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At 30,000 miles, I decided to replace the brake pads (both front and rear) on my 2000 Legacy GT wagon, even though it still had another 15-20,000 miles of use left. I wanted something that would offer improved response/greater stopping power.

I ordered PBR/Axxis Ultimate pads http://www.importrp.com/pbr.html

They're Kevlar/ceramic and are made by an Australian company.

These pads are extraordinarily good! They've got noticeably greater stopping power, and you can feel that they have a superior "bite" when you use your brakes. Highly recommended!

The front stock pads, after they were removed, showed evidence of cracking and crumbling. The brake guy who replaced them for me said they were not of the highest quality

Some Questions:

If I want to replace the front rotors with the larger ones made for the 2001+ Subies, will I have to replace the calipers as well?

I'd like to replace the brake fluid with a DOT 5 silicone fluid. Are there any valid counter-indications for doing so with an ABS system? I have heard that silicone fluid causes the ABS to malfunction because it's so slippery, but don't know if that's bogus or not.

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I have a buddy who work for a NAPA store. I had to replace the OEM pads on my 01 outback wagon at 22k. I thought that to be a bit premature... But since it was our first automatic vs a stick, I wrote it off quickly. He recommended a set of NAPA OE replacement. They worked fine for about another 17k, then he called me and wanted to swap those pads for a set of their new Ceramix pads. Since there was no cost to me, I did it. What a great pad, have over 30k on them now and haven't even had to clean them. I am starting to notice a SLIGHT pulsation, think that I'm gonna have to turn the rotors soon.

 

 

 

At 30,000 miles, I decided to replace the brake pads (both front and rear) on my 2000 Legacy GT wagon, even though it still had another 15-20,000 miles of use left. I wanted something that would offer improved response/greater stopping power.

I ordered PBR/Axxis Ultimate pads http://www.importrp.com/pbr.html

They're Kevlar/ceramic and are made by an Australian company.

These pads are extraordinarily good! They've got noticeably greater stopping power, and you can feel that they have a superior "bite" when you use your brakes. Highly recommended!

The front stock pads, after they were removed, showed evidence of cracking and crumbling. The brake guy who replaced them for me said they were not of the highest quality

Some Questions:

If I want to replace the front rotors with the larger ones made for the 2001+ Subies, will I have to replace the calipers as well?

I'd like to replace the brake fluid with a DOT 5 silicone fluid. Are there any valid counter-indications for doing so with an ABS system? I have heard that silicone fluid causes the ABS to malfunction because it's so slippery, but don't know if that's bogus or not.

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Silicone fluid needs replacing VERY often. Any moisture that finds it way into the system will collect at the bottom - in your calipers - and render the brakes useless. Don't do it.

 

 

Go for Castrol "SRF" if you must have race quality brake fluid in there.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I once installed silicone fluid in a previous car(not a Subaru) that did not have ABS. Had the fluid in there for about 50 or 60,000 miles with no fluid leaks, and never experienced a problem with it. I got smoother and faster brake response, probably because silicone is so slippery.

The fluid never showed any evidence of black sediment accumulation that one eventually sees with regular brake fluid, a result, I think, of the breakdown or wear of the neoprene seals in the car's hydraulic system. Silicone seems to be far kinder to neoprene than standard brake fluid and provides much greater wear resistance/lubrication to the internal hydraulic parts, and freedom from corrosion, possibly because the silicone fluid will not absorb moisture.

When I would bleed the car's hydraulic system from time to time, I found the bled fluid always to be as clean as the day I installed it. The matter of water accumulation in the calipers is something I didn't experience, but perhaps some folks did. I've just never come across that particular issue.

But if/when I change my Suby's brake fluid, I'll consider either the Castrol SRF, or the Motul unless I learn, definatively, that silicone fluid is totally ok in an ABS system.

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