nickolai Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Hi, I'm trying to replace the break pads on my dads 01 Outback. What is the procedure for opening up the calipers so the new pads will fit in? All the other break pads I've done have been on older subies with only one piston in there and not two. I usually just twist them with large channel locks or whatever works, but this looks a bit different. If i twist them will they go back in? Do I need to twist them both separately, or will twisting one affect the other also? Is it possible to loosen the break bleeder and just squeeze them back in? I searched a little on this topic but didn't find much. Any help or pointing me toward a writeup would be awesome. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericem Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Use the old pad and a clamp and simply compress them in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickolai Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thanks, Do I need to open the bleeder to let out pressure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) not really unless you are looking to replace brake fluid but pressing the caliper piston back in will require you to take the brake fluid cap off and if you topped it off you will need to take some out as pressing the piston back in will cause the fluid level to rise. Remember brake fluid will take off paint. Speaking of calipers.. does anyone make replacement screws for the caliper.. you know the part that keeps the whole caliper from flipping upwards? I have a feeling if I can't find it I'm going to need to just buy a whole new caliper. Ok forget that seems like they do make replacement bolts! every bump I can hear my bracket.. Not clue how the bolt fell out at all.. Edited January 31, 2011 by 1-3-2-4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 not really unless you are looking to replace brake fluid but pressing the caliper piston back in will require you to take the brake fluid cap off and if you topped it off you will need to take some out as pressing the piston back in will cause the fluid level to rise. Remember brake fluid will take off paint. Speaking of calipers.. does anyone make replacement screws for the caliper.. you know the part that keeps the whole caliper from flipping upwards? I have a feeling if I can't find it I'm going to need to just buy a whole new caliper. New calipers will not come with new screws. You need a caliper bolt kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thanks,Do I need to open the bleeder to let out pressure? Do not open the bleeder unless you plan to flush the brake fluid. Use a C- clamp or channel lock pliers to push the piston back into the caliper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 New calipers will not come with new screws. You need a caliper bolt kit. yeah I just noticed that but then I just noticed they make replacement bolt I don't need the sliding one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigpimpinben Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Grease the caliper bolts well!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Yeah make sure you do that.. I had a huge issue with my left rear which required lots of heat with PB sprayed on a hot surface plus hammering the caliper bolt then finally I was able to get it out and lube it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigpimpinben Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 How does yr fluid look? And is the pedal firm? If not id flush it all and bleed it starting in the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickolai Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Thanks for the replies guys. I got the pads changed out, It worked real slick to use the old pad and and squeeze the pistons back in with some channel locks. I didn't take the cap off the reservoir, but checked it after getting back on here, and everything looks fine there. Speaking of greasing the bolts, I didn't do that. I read on here somewhere that petroleum based grease can cause them to freeze up and that's the only kind of grease I have. Why would it matter to grease the bolts anyway? They go into what looks like a rod with a boot around it, and that does slide, but not the bolts. There is another issue I'd like to ask about: As the break pads wore down, I never heard the squealing that is supposed to come from the little metal clips. The only way I new they were worn was that I started hearing really bad grinding when stepping on the breaks. Upon taking them apart, I found that the inner pad on both sides was completely gone. I mean metal scraping on metal, and the inside of the rotor is badly but evenly scored, and the inner half of the rotor is visibly thinner than the outer half. At the same time, the outer pad still has maybe 60-70% life left. What is going on here? Is this from someone never greasing the the rods that the calipers slide on? We rather recently got this car so this is the first time I've dealt with the breaks on it. Thanks for the help so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 you use break caliper grease by permatex.. also the whole reason to put grease on them is to help the caliper slide.. you may or may not know only one part slide and one part is in light contact with the rotor so when you step on the brakes the bracket slides on the caliper pin to take up slack.. When you have a stuck pin like I did you will smell your brakes.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickolai Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 I understand that the calipers need to be able to slide freely, but it sure doesn't look like they slide on the bolts, at least not on this car. The bolts are maybe 1.5 inches long and screw into a rod that does slide, but it has a boot around it and does not look easy to grease, although they felt like they needed it. Thanks for opening my eyes about the permatex break caliper grease! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I understand that the calipers need to be able to slide freely, but it sure doesn't look like they slide on the bolts, at least not on this car. The bolts are maybe 1.5 inches long and screw into a rod that does slide, but it has a boot around it and does not look easy to grease, although they felt like they needed it. Thanks for opening my eyes about the permatex break caliper grease! trust me they still slide it does not need to move 5 inches for you to see it. Mine was so bad I could not get the bracket off at all and that's with hitting it with a hammer. Took a bit of heat to finally get it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 It's not the actual bolts that slide. People often call them "slide bolts", but it's just a phrase. The bolt just locks the slider to the caliper bracket. It's the surface of the slide inside the rubber boot that contacts the caliper that needs the grease. And yes you should use a special grease. The boots get water in them or the old grease hardens and the slide gets jammed/stuck/seized/rusted to the caliper. Petroleum based grease causes the rubber boots to deteriorate. They expand and can jam up the