aircraft engineer

yeah - I have the same attitude. Rotors have gotten cheap enough that they are just as easily replaced (of course, I turn the ones I replace for "next time" and then only replace every third change (which comes all too often) Replace for 20 or turn for 10 - do both and have a set for "next time" (of course, my garage is starting to look like a parts store... but...) I just wish I could find an "old" turning machine or had a metal lathe... NO NO NO DOWN BOY... you have enough toys... bad mechanic...bad engineer...

Of course, since I'm too lazy to go look it up - $$? Looks similar to my weed killer sprayer.

uh-uh-uh -NO! - not dressing the rotor - just if you have to remove a ridge on the end '=!!=' <- if the = is the rotor, the !! is the hub end and that ' is the ridge where the pads wore down into the rotor and left that little ridge around the end (you will have it on both sides of the rotor - can't do ' upside down that on a "typewriter" - and it will likely only be 1/2mm wide and whatever depth the pads wore the rotors down to.) just grind the very edge of the rotor at a 45 degree angle until the ridge goes away.

you will likely need an alignment tool (taper punch) to hold one of the bushing plates into the hole while you install the other end. it's also likely to be easier to align with the front end off the ground, remove/install bolts (don't do final torque until on the ground BUT MAKE SURE ALL ARE THREADED "LOOSE" INTO THE HOLES AT LEAST A FULL TURN OR 2) of course, my info might not be "SUB" - I am used to working on a "different" front wheel drive (Tempo) but the principle is the same

is the pinch bolt a "bolt and nut" or just a bolt into the housing? I'm used to bolt/nut which is what is on the Tempo. The bolt is serrated on the shaft so I undo the NUT and drive out the bolt and spread the pinch to the ball joint. Just asking because I get to do a LF axle on the IMP once I get it... and don't really want to "break" anything

If you do semi-mets and the rotor surface isn't scored, you can get by with just a rough up with emery paper. 10 or 20 hard stops to heat up the new pads is enough to wear them in to the old rotors. What would be "bad" would be a wear ridge around the outside edge of the rotor. THAT, you should turn the rotors to get rid of it (it will make contact with the pad and give it a really bad loading - maybe even fracture the pad surface.) of course, you COULD just dress that ridge down with a small grinder if you are pressed for $$ or time (and have the grinder) True, a "full brake job" is better, but depending, you can get by with "less"

I dunno - I've had reasonable luck with Wally batteries. Just buy the "better" ones. I've also had good luck with Sears and Costco as well.

well... you probably don't want to hear this - but if the hinge is pushed in 6 inches, it likely bent the frame(work) - there isn't a real "frame" - enough that the front end is "a bit crosswise to the back end" (out of alignment for sure. How much? Don't know but when one piece of metal bends, something else bent, too.) your likely result will be a car that would go don the road "sideways" with the front and rear wheels following different "tracks" - assuming you CAN do an alignment Salvage what you can off of it and recycle the rest RIP (that's preliminary assessment without benefit of "pictures") <cue music for "taps">

TYPE F??? The scan DOESN'T SAY TYPE F. If anything it's "J" NOTHING uses TYPE F except for old stuff (and power steering) You use it in your car , you KILL THE TRANS :-\ Type F stopped being used "new" in about 72 or so (don't remember exactly, but it's been quite a while) I don't think it was used at Ford when I was there (and that was '75)

2.2 and it would have been GONE to parts land as a donor

EVO is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT - IF you follow the article you will be PERFECT. LOOK at the crank cogged pulley, too (the one RIGHT BEHIND THE DAMPER - it's the BELT DRIVER, the others are "followers"). Either the 5th "pin" will be "up" (pointing at the "timing mark") or it will be DOWN - then you need to turn the crank 1 full turn and make it all line up CORRECTLY. those other 4 pins are the "firing position" for the respective cylinder and are 90 degrees apart. The "odd one" is the "timing belt position". I'm talking about whether the CAM marks line up and the CRANK mark DOESN'T. All 3 need to be aligned BEFORE you take off the old belt or you are just asking for trouble. The ONLY issue you may have is putting in the cogged idler pulley - and it just takes a bit of time with "fat fingers" .

send me a PM - I know where there's a mostly complete IMP 1.8 in a JY near here (didn't check the year though)

IF you do the whole housings/hub and all, you won't need bearings unless the replacements are "tired" and howling. it saves quite a bit of time. (assuming they have ABS tones) Have fun breaking free the long bolt, though.

