Brake Job

So I finally got around to doing the front brakes on my forester today and thought I'd do a bit of a write up in case we don't have one here...

Now the first thing to do is clear a work space and collect all the tools required.
I didn't machine the rotors as they feel fine under braking and they don't have a lip that I could feel, normally I would machine them anyway to de-glaze them but as I'm planning to do a 4 pot upgrade at the end of the year after my wedding so I didn't bother.


Now here's a list of tools I used:

19mm socket and breaker bar or rattle gun
Jack
Jack stands
14mm ring spanner
10mm pipe spanner
large flat blade screw driver
puller set
fluid bleeder bottle

I cleared a spot in my shed and jacked the front of the car up and got it set up on the stands.





After its up in the air, get the wheels off and out of the way and you should be confronted with something like this.



Now because I'm not machining the rotors I left the caliper bolted to the hub and removed the floating part of the caliper from the slides.

you can see the two small bolts in this picture, they are the ones at the top and bottom with a 14mm head.



If you remove the bolt from the lower slide you can flip the caliper up and remove the pads like this.



Use the large screw driver to remove the pads if they are a little tight in the caliper, but be careful not to damage anything.
once you have the caliper up and the pads removed you need to push the pistons back so you can fit the new pads.
don't push directly on the piston or you risk damaging them.
use one of the old pads.
Before you push the pistons back get your bleeder bottle and crack the nipple so the fluid flows into the bottle and not backwards threw the ABS unit etc. Be careful not to let air into the system or you'll have to bleed the fluid.




As you can see I used my snap on harmonic balancer puller to push the pistons back, I use to use my giant multi grips but this doesn't mark the caliper like the multi grips can.
After I pushed the pistons back I removed the top slid bolt and flipped the caliper over so that I could remove the slides to ensure they are well lubricated to ensure the pads wear evenly.





Take care with the bottom slide, it has a little rubber boot (not the dust boot) don't loose it and when you re install the slide be sure the rubber boot goes inside the fixed part of the caliper, they have a habit of folding over themselves and jamming the slide.


Out of curiosity and for demonstration purposes I measured the old pads and compared them to the new pads.



Here is the LH inner pad. It's down to 1.5mm, well within the legal limit of 0.5mm but they were starting to make noise under heavy breaking which is why I swapped them out.
Also the wear indicator is broken off.



here is the LH outter pad, its worn down to 2mm



both the RH inner and outer pads were 2mm.
The new pads are nice and thick, 9.5mm :ebiggrin:

The new pads I used were from super ripoffs. They are DB1491, as I mentioned earlier I'm upgrading to 4 pots later in the year so I didn't splurge on expensive pads. I know some people swear by Bendix Ultimate pads but in my experience they just chew out the rotors at a stupid rate.
I prefer QFM pads but couldn't get them in town without ordering them in.



before re installing the new pads make sure to swap over the anti rattle shims onto the new pads and then install into the fixed section of the caliper where the old ones came from.
once the new pads are in, slide the caliper back over them and refit the small bolts with the 14mm head. I dont have the torque specs but I do them up hand tight and then around 1/4 of a turn with the spanner, not too tight, their only an 8mm bolt, it wont take much to snap off.

you should end up with it looking like this again.



once its all back together you can refit the wheels and do up the nuts hand tight. I know wheel nuts are suppose to be done up dry but I use a dash of nickle anti seize to prevent them binding up when they have been done up a few times.

Before you take the car back off the stands, go stick your foot on the brake pedal and give it a few pumps without the engine running. It will go to the floor at first but with 2-4 pumps you should have a nice hard pedal.
If this is the case you can take your car off the stands and check the fluid level at the master cylinder, it should be at the full line.
Also now that the wheels are back on the ground, TIGHTEN YOUR WHEEL NUTS

If you have spilled any fluid anywhere on the car wash it off immediately as it will affect the paint.

Now you may think you are done but you need to bed in the new pads. Take a drive around the block and make a few heavy stops from about 40km/h. If your breaks feel as good or better than when you started you are finished, go have a beer and admire the fact you just improved the safety of your car.

DISCLAIMER: The car I worked on was my 2008 MY09 Subaru Forester XT. This is a guide only and should be treated as such. All vehicles differ slightly and the procedure may vary due to the different design of calipers from make to make or even model to model.
PLEASE, IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WORKING ON YOUR OWN CAR I URGE YOU TO TAKE IT TO A REPUTABLE MECHANIC

Great write-up; thanks BB!

