WhtMke Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Hey guys and girls. Here is what I'm hoping will be my next project for the best $300 bucks I've spent all year. Yes, I only spent that much for this amazing car. Sad part is I have to fix all the hack jobs people have done to Ruby throughout the years. I have a 99 Legacy WG (U.S. spec BK model). Base model as they come. No power windows, locks, cruise control, no ABS. 2.2L, auto trans. I want to trash the rear drum brakes to disk. It started it's life with 14" wheels and tires, but I swapped them out for a set of OEM 16" wheels and tires. Do they make an aftermarket kit with all the parts I need? Or should I spend the time at the junkyard and pull the parts I need and get new pads, rotors and calipers? If I go the junkyard way. What year and model should I pull the parts from. I'm sure someone else has posted this question before. And I know someone will say to just Google it. But Google doesn't know half as much as someone with hands on experience. Thank you in advance to everyone for the help you all have given me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 (edited) Your car is a brighton, and you can get one more level more base model -- manual transmission. I had one and loved the thing. (PS you get really hurt when someone pulls out in front of you and you hit them doing 40...) The easiest way to swap to rear discs is to grab the whole knuckle assembly off a junkyard car. Since you're in maine you'll either have to cut the lateral links or try and get them undone from the subframe end. If you find a car in maine with the long bolt through the bottom of the knuckle that comes out, you're winning pretty hard. When you do the swap into your car, you'll run into the same issue, usually you can get the lateral links unbolted from the subframe end and just swap those as well. Edited October 26, 2017 by 987687 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Oh, you'll also need different brake lines. Prepare to repair rusty brake lines while you're in there, the ones that go through the stupid little mounting hole in the strut tend to rust out and break when you touch them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikevan10 Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Yeah, you can't beat a Brighton! Wife has a '97. Very sweet. Curious though, why convert such a vehicle to rear disc brakes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhtMke Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 Yeah, you can't beat a Brighton! Wife has a '97. Very sweet. Curious though, why convert such a vehicle to rear disc brakes? I would just like a little more braking power. With no ABS, and after doing pads, rotors and calipers in the front. New drums, shoes and hardware for the rear. Plus a new brake booster. The brake pedal still has a spongy feeling. And where we live has allot of hills. To me it's seems to be an easy upgrade that I could do with my son. And hopefully get my brakes to where I like them to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike104 Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 (edited) Some say the pedal feel can be improved by a Master Cylinder brace http://www.grimmspeed.com/master-cylinder-brace-subaru-93-07-impreza-05-06-saab-92-x-94-99-legacy-03-08-forester-baja/ Apparently it keeps the master cylinder from moving due to the firewall flexing. I've never installed one so can't say if it works or not. I have a 99 OBW and have a similar feel to the brakes Edited October 27, 2017 by Mike104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Pedal feel shouldn't be mushy, if it is, something is still messed up. I replaced the front pads/rotors/calipers, rear drums/shoes/wheel cylinders. That thing would put you through the windshield. If you stomped on the brakes it would lock all 4 wheels up on dry pavement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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