The Subaru, it's back.

[ls1mike]

Easy Peasy this time...Brakes.

This was a cheap one. 262 bucks. Front rotors, pads and new hardware, just threw some pads on the rear. They looked okay.
Calipers were good, brake fluid looked decent.
Duralast rotors, the only ones in stock around here, Duralast gold pads.

I did not like having to use the 8M bolts to pop the rotors.

Big concern is the transmission has a weird shudder, feels almost like torque converter shudder. She does not go far so it should be OK. Reluctant to service the transmission due to unknown history and the mileage.

 

[GreeCguy]

Well done, and I love your garage, (mine is on the "cluttered" side).

 

[michaelluscher]

Looks good.
I'd get around to the brake fluid come summer, and I'd do a drain and fill to test the water.


Shudder isn't a good long term proposition.

 

[another Todd]

Trans service and Lubegard for the shudder.

 

[ls1mike]

I am not super familiar with the Subaru autos, don't know their problem areas. Car just needs to make two years, it will be paid for then and she wants to get a small sedan. Plenty to chose from.

I did some research and appears the shudder is "normal" So not a huge deal as it shifts fine and does not slip. I may let the dealer do the service on that unit just because it is reasonably priced.

 

[cpayne5]

If you don't like using the bolts to break the rotors free, try banging the rotor hat with a hammer in between the lugs (put nuts on to protect the lugs, if you want). A proper beating a time or two around will usually free the rotor.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: cpayne5
If you don't like using the bolts to break the rotors free, try banging the rotor hat with a hammer in between the lugs (put nuts on to protect the lugs, if you want). A proper beating a time or two around will usually free the rotor.

I hammered the ever living .... out of them. I had to use the bolts. I had to run to Lowes to get them.

 

[cpayne5]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Originally Posted By: cpayne5
If you don't like using the bolts to break the rotors free, try banging the rotor hat with a hammer in between the lugs (put nuts on to protect the lugs, if you want). A proper beating a time or two around will usually free the rotor.

I hammered the ever living .... out of them. I had to use the bolts. I had to run to Lowes to get them.


Bummer, I've never had an issue with them just falling off after a couple rounds of banging on the hat with a good sized hammer.

 

[Donald]

I think your old ones could have gone another 5K probably 10K miles.

But the new ones look good.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I pulledthe rotors off of the focus this spring and applied lots of anti seize so I could get them apart when the time comes.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: Donald
I think your old ones could have gone another 5K probably 10K miles.

But the new ones look good.

No way the rotors were shot and the pads all had less than about a dime width on them. It sounded horrible, best description I can come up with is when you hit the brakes it felt like turbulence in airplane.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Burnish some anti-seize on the hub before replacing the disc and you will never have a problem removing the disc. You don't want to get carried away with the anti-seize. I use a rag.

 

[George7941]

I don't understand your reluctance to use the M8 bolts to pull the rotors off, it does not do any harm. You could get the bolts reasonably tight and if the rotor does not want to come off, you can then hit the rotor with a hammer.

 

[supton]

Those rotors didn't look shot to me. I can't properly tell but I didn't see a ridge around the edges, which implies to me near full thickness.

?

 

[ls1mike]

I put a digital caliper on them. Out of round and out of spec in some spots. There was a ridge.

 

[hpb]

Told ya that car was going to haunt you! I worked on Japanese cars for years, getting discs and drums off with 8mm bolts is standard practice, it feels like they're going to strip, but they never do. Screw them in until they're tight, smack the hat a couple of times like you mean it, wind the bolts in a little more, and repeat until the disc falls off.

Personally, I'd let someone else service the trans - otherwise, you just KNOW it'll be your fault if/when it takes a dump.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: hpb
Told ya that car was going to haunt you! I worked on Japanese cars for years, getting discs and drums off with 8mm bolts is standard practice, it feels like they're going to strip, but they never do. Screw them in until they're tight, smack the hat a couple of times like you mean it, wind the bolts in a little more, and repeat until the disc falls off.

Personally, I'd let someone else service the trans - otherwise, you just KNOW it'll be your fault if/when it takes a dump.


LOL! No doubt and that is precisely the reason I want the dealer to do the transmission service!

 

[Thermo1223]

Subaru made a good 4 speed Auto...no one really liked the 5 speed.

I'd let the dealer deal with it too. I only do mine myself because you can't really screw up the 4 speed.

 

[KenO]

Originally Posted By: Thermo1223
Subaru made a good 4 speed Auto...no one really liked the 5 speed.

I'd let the dealer deal with it too. I only do mine myself because you can't really screw up the 4 speed.


Ya, they're cake. AND they have a drain plug in the pan (at least most of them). And a spin-on filter. You really can't beat it, it's a fantastic design, from a maintainers POV.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Is the 5 speed unreliable or does no one just like 5 speed automatics in Subarus?