Brake Advice

[scouk]

OK Long story short..

Felt yesterday that the brakes were a bit off during normal driving... After washing the car this morning decided to check pads.. Sure enough front offside pads stuffed! Same ones that went last year so clearly sticky calliper.. Fair enough, not good but was thinking of changing discs/pads at the start of next year it's just been pulled forward a but..

So decided to take it all apart today and remove the calipers and given then a damn good clean ready for fitting new discs/pads..

However.. For starters ended up shearing two of the bolts which hold the callipers on, (so I'd need a set of them for a kick off) But it looks like there’s one piston on each calliper which is stuck.. Properly stuck!! ain't gonna move no matter what sort of clamp was used! Also on one of the callipers, two of the rubber seals have twisted and will probably split soon.

Finally I get to the point...

Is it possible to recondition these standard newage WRX brake calipers and free off the pistons/re-seal them e.t.c. and get them functioning again? Or is it probably just better off coughing up for new ones

If new ones, got any recommendations? Just try get standard ones again? new or 2nd hand or try rob a bank and upgrade the callipers to something different..

Sufficed to say the car's off the road till I get something sorted

Thanks in advance for any help/advice!

Edited September 21, 2008 by ScoUK

[terzo neil]

i rebuilt a set of caliper with a piston seal kit which include all the major seals

used an air line to free off the stuck calipers pistons

[Spaceman]

Ian for godspeed brakes does an exchange on these calipers mate £175 i think he gives you as new ones that have fresh everything and painted the colour of your choice and you post back you goosed ones. Not to bad really for a hassle free time. your local dealer will sort you out with a set of caliper bolts or send me yor address and ill post you a spare set i have

Greig

[StrikE]

Yup as spaceman said, calipers

[euan_r]

ive rebuilt quite a few now.

easiest think is block the good pistons and use cars brake system to pump out sticky one (could always remove dust boot and squirt wd40 down night before as well if its really stuck).

putting in new seals is easy after that. you can order single pistons online too if required. touch of red rubber grease is important too.

most annoying task would be painting them IMO. i painted mine in the kitchen when the coast was clear. its only when i noticed the soles of my feet were red i knew i was in trouble. vht paint really stinks in the oven too. the dishwasher also cleaned them up ok but i would just stop at wire brush stage next time.

[scouk]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I noticed the repair kits on fleebay for next to nothing which looked promising.. But just had a go at trying to clear out one of hte stuck pistons and no joy.. GOnna need somethign medevil to remove it and it's possibly corroded so much it'll need replaced... So the innards are possibly kaked as well..

However £175 from godspeed sounds decent! That's gotta be worth a call tomorro!

As for discs/pads I was gonna be heading for the BLackDiamond Fast Track ones... Any major objections to these that I don't know about?

Greig - If I cant easily get a set of the bolts I'll give ya a shout! MOre than happy to pay postage or whatever

(Was kinda tempted by the WRX wheels you were sellin but this has blown that idea out of the water )

[scoobykev]

My brother in law just got a set of 4 pots from AWD, exchange for £108 each iirc. Came painted silver

[scouk]

Nice one! Keep the suggestions comin'!

[Spaceman]

No bother mate just let me know ill do you a good deal on the wheels posted if intrested send me a pm Greig

[emoe]

I have a set of 4 pot brakes for sale £200 with the discs and pads, coming off mycar to to fit the K sports!

[ed-209]

As for discs/pads I was gonna be heading for the BLackDiamond Fast Track ones... Any major objections to these that I don't know about?

Not so much an objection. but black diamond disc's and pads only lasted 23 laps of kames on my last scooby that was after bedding them in for 600miles (good bite on road use) before track use. When I say lasted 23 laps I mean the pads wore out the grooves on the disc. went to mintex extreme discs/pads after that and they where fine 5000 miles including track days no problems. new car has tarox g discs and red stuff ceramics and thats fine also (not done any track days yet!).

Ed.

[scoobysailor]

I have mintex extreme discs and pads fitted and have had no snags.......they do what they say on the tin!!

Edited September 22, 2008 by scoobysailor

[amac14]

Had same problem only this spring on the 4pots on my MY01 Classic, must be an unlucky colour i guess It went for the pot on the bottom of each of my old calipers inside one in both cases but the outside bottoms were also affected.

Thought about seals kit & rebuild option but passed on it as thought mine were a little to knackered & would only give me bother again as they had been worping discs for a while before hand.

My problems were caused i think by too much sitting for long periods in my driveway not being used enough, could this be a factor in your problems also??

After some price hunting eventually went with Brake Engineering ( Web Address ) re-conditioned ones but the ones that arrived looked brand new in a shiney red laquared finish with subaru in correct white font on them - came in around £185 inc VAT if i remember rightly with return of old ones.

Apparently according to the guy i know from A1 stores most are new as many of the return parts are worped too bad to be re-con'd??

Down my way both A1 motor stores & Dingbro motor factors supply this make & quality bits of kit they were, no prblems since, though not sure who would be your local supplier??

So maybe another option for you to add to the list, hope you get them fixed alright... shame about the timing & missing out on the McRae's Rally this weekend, should be good i hope as it'll be my first time... to the rally that is

Edited September 23, 2008 by amac14

[scouk]

Had same problem only this spring on the 4pots on my MY01 Classic, must be an unlucky colour i guess :P It went for the pot on the bottom of each of my old calipers inside one in both cases but the outside bottoms were also affected.

Thought about seals kit & rebuild option but passed on it as thought mine were a little to knackered & would only give me bother again as they had been worping discs for a while before hand.

My problems were caused i think by too much sitting for long periods in my driveway not being used enough, could this be a factor in your problems also??

For me its offside bottom outside and nearside top inside. odd!

I knew the the one of the offside as a wee bit sticky as I changed the pads just under a year ago. Pad that came out looked like a wedge but managed to get the piston moving again. However after it wearing out the pad in under a year, need to get it sorted properly!

Kinda explains why there's receipts from previous owners for brake pads every year..

Thanks for another option.. But Ian at godspeed is sortin me out with a set of recon calipers with stainless steel pistons

Hopefully that will arrive before the end of the week.. Sadly I don't think the new discs,pads,brake fluid will get here soon enough to get fitted before saturday... But you never know...

Also big thanks to SPaceman (Greig) for helpin out with the calliper bolts

[amac14]

For me its offside bottom outside and nearside top inside. odd!

Yeah that is a tad strange i must say, usually goes for the lower pots for obvious reasons....

Glad to have been of some/little use

Hope its all sorted for the weekend so rally watchin you can go, poss. bump into you there if you make it that is.

Al

Edited September 24, 2008 by amac14