Brake problem

[thewelsho]

When I am braking (low or high speeds) there is a loud rubbing/grinding sound coming from the fronts. It sounds as though the pads are worn to the metal, but as you can see from the pictures below, there is plenty of lining left on them. After all, they have only done 9500 miles (one track day in the rain). Also, it doesn't happen all the time! Any suggestions as to what could be causing this?

Driver Side

Passenger Side

[wrxmania]

Mine often used to grind - before and after the pads were changed. 

[steven_williams]

It could be worth taking the pads out and cleaning them. Clean out the groove in the middle of the pads and de-glaze them using rough sandpaper. Also check the edges of the discs for ridges and gently tap the edge of the disc whilst rotating it to remove loose bits.

[thewelsho]

It could be worth taking the pads out and cleaning them. Clean out the groove in the middle of the pads and de-glaze them using rough sandpaper. Also check the edges of the discs for ridges and gently tap the edge of the disc whilst rotating it to remove loose bits.

Thanks! But I have no idea what I am doing and other than a Leatherman, I have no tools! Just a clueless owner me! [:$]

[st3ph3n]

Have you "used" the car since the Trackday John. Might be worth taking it out and having a few good stops in it to clean everything up.

[colin_ross]

Does the noise change if you turn the car from left to right. It's very common to get a stone stuck between the disc and the heat shield, even moreso with 2 pots.  Very common after track days if you've been on the kitty litter.

[thewelsho]

Have you "used" the car since the Trackday John. Might be worth taking it out and having a few good stops in it to clean everything up.

Not really Stephen, been scared to hit the brakes hard jsut incase it was a brake-wear issue. Now that I knw its not, I will give them a good stamping.

[thewelsho]

Does the noise change if you turn the car from left to right. It's very common to get a stone stuck between the disc and the heat shield, even moreso with 2 pots.  Very common after track days if you've been on the kitty litter.

Colin. Haven't noticed turning from left to right, will look out for that. Having said that though, my driveway is jsut made up of stones and gravel, so it might be some of that getting caught in it.

Thanks gents.

[eurosti]

Your pads look like they are starting to crumble you might have cooked them on the trackday.

[mctwistuk]

John,

Is this you trying to justify those AP 6 pots for the next rack day?

chris

[john mac]

There are wear indicators on the pads (usually one on each set) ,which are made of spring steel and are designed to make a slight squealing(not so much a grinding)  noise when the friction material wears down and the indicators contact the discs. Sometimes if the little bits are bent too far towards the disc then the noise appears a bit prematurely.The pads are real easy to take out and check,just  take the wire retaining clip out and knock the pins out,then pads just pull out.You done the hardest bit by taking the wheels off []

P.s the outer pad on the passenger side looks quite well down for 9.5k . or maybe i just drive like miss Daisy []

[st3ph3n]

I got 10k out of a set of standard front pads, including 1 trackday. Still had a bit left in them, but not much more than a K.

[trevelyan]

Just had a prob with mine which sounds pretty similar. THe backing plate on the NSF caliper was rubbing and creating a grinding noise at low speed. it faded when over 35mph and didnt notice it again until slowing down. solution - adjust backing plate. dunno if this may help..???

[thewelsho]

Your pads look like they are starting to crumble you might have cooked them on the trackday.

Great! Though, I don't recall being that hard on them and when it wasn't raining there was plenty of standing water to keep them cool. I dunno if that matters though. Does it?

[imprezapete]

Well I was under the impression rapid heating and cooling of brake parts is the worst you can do to brakes. Hard to say what the problem is really.

[thewelsho]

John,

Is this you trying to justify those AP 6 pots for the next rack day?

chris

Ha! its not about justification, its a financial issue!

[dan_jess]

I had a squealing / grinding coming from the brakes and thot the pad was sticking on, turned out to just be scaling on the disc, chapped it all off and everything was fine again. Could be that, the noise bugged me for ages!

[thewelsho]

Much are a decent set of pads? What's a decent brand? Who supplies them? And lastly: Pads that will withstand track-use. Thanks!

[st3ph3n]

John, EBC red stuff work nicely with the WRX 4 pots I've found. I'm on my 3rd set of their front pads. I could get about 10-12K with 3 trackdays, glasgow runs, september run, laps at alford, visit to crail etc. out of a set of them, if not more.

Had to change front discs this time around though as 1 set of stock pads and 2 EBCs had taken their toll. Also finally wore out my rear pads so went for EBCs on there too.

Some people have had issues with them, but they really need to be bedded in properly with gentle use for a few hundred miles. Can't just storm out the garage and blitz them on a country road blast straight away.

Oh and a set of fronts are about £110 or so? I can't remember as I got a lot done last tuesday and didn't look at the individual prices.

[Racing Snake]

EBC RED STUFF FRONT PADS ARE UNDER £100 FROM SCOOBYWORLD JUST GOT SOME FOR MY BREMBOS. YOU CAN CHANGE THEM EASY ENOUGH YOURSELF SURE SOMEONE WOULD GIVE YOU A HAND 30 MIN JOB.

[thewelsho]

Thanks for the advice, I guess I will go for the EBC Red Stuff then. I am going to get one of my mates to help me take the pads out and have a clean-up, so hopefully it wont come to new pads just yet.

J

[jojo1]

HI mate, I have exactly the same problem, i have the prodrive brakes fitted, its the hardness of the pad, for some reason some cars grind and some dont.  i think its all in the driving style.  i spoke with prodrive and they said.... if its grinding,...its working and i am driving correctly, if not... then I aint!! and the brakes will not last. I also have the heat rings.  So, i guess we need to keep them grinding.  The prodrive alcon brakes and blue pads were used in the 99/00 WRC car and in some cases they only got circa 100miles to a set of pads.  So I gues 9.5k is not bad considering.  All this off course assuming you have the prodrive set up.

[thewelsho]

Good grief! How did you find this? This was posted up months ago! In the end I took the car its 10K service and complained about the brakes. They told me my braking was excessive and hard. I said well, I didn't buy a car like this to go at 30mph. He agreed and said in not so many words that Subaru appreciate that the equipment is not up to the job, so they'd replace the discs under warranty but not the pads. I don't have Prodrive stuff, just the standard brakes that come with the car.