slide, they also eventually dry out and crack. Then water gets in and rusts the slide. Tuns-a-fun to try and get that rusted up slide out. It's usually easier to just replace the caliper and get new slides if that happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickolai Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Fairtax, thanks for the clarification. Are you saying that nothing needs to be done about lubricating the actual sliding mechanism? I noticed that some of them were easier to move than others, although none were overly easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 NO they should be disassembled, cleaned, and re-greased whenever the caliper is removed to prevent them from seizing. If they seize the pads will not wear correctly, the rotor will glaze and can become warped. If left that way long enough it can cause damage to the caliper piston, resulting in a seized piston. This will cause the pad to drag on the rotor at all times, which will warp the rotor, cause a drop in gas mileage, boil the brake fluid, and even lead to fire in extreme cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 the wear pattern on your pads indicates that your calipers are not ''sliding'' as they should. IIRC: the rears are set up slightly differently from the fronts. or maybe the outbacks are different from the legos, whatever. on some the bolts are long, one per caliper and the other slide is an actually pin. they both need to be cleaned an lubed. on some the bolt is inside the actual ''slide pin'' which is really more of a tube. on these re-geasing the bolt does not really help, there is no ''sliding'' happening on the inside of the ''tube''. so the slide pins / tubes need to be removed and re-greased on the outside of each. and on some models, i think, the bolts are short and actually bolt to the slide pins which are threaded into the calipers. but i'm not sure. those may be on later models? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I just replaced the pads on the rear of my 98 OBW last Sunday. I had used anti-seize cream on the lug studs, caliper bolt, and caliper pin, when doing the last brake job. This made everything come apart so easily for pad replacement. Add some cream to the slides that the pads move on is also advised. I can't believe a caliper bolt backed out, and fell off. Someone must not have tightened the bolt during the last brake job. Also be aware, that the caliper bolt fits the two threaded holes in the rotor facing to facilitate rotor removal. Simply screw in the bolt, and the rotor backs out and off for ez removal. Subaru was so smart to think and design this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 what caliper bolt are you talking about? Because I set mine to the FSM and mine backed out along with the bolt that keeps the whole caliper from flipping upwards to take the pads out.. How all that happened I will never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 what caliper bolt are you talking about? Because I set mine to the FSM and mine backed out along with the bolt that keeps the whole caliper from flipping upwards to take the pads out.. How all that happened I will never know. The caliper bolt I am referring to is the one bolt that secures the caliper to the bracket on the lower side mount. On the upper side mount is the slide pin that lets the caliper rotate up and out of the way to be able to change the pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rverdoold Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I had a dragging brake for a long period. So I replaced the pads and pushed back the piston. But once I made a emergency stop (cyclist in Holland are careless) my left front brake was very very stuck. So I took out the pads and mounted the calliper back but I could not slide it at all. The top pin came out easily but the lower one did not. After an hour with a teflon hammer I got it out. I noticed a gap in the end of the lower sliding pin. Cleaned it all and put it back together it slides nicely. So checked the other side. That slides nicely but still took out the pins. The lower pin had a rubber washer on the pin. On the place there was a gap on the left side pin. I removed the washer and mounted it back together. It went well for few days. But again it jammed up. The piston was stuck. A friend helped me to removed the piston, replace the piston ring and hone the cylinder as well as sanding the piston itself (very very fine sandpaper). Put it all together with grease, bleed the brake lines and it was working as Subaru meant it to work. So next time on a brake job I will do Pads, slide pin re-greasing and piston maintenance. Also learned that for the slide pins you will need special high-temp grease which does not affect the rubber seals. My aftermarket brake pads did not slide nicely in the holder so I ground the edges a little with. Since stopping is the most important thing on a car after driving it, it is really worth spending some time on brake care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickolai Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Thanks for the info guys. I will be picking up some caliper grease and figuring out how the sliders disassemble so I can get that problem taken care of. rverdoold, you mentioned proper piston maintenance. Can you clarify? Do you just mean that it should be greased also? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rverdoold Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Thanks for the info guys. I will be picking up some caliper grease and figuring out how the sliders disassemble so I can get that problem taken care of. rverdoold, you mentioned proper piston maintenance. Can you clarify? Do you just mean that it should be greased also? Thanks. When the side of the brake piston of the calliper is off the car you can push the piston out (well you need a friend to push the brake pedal). At the moment the piston comes out of the calliper brake fluid will leak out of the reservoir. I used a crowbar to have the brake pedal fully pushed in and topped the reservoir up with dot 4 brake oil. I cleaned the piston itself, mine had a bit of rust on it so used very fine sandpaper to remove that. The cylinder in the calliper contains a rubber seal ring this one you usually will have to replace. I did not had one so turned it around. I also honed the cylinder a bit with a drill and brake cylinder hone to remove little bit of rust. Then I put the rubber ring in and placed the rubber dustcap back on the calliper. Then some special brake cylinder fat on the rubber ring and dustcap rubber thingy. And as well on the piston to make it slip nicely into the cylinder. I needed two paperclips to keep the rubber dustcap open enough for the piston to fit. Installing the dustcap after the piston is put in first did not work for me. At least now I am sure the brakes will be trouble free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickolai Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Thank you! I feel much more informed. Now to apply my new-found knowledge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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