Hello, My friend has a old Subaru 79' DL Front Wheel Drive Automatic and the both of us cannot figure out HOW to Compress the damn Piston on the Front Caliper to make enough room to install new Brake Pads.

 

We both use to own a 85-88 Sub's GL HatchBack and It's simple,Press and turn to Compress the Piston down enough to put new Pads in. I'm no stranger to Subaru's but this the very first time that both of us Tinkered with a Gen.1 Subaru.

 

Sorry there's no Pic. I'll try to explain.......... The Piston has a Slot,about a 1/4", running through the middle of the Piston, the rest is Solid Metal. If you know what I mean.....Like most cars nowadays That Piston is totally Hollowed out and some cars have two of them Compressing the Pads to the Rotor. Anyways, Please Help............. We both tried to Use a C-Clamp, Needle Nose Pliers, Pushing and Turning/Rotating down on that Piston but NOTHING!!!!

 

If there's a neat little trick or special tool to do this simple job, Please any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all:D

big pair of channel locks and put some muscle into it

3/8 drive rachet fits to also a long and big hex key

classic sounds of a stuck piston.

classic sounds of a stuck piston.

 

 

Any suggestions? The driver side was Replaced by ordering a rebuilt Caliper from a Local AutoParts store,around $95. Having trouble with Passenger side. Thanks

Upgrade to vented calipers and rotors from a '83 and newer EA81 car. More stopping performance and easier to source parts. Calipers are different as the vented rotors are thicker but IIRC, they bolt onto the original knuckles.

Upgrade to vented calipers and rotors from a '83 and newer EA81 car. More stopping performance and easier to source parts. Calipers are different as the vented rotors are thicker but IIRC, they bolt onto the original knuckles.

 

 

IIRC????

 

That sounds like a workable solution, I just wasn't sure if that could be possible because of parts/engine difference from GEN.1 to GEN.2 Subie.

Theres one 83 GL 4x4 wagon at a local Junkyard here, I could pull it off and try it before buying it new/rebuilt from the Parts Store.

 

All those pins and shims holding the caliper intact is a Nightmare since we never delt with anything older than 85'

 

Thanks a bunch.

Hi, the pistons have to be screwed in because of the handbrake setup, using the large slot. The trick is to make a flat driver out of steel that matches the width of the slot and turn it using a shifting spanner or similar. They can take a bit to get them turning,

Good luck, Howard

Thanks for all your help everyone. We'll give it try,cross fingers, and get this S.O.B. done :-p!!!!!!!!!

+1 for making up a tool.

 

Also squirt plenty of lube in and around the boot/seal. Give it a tap with a hammer every 1/4 turn or so.

 

Best of luck, Not a favourite job to do. Lots of patience required.

 

Dirk

IIRC... If I Remember Correctly

 

You can also rent a tool usually from local parts houses that will help screw the piston back into the caliper.

 

I would do the vented discs though, Better heat dissipation and easier to find parts for it for now...