This is a pretty good write-up. A lot of people seem to be too intimidated to change out the brake pads themselves. It is actually a really simple, fairly quick process, with a reward of great satisfaction.

Let me know if you want a set of 4 pots when the time comes if you don't have any lined up. I have 2 sets for sale.

Thanks rally, that would be great, could you pm me some details on the 4 pots?
the problem with 4 pots is they wont clear my factory mags or the steel rims I've got without spacers.

Awesome write up Brumby Boy

Regards
Mr Turbo

My pleasure, I'm all to happy to share my knowledge around, especially as I am no longer working as a mechanic it helps to keep the information fresh in my head.

I also thought I'd add that the pads I removed are the genuine original pads, anyone want to take a stab at how many Km's I got out of them?

117,500kms?

Higher

153,200kms?

Not quite that high, 122,415km's

Excellent write up, Thank You Brumby Boy!!!:ebiggrin:

Hey brumby, I've been interested in doing the older wrx 4 pot swap on the fronts myself. but all the feedback on ozfoz about the swap is negative. apparently the SH foz calipers have alot larger pad surface area than the wrx 4 pots. guess that why new wrx just have the same brakes as the SH foz? People reckon the difference in performance isn't worth the effort, apparently the Liberty GT brake swap is more worth while.

Current WRX brakes are a complete joke. A lot of the guys in the WRX Club with that model are getting rid of them because they are so bad. The old 4 pots were/are much better

Has anyone actually gone from the 2pot floating caliper to the older 4pot caliper Rally? On a current model wrx?

No-one comes to mind. Many have gone to either the Brembo or what I am running (D2's). Either of which would be overkill on a Forester. By point of comparison, the GD WRX's ran the 4 pot and was of similar weight and did not suffer as badly as the current cars do with the 2 pot. Even when running good pads, fluid and 2 piece rotors, the current cars could not hack the pace on the track. After 1112 laps there were no brakes left- and that was a standard car on street tyres. I have some 4 pot calipers for sale- the ones off my WRX and a set from my dad's Liberty which were removed as he is selling the car.

Surface area is only part of the story. An advantage of having more pistons is a more uniform application of pressure against the whole of the pad. Less distortion of the pad means the full area of the pad is applied against the disc, as opposed to the pad distorting enough so that part of the pad is not making full contact with the disc.

Not sure how much of this would apply to anyone here. The main point I'm making is that the 4 pot is better than the current WRX 2 pot.

I hear you and was supprised by what i read, i understand the benefits. my weekend car is a 2006 HSV senator with factory fitted AP racing 4pot 350mm front brakes and 4pot 335mm rear brakes and although small by todays standards or even then the upgraded HSV GTS brakes where 6pot 365mm and 4pot 350mm if i remeber correctly. I think the current HSV have 6pot 389mm front and 4pot 379mm rear on the GTS. which when these where release 2010 they were the fastest stoppinng from factory 4 door car in the world. out braking AMG's and BMW's etc. not sure if thaat still holds true prob not 3 years is a long time.

This was of course the SV GTS with the factory magnetic suspension and wider tyres, not much point going big brakes without the tyre and suspension to work with it.

I think 90% of the people sayin there is no difference street drive there car. where the larger surface area pad probably wins as you only need that one big stop. on the track this is difference the mono block 4pot calipers flex much less and handle the heat better with less fade. My biesel forester is never going to the track so i am wanting advice from a street driving point of view.

I think changing the pads to a better compound will probably do me. i just saw the caliper swap as a cheap upgrade for what in my opinion is an under braked car. but i don'twant to spend a couple hundred for no or maybe worse brakes for on the street.

Brumby has an XT so he might have a different intention.

There have been a few times that I've felt the standard brakes were lacking, more than adequate for road daily use but in an emergency or for track use I'd like the comfort of knowing my brakes are up to par.
Now this might come down to something as simple as a better pad compound or a better rotor but I have always felt the 4 pot calipers were more dependable as there are no slides to jamb causing uneven pad wear and spongy pedal feel, besides some times its just about bling too

Rally I got your PM, and once I have some wheels lined up that will clear them I'll be in contact. no idea on a time frame yet as money is tight until after the wedding in September.

I just read what I wrote above. 1112 laps and no brakes left! Ha. No one would would they. Make that 1 1/2 laps. Need to do more proof reading.