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watch the torque on those lugs, 65 ft-lb should be enough and re-tighten after 50 miles. too tight and that can warp a rotor or an alloy wheel

How about the slide pins? Try some caliper grease on them if they are sticking. Are the pads evenly worn or are they angled? If they are angled, try a new caliper and of course new pads. Wirebrush the hub surface that mates to the rotor hat and get the rust out of there. If you have a handheld temp gun try getting the rotor temp when the problem occurs and compare to the left side. My gut says its the caliper sticking and causing the rotor to overheat and warp.

Leaks that appear down around the rack can be up high from a leaky o-ring between the tank and the steering pump. Get the o-ring from the dealer, don't try one that's close, it may fit fine but it will leak.

Agree with all the posts, a compressor and impact isn't necessary. I'm currently in the middle of the same job. We talking about the axle nut or the lateral link bolt? Axle nut is easier comparatively. If you can't coax that lateral link bolt out after days of PB blaster soaks, just cut off the seized end of the lateral link bolt with a sawzall and press the bushing and seized sleeve out of the lateral link. The LL bolt might be seized to the knuckle in two places as well. For the pressing, borrow a handheld ball joint press from autozone or find a friend with a harbor freight press to do it off-car. http://www.rs25.com/forums/f106/t95168-help-rear-lateral-link-bolts-seized.html

An expensive lesson no doubt. Thanks for the post, makes us all more wary customers. Tween now and the end when all is justly dealt with, there is the internet.

Less than 10 cents per mile including purchase price if you do most of the work yourself...

Type: Shadetree On what: small engine to Subaru, cut my teeth on an EA82, favorite is a '96 Impreza How Long: 21 years Other Skills: Electrical Engineering, Emergency Medical Technician, electronics repair, roofing, window installation, basic plumbing, amateur arborist, currently I'm in school full time to be a Paramedic

RF LR LF RR the thing I like about motive is the pressure gauge, works great for me at 6 psi or so, dry bottle, but if you can make your own from a spray bottle, that's gonna beat the motive price.

Correction to previous post: For the '97 OBW, PS reservoir O-ring is closer to 11x15x2mm, probably nitrile. Don't know the hardness (70, 90)? Get the right one from the dealer when replacing. Even if you get close with a metric kit o-ring it can still leak. Another key might be centering the reservior outlet in the pump inlet so the o-ring isn't crushed on one side.

Found the adjustment turnbuckle star screw at 6:00 position on the pbrake, turned it a few teeth and no more rubbing. Thanks for the help.

'96 Impreza OBS, 170k Just put new rear rotors on. Parking brake shoes are rubbing on rotor hat, both sides, while spinning the rear wheels when the rear is center jacked up. It makes noise even if the caliper is off (i.e. no pads). Parking brake is disengaged in cabin. Looking at the engagement mechanism seems to be that the shoes can't be disengaged more, they are up against the stops but the hub is on so can't get in there to see. Flexing the cable at the wheel will slightly engage the shoes. I think I'll pull the ebrake and drive 200 yds to wear the shoes down a bit. Hope I don't warp the rotors by doing that.

ahhh, I see the magnetic reed switch insert under the reservior...problem solved. Thanks again for the help.

Thanks, so that is what that float is for! I can't see under the float. I'm assuming there is a switch contact under the float that is somehow stuck...the float is free...

'96 OBS, 170k Due to operator error I got air in the master cylinder, don't make my mistake. After bench bleeding the master cylinder in-car I still can't get the dash brake warning light to go out. I presume this means that the dash light switch in the master cyl is closed due to an air bubble. I followed morgans bench bleed method (plumb two male fittings with hoses from the MS back into its reservior and pump the pedal). If I pump hard, I see tiny bubbles maybe from cavitation?, if I pump slow, no bubbles. How long does it take to get the air out? The problem is complicated by a short in the dash somewhere. If I unplug the master cylinder connector, the light is still there (dim). If I pull the parking brake or plug in the master cylinder connector, the dash light goes bright. +1 for the motive power bleeder, great product for bleeding the brake slave cylinders. use the universal adapter for 2.6" yellow topped master cylinders.

Thanks for the info. What's the part# for the EJ single piston rears?

The correct part is ACT470 (fronts, with ABS). Had to call Akebono to get it straight. This is for a '96 impreza OBS and probably back to '93. ACT563 is listed in the vendors parts catalog and on the Akebono website, but they won't fit (too big). Adding to the confusion is the ACT564 marking on the backing material. Parts are not mis-boxed like you might think, just wrong period. Pads are ceramic, come with grease, but no clips.

That's surprising, you have original size tires or not? Maybe the bearing was pressed in with an offset, just a guess. Compare with the other side knuckle?

Not a bad idea, to break up some of the crud in there. I ended up removing the caliper piston which had only slight scoring plus rust and gunk, but then punted. The lower slide bushing is very difficult to move even after regreasing, probably rust reduced the ID of its booted housing. Since the pads have a tapered wear pattern after 35k, I'm going with new calipers rather than chewing through another set of pads. Thanks to all for the help. The compressed air idea worked great to remove the piston, 25 psi no movement, 50 psi, nope, finally 75 psi blew it out, pop! Note to self, next time don't hold the piston on its way out.

Thanks for the responses, I'll try the fixes and if unsuccessful, looks like I can get away with the local parts store or rockauto.

1996 OBS, 170k miles, new to me last fall On the way to work this a.m., my right front brake rotor is 400 degrees after short highway drive, feels warped (steering wheel vibrating at speed) Pads are smoking! This car doesn't have a hill holder...might be a collapsed flex line...will replace even if its not flat. I'll grease the slide pins and pad-bracket surfaces, flush the lines, and attempt a caliper rebuild. If this fails, where can I get a set of subie remanufactured calipers?

Freeing up the lower control arm at the ball joint is usually what I do but it can be a lot of work with frozen parts. Either remove the castle nut and use a puller to pop it free from the control arm, or whack the control arm with a soft hammer (copper) to knock it free. Pickle forks usually tear the ball joint boot but if your replacing it, no matter. Other method is to loosen the pinch joint bolt (tends to break if frozen) and knock the ball joint head out of the pinch joint under the knuckle. If the ball joint head is frozen in the pinch joint, drive a bull pin horizontal between the control arm and the pinch joint. 1 5/16" diameter bull pin if I remember right.

Reservior o-ring seems to be about 10x15x2mm, I have used 10x14x2 in a pinch. That o-ring doesn't come with the pump rebuild kit, just the ones that don't seem to leak.

Knuckle-strut bolts were my first thought too, even though I cranked them to 140 ft lbs. After a short drive, right REAR disc is 20 degrees hotter than the other side, makes sense, maybe its caliper is sticking and pulling the car to the right. Great tip!