The left front wheel on my 1983 4x4 GL seems to be sticking.At speeds over 3 MPH I can hear a sqealling/grinding sound.It increases with speed.I know its something to do with the left front wheel because that wheel is always hotter after a driver than anything else.Ive tried to remove the wheel and bang on stuff and that made the wheel turn easier(before I had to have a prybar to turn the wheel in Neutral without the brakes on.Now it turns somewhat easily but when ever it turns it makes the same squalling/grinding noise.How do I take the caliper off the car so I clean up the slide pins?Im sure the slide pins have just rusted or corroded or something...Besides Im geting tired of the thing being really gutless and doggy(oh wait its a old subaru with an exhaust leak off each head...).Oh and 22 MPG highway sucks.

Sounds like you need to pull the brake caliper and take a look at it. It's pretty straightforward once you get in there figuring out how to get the caliper off (2 bolts from the inner-side of the hub).

also check to see if your return spring on your hillholder is there and working properly, if not it could be the problem - i drove a hatch up from Portland and had the brake lock up on the freeway at 60 - missing spring was the problem

If you find that the caliper itself it the problem, it will be easier for you to just replace the caliper. They can be rebuilt, the rubber boot and o-ring aren't that expensive. But most likely if it's rusted and gunked up real bad, it may never be right again. I tried to rebuild one and I could not get the caliper piston back in. I ended up putting a used one on. Remember that the piston screws in and out, do not use a big c-clamp to push it in. You need a special caliper tool, availabe at any parts store cheap, to turn it in. You may get lucky and fix the problem simply by turning the piston all the way in, pumping the brake pedal to push it out, not all the way, then turning it back again, then bleeding the lines really well. That may free up the rust and gunk. It may also just be the slide pins. there are little rubber boots on them and if they tear, dirt and water will get in and rust them up. Remove the caliper, clean them up and regrease them too. The removal procedures are in a Haynes Manual, also available cheap at any parts store.

Im just looking to get it to not stick.Working properly is a whole nother story.all of the brakes work just the brakes SUCK.As in they wont even lock on gravel...

i've found an easy fix to this that might work for you. the parking brake mechanism might be sticking. pull the wheel and the cable for the parking brake mechanism. you'll just need some pliers to pull it out of the groove, very simple. after that work the arm back and forth and make sure it's smooth.

 

i've just worked them back and forth and never had trouble from them agagin. to be more thorough you could check the rubber boot and grease underneath. add grease if necessary and replace the boot if needed.

Im just looking to get it to not stick.Working properly is a whole nother story.all of the brakes work just the brakes SUCK.As in they wont even lock on gravel...

 

Well then all you need to do is remove it. Whatever you do, short of fixing the problem, it will just stick again the next time you apply the brakes. Just take it off and fix it. Bleed the lines real well too, all of them.

Oh, I forgot to mention this. Once I had the same problem on my Ford truck. Turned out to be the vacuum booster was sticking inside and not allowing the master cylinder to release. I found this after replacing the front calipers, pads, hoses, and M/C. I guess you can check this by removing the vacuum hoses going to the booster while the caliper is hung up. I do believe that the M/C applies pressure to one front corner, and the opposite rear corner for each line coming from it right? If your rear brakes are in need of adjustment, and it sounds like it, then the opposite rear brake would be hung up too if it were the booster or M/C.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-Subaru-1300-1400-1600-1800-Brat-Loyale-Caliper-Kit_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33563QQihZ024QQitemZ370049242036QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

also check to see if your return spring on your hillholder is there and working properly, if not it could be the problem - i drove a hatch up from Portland and had the brake lock up on the freeway at 60 - missing spring was the problem

 

This would be locking the right rear as well as the left front. Unless the rear drum is out of adjustment. Good thing to check on though.

 

Also, once you remove the caliper, if the wheel still won't turn, it's probably you're wheel bearings.

 

 

 

 

* notes about Hill Holder

 

The older hill holder sytems locked Front Left/Rear Right.

 

Newer hill holder setups (95 +) just lock the Front Right.