Brakes...

[C_WRX]

What a brilliant day I'm having !!!

Set off to work nice and early. Car hasn't moved for a while and thought it could do with a nice longish run. Felt it was kinda, well sluggish, and when coming to a stop felt brakes were sticking.

Reached a nice 60 straight with no-one in front or behind so got up to speed and slammed the brakes on/speed/on. As accelerated again the steering wheel began shuddering - oh no.

Pulled over in to a lay-by, got out and had a look. Oh sh$t !! Front disc was glowing & smoke coming from the pad, and a bit of a smell too (no wasn't me!). Eh, do you think my caliper is sticking (suspected this for a bit now) ??

Let it cool for a bit then drove back and forward, set off again and seemed bit better, but when next checked the wheel was still very warm so phoned the AA.

Informed the AA of the issue - "can't be fixed by roadside need to be loaded home", okay but I have a lowered car with a front lip, "okay, that's good as we needed to know, we'll have a patrolman out to you.....in the next 3 hours "!!!!! Eh, no, I'll push it the 20 miles home in that time. Got back only using the brakes 3 times which kept the temp on the wheel down.

So, long story I know, but questions :

Chances of the pad being wasted ?

Chances of the disc being wasted ?

I think the caliper is going to need changed as believe 4pots are nightmare to get moving again without thorough clean up ?

Have a Blobeye WRX, if I need to get refurb'ed calipers plus discs/pads am I cheaper going for a whole new brake set up ??

Price/contacts/links appreciated.

Boy I could do without this right now !!

[tommo9375]

You won't need new calipers just strip down your ones clean them up, fit new seals and maybe pistons and bleed brakes.This is pretty easy to do ,i done mine myself,got new seal kits from ebay site or try Camskill.

The options on discs and pads are varied ,standard,grooved ,grooved/drilled and prices vary depending on quality.

Edited November 6, 2009 by tommo9375

[badbaz]

PM'd you are!

[C_WRX]

Barry to the rescue. Many many thanks again Barry for helping me out. Relief of it all is that it seems just to be new pistons required. Pads look okay, discs in tact. Seemed okay on the way back but I'll test them out properly later on.

It is friendly helpful folk like this that make this site a good one to be on...well most of the time .

You won't need new calipers just strip down your ones clean them up, fit new seals and maybe pistons and bleed brakes.This is pretty easy to do ,i done mine myself,got new seal kits from ebay site or try Camskill.

The options on discs and pads are varied ,standard,grooved ,grooved/drilled and prices vary depending on quality.

Thanks for the reply tommo. I'm rubbish at anything mechanical, especially on something as important as anchors, so I'll get them properly fixed up but looks like you were right. I'll have a look at the two option places you noted, if anyone else has others be interested in them also.

[badbaz]

Happy to help out a fellow member - now you have seen it done - you can share the knowledge!

[tommo9375]

Hope you get it fixed soon mate

[C_WRX]

Happy to help out a fellow member - now you have seen it done - you can share the knowledge!

You may be modest about it, but I'd be happy to recommend to those that may need car mechancial assistance, Barry could well be your man. Talked me through everything he did, offered advice, and a bit of Scooby chat tabout. Good set up and easy to find location not far off the M74, suited me being localish. I shall return.

You can even see his very uncomfortable Scooby

[BJM]

It's pads & discs time for me tomorrow. Well front disc/pads and rear pads. No one in the UK does rear discs for the 08 yet, there in catalogues but 'not availabel' yet.

A spirited session at knockers fried them, to the point where my nice white sti decals on my calipers are a shade of toasty brown and my front wheels now go from a very light shade of gold from the inside to the proper colour silver towards the outside. Gave changing them in the driveway last week but could not for the life of me shift the caliper bolts. A Got space in a mates garage tomorrow.

EBC grooved turbo discs and red stuff pads BTW, oh and a nice set of braided hoses.

[euan_r]

pads and discs will definatly need replaced. perhaps discs had seen better days anyway, less metal easier to get glowing.

Edited November 6, 2009 by euan_r

[tommo9375]

If the disc was glowing and pad was smoking when you pulled over and you sat sationary for a while there's a good chance you've warped the disc .

[badbaz]

If the disc was glowing and pad was smoking when you pulled over and you sat sationary for a while there's a good chance you've warped the disc .

Measured the disc with a clock gauge. Not warped. He's also tested them and there is no shudder.

[C_WRX]

Not noticed any sudder yet, maybe turned out okay !??

Anyone any more suggestions as to where to get the new seals and pistons from ?? Thanks Tommo for the two options, I'll check them out.

[WRX04]

My n/s/r did much the same a few months back, albeit it wasn't smoking, just getting warm/hot. I bought a seal kit from Subaru, can't remember the exact price but remember thinking they were reasonable (think sub £20), the pack actually had enough seals/rings in it to do both rears so I've got spares for the other side. Not sure if the front ones are the same hence enough for 4 in the pack?

My local garage stuck them on and cleaned up the caliper/pistons, it's been perfect ever since. The garage had actually sourced a set of seals from the factor they use incase it was going to be cheaper but the seals were about 1/3 thinner than the OEM ones so he went with them. I've found Subaru themselves are sometimes reasonably priced for some things, albeit crazy price for others