Brake Replacement ?

[OutMax]

My 2007 Outback has 62K miles on it, and the brakes are starting to sqeek a little bit. I'm assuming it means time to change the brakes. 62K miles sounds about right?

So, who has done a complete brake job? How easy/hard is it? I do a lot of the usual maintenance on the car myself, and am looking to save a few bucks here.

Or, does it require special tools that negate the cost savings of doing the job yourself?

[bikerboy]

Disc brakes are easy. If you are competent in changing fluids and performing tune-ups, you should have no problem doing disc brakes.

You'll need:
A Metric socket set
3/8 ratchet and extensions
Breaker bar (Might not need since yours is an 07)
C-clamp
Wire hanger
Rubber mallet (Again, might not need this)
Floor jack
Jack stands
New Pads and Rotors
Brake cleaner
DOT 4 Brake fluid

All the tools required are simple, and you probably already have them. Without complications, I can usually do a complete corner in about 25 minutes from jacking the car up to putting the wheel back on.

You can probably do a complete brake job (front and rear) for about $250 in parts. Doing it yourself will probably save $300-400 bucks.

[driveby]

And if your brakes are squeaking, they are really past the time when you should change the pads. IIRC, only 3 of the 8 brake pads have squealers...2 in front, 1 in back...so if one pad is squealing, it is possible that another pad is even more worn = closer to bare metal = impending rotor damage.

Like bikerboy said, disc brakes are easy. Cheap too. You probably only need the pads, which cost about $70 online for Subaru OEM front or rear, $140 for both. The rotors should only need resurfacing if they have been damaged.

The brake pads also use 2 clips and 2 or 4 shims per wheel. Subaru parts come with new clips and shims. If you want to save a few bucks with napa/autozone/whatever pads, you might inspect & clean & reuse your old clips and shims. Not worth the hassle IMO.

A couple of additions to the tool list:

1) High-temperature grease (aka brake caliper grease, brake quiet grease, brake anti-squeal grease). Subaru front pads come with a couple packets of the stuff, or you can buy a big jar with a brush at the parts shop. Apply to the back of each brake pad, and to the caliper pins after removing & cleaning them.

EDIT: Actually I'm not sure if the packets that come with Suby brake pads are good for the caliper pins. They might be some kind of stickier anti-noise compound for the pad backs only. Get some high-temp caliper grease at the store for the pins.

2) A length of vinyl tubing, to slip over your brake bleeders, and an old water bottle to catch any brake fluid from the tube. If the caliper pistons are difficult to press back in, you can open the bleeders to make it easier. It's a good idea anyway to bleed some fluid from the most abused end of your braking system.. If you see any bubbles or the brake fluid looks dark/dirty, go ahead and do a full brake bleed.


-Jeff

[OutMax]

Thanks guys. BTW, where can I find a Subaru service manual for my 2007 Outback? I have seen a few links here, but they were to other year Subarus.

Does Haynes/Chilton make a manual for this car?

Thanks!

[miker104]

Here is a link to a PDF made by another forum member that gives a DIY step by step for a 2004. Should give you an idea of whats involved:

http://subaru.rockhopjohn.com/Brake_Pad_Replacement.pdf

[rockhopjohn]

Originally posted by miker104
Here is a link to a PDF made by another forum member that gives a DIY step by step for a 2004. Should give you an idea of whats involved:

http://subaru.rockhopjohn.com/Brake_Pad_Replacement.pdf

And here is the thread itself, which is a little more up to date than then PDF

DIY: Brake Pad Replacement, Brake Flush, and Brake Bedding

[driveby]

Outmax, you can subscribe to techinfo.subaru.com for 3 days for something like $35, and download the service manual for your car. Or whatever parts of the manual you need right now. They break it up into ~1000 PDF files, and you can only download 50 files per hour. But it's worth the $$ IMO. Haynes/Chilton are good for general car repair info but not so good on model specifics.

rockhopjohn's guide is great! fyi, there are a bunch of different ways to pump the brake fluid. I think the most reliable way is to have a buddy/wife/kid sit in the car and pump the brake while you open & close the bleeders on each wheel and top off the reservoir. But everyone finds their own way.


-Jeff

[subiesailor]

Super easy I did mine my first time ever doing breaks. Just picked up a cheap chiltons manual and after the first wheel - it was a no brainer.

I found that 60-70K was about the limit on the pads this was on our 01 legacy GT essentially the same exact car as the outback minus the lifted suspension.

I found that as long as I swapped out the pads before they caused damage to the rotors that the rotors were fine. Finally had them turned at 140,000 and the shop said they were nearly fine just some slight truing was needed. They checked the thickness per Subaru specs and they were fine. He said that they only see maybe one set of subaru rotors every few months and they all tend to have the same story need very little truing and are all in spec.

He said that Subaru is clearly doing something right and he had a whole pile of rotors in the back used by other automakers who could learn a thing or two from Subaru! HA

Since my first break pad effort I've done our VW jetta - bit a of a pain in the ass compared to Subaru. Honda accord looks like they used the same exact parts as subaru. My toyota landcruiser little more complicated but the concept and parts are all the same.

It's pretty liberating to learn how and once you do it you'll wonder what the **** dealers are charging for to do break jobs LOL - its easy and nearly impossible to screw up.

[driveby]

It's pretty liberating to learn how and once you do it you'll wonder what the **** dealers are charging for to do break jobs LOL - its easy and nearly impossible to screw up.

+1 Brakes are pretty well standardized and idiot-proofed because they are the most critical safety system in any car. This is a cash-cow job for most shops.

Just don't put grease on the inside of your brake pads.

I'd also recommend a torque wrench (80 ft-lb range) to tighten your lug nuts to spec. From what I've heard, over-tightened lug nuts are a very common cause of damage.

While you're down there, you should also inspect your wheel bearings, cv boots, steering boots, balljoints, endlinks, and suspension bushings. Basically looking for any wobbly or torn or leaking parts. There's a bunch of stuff that is easy to inspect when the wheels are off. That's one of the benefits of taking it to a shop...they know how to inspect everything in just a few minutes. But it doesn't take long to figure it out if you have the right mindset.

-Jeff

[tastyorange]

I was going to post a new thread exactly like this tonight!

I used to do the front brakes on my old LeBaron convertible (they wore unevenly though).

I can't keep burning through my paychecks with car maintenance, so I thought I'd attempt the front brakes on my 2005 OB 2.5i LTD, since they are due.

Some questions:

What are the best aftermarket pads to use? How are ceramic and can they be used up front with regular in the back?

What's the worst that can happen if I don't turn the rotors? I have no issue with pulsating, etc.

Is it necessary to use a baster to remove brake fluid before starting?

Do aftermarket pads come with correct clips?

How do I make sure I install them correctly so that they wear evenly?