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Subaru Baja brakes drilled and slotted rotors (gone wrong)
Hi, just a quickie here,
Since finishing the engine overhaul on the Subaru Baja, I felt why not go ahead and replace the brakes with some new slotted and drilled rotors? Nothing worse than looking through some pretty wheels and seeing ugly rusted rotors!
Note: Today is 9-26-14, I had some problems with these brakes, they exhibited a strong growling noise when performing a hard stop, or coming to stop light/stop sign from a normal accelerated speed. I called Prime Choice and they said to remove the parts and send a picture for credit. Did so, and they said they’d send a refund. Original cost was 147.oo, they refunded me 41.oo! Ouch! I never quite understood how a company absorbs the cost of shipping “heavy” parts, cause for the customer wouldn’t be cost affective to mail the parts back unless it was lightweight stuff.:( Let this be a lesson, buy from your local auto parts!
So, the remainder of this blog, these brakes look great, but aren’t so good after all and I wound up buying new rotors from my local auto parts!;)
I love doing brakes, they’re easy, especially with new parts! Remove the old and install the new! 😉
Right front:
Left rear:
My search for a decent set of rotors led me to a seller on eBay called Prime Choice Auto parts. I’m usually a little leery of parts on eBay, but this wound up being a good deal, in fact all of their prices were very reasonable! Even came with all the anti-rattle clips!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/351169595263?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Let’s review what I did have; some ugly rusted looking not appealing brakes!:( These were especially nasty looking on the rear for some reason.
I probably could have saved the front rotors, but I was going to have to spend a great deal of time refinishing them, then painting them, NOT.
After removal of the rotors, I got some hot soapy water and cleaned the backing plates and calipers. At least it will be clean. The calipers look pretty good, not rusted at all.
The rear parking brakes were in good shape, so I washed them as well after this pic was taken.
Here I was just taking a break in my crowded garage! Notice has close my Subaru is to the ceiling! It’s actually touching the ceiling. In a couple of months, we’re adding on to my garage~ I’ll have another 2 bays with a 12′ ceiling! Can’t wait!!!!!! 😉
I took some time and cleaned the wheels/tires, shined them up.
IN time I may paint the calipers or install caliper covers. But now, I’m very pleased with the look and function of these decent priced parts from Prime Choice Auto Parts!
I just got back from a test run to check out the brakes, they work great, no warped rotors, nice smooth stopping power! As will all brakes, they need a little time to bed-in for maximum stopping power!
NOTE: please refer to note in the beginning of this blog~!
Thanks for stopping in at Classic Cars and Tools! dne’ 😉
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Sep, 21, 2014
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Great work as always. I like reading your adventures dne’!
Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment Don! 😉 I do like to think of what I do as “adventures”! I look forward to doing something each and every in my garage! Soon we’ll have the 2 more bays added to the already existing garage! There will be a special post when it’s built! Can’t wait! 😉 dne’
You need to be careful with your liberal application of anti-seize compound. It should never be applied between the machined faces of the hub and the rotor, and applying it to the wheel studs can make it tricky to achieve a proper wheel torque. While you may be aware that the torque value is reduced with a lubricant, what happens the next time you get new tires installed and the kid that slams a torque stick on the end of his impact gun and rattles your wheel nuts up to 175 ft lbs? Your wheel studs have just experienced what we mechanical engineers refer to as plastic deformation. Its better to leave the wheel studs dry for this very reason.
Thank you Dave, I’ll heed your advice; makes logical sense;)
dne’
I had a problem with my rotors warping regardless of what brand I used…, I even but straight from the dealer for my 07 Grand Caravan, and those warped too. So I looked for a company online who supposedly forged their rotors here