I know that the Chrysler "+" fluid is Dexron PLUS a slippery additive to reduce the friction in the plates of their electronic shift trans. (My caravan uses ATF+3) Without it the clutch plates don't "release" and will burn up after some time I don't know about Subs and how they would or wouldn't like it - IF you know of a friendly Auto Trans shop, ask them. OR get on the "customer question" list for an ATF manufacturer and ASK THEM. They wouldn't have anything to gain by steering you to the "wrong" fluid

more like drain, refill, drive 300 or so and do it again. Might as well get it all mixed up. Alternate - go to Jiffy Lube and get the trans flush. do it once, then don't worry about it for 30 to 45k

take them off (you'll do that to replace them anyway) need to pull the hub first anyway to do the bearings. Getting off the ABS sensor is easy (1 bolt), just don't pull on it too hard go find a sandblaster (or buy one from harbor freight if you have air) and blast them to bare metal (yeah, a bit of time involved - if you have the blaster, maybe 1 hour for the "tiny spot blaster") repaint with rustoleum primer (heavy coat) and a top coat of whatever color suits you. reattach Unless they are corroded, rusted to show spots thru the metal, you don't NEED to replace them - just make them "pretty" (and that not "needed", just desired). AND - if they ARE rusted thru, you likely have "other rust problems elsewhere" anyway. Their function isn't structural, it's just to keep the crud off the insides of the rotors. but... it's your money... Impreza (many years) Forester 98, Outback, they all are the same part number with rear disks http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/cp_partlistbymod.php?subcat=Brakes%2C+Rear+Shields

If you do something "exotic" (like a gasifier) let me know I've been thinking about doing some work in that arena but I just can't seem to find the time to do the development work.

OK - nipper - what do AXLES have to do with it? (knocked something off in the process? Just curious because I'll have to do one to the IMP I'm getting. Better forewarned )

hi-pressure wheel bearing grease. Fill 'er up! Some say you don't need to add more - I can't see why it would hurt to have it "packed" (one of those "grease pressure packers" would be a lot CLEANER, though)

It isn't only LOANS - I paid $$ (wrote a check) for the Taurus and got JUNK mail for months. IF I still lived at my other place it would have made nice fire starter Makes cute shreds, though. :-p (no fireplace here - and for those of you basking in sunshine - it's the SNOW BELT HERE TODAY + c.c.c.cold. That's "under 40" to us. Rain is a lot easier to get off the car )

that's what I meant - 20 is as low as it goes without the screw falling out. To go lower accurately, need a smaller torque wrench

Oh well - time to probably tell most of you more about batteries than you want to know - (This is really simplified) Break out the popcorn What determines a "good" battery is the amp-hour rating combined with the size and "durability" (how long it will stay operating) lead-acid batteries are composed of several "cells". Those cells are constructed of "positive plates" and "negative plates" with a permeable separator between each of the plates and the plates are stacked up like a sandwich. The whole stack gets suspended in an "electrolyte" (sulfuric acid). More plates, more storage capacity. "Stronger" battery. Now for the "bad parts" - the lead forms "sulphates" and those tend to either fall off the plates or "grow". IF they fall off, not only does it reduce the amount of metal available to store electricity, but at some point the crud building up in the bottom of the battery case will allow the "positive" plate to touch the "negative" plate and conduct electricity thru that "bridge". The cell shorts out, and the battery "dies" (hopefully after a long life of starting you vehicle) :-\ Enter the "gel cell" where the electrolyte isn't a liquid (not really anyway). The "plates" are long sheets of "metal" rolled together with the gel and the separator between them. They don't form sulphates. they never need water, they have a very high "power density" (amp-hours for any particular "volume"), last a LOT longer (usually) and cost quite a bit more. If you want the whole magilla, go look it up on the web. Is it worth the cost? Up to YOU

To be honest, a dry place under the rubber boot is "normal". Grease that you see on "old" ball joints that get normal lubrication (thru the zerk) is a result of the grease flowing out of the interface between the ball and the housing. It's just "excess". IF you put on some lube, it will just displace the water that might get under the boot, because the REAL LUBE is in between the ball and the housing. IF you want to put in some, use some wheel bearing grease since you will likely have it when you replace the bearings. It really doesn't "do" anything, though except make a mess (when used on permanently sealed joints)

yup - it's sort of like a circus in Wally's anyway

depends on why it failed - whether got too hot or vibration or got "something" on it. The heat sink grease wouldn't hurt but the protective "effects" of ordinary "spark plug boot grease" might serve the same purpose. Upcoming trip to my favorite JY to find more parts. (first LF axle, now knock sensor...) I think I'll name it NGOO KEY-OW (yeah, like "sing" without the "si" and like "goo" without the "g") If there are any Thai speakers out there, they'll know what it means (and, no, it's not "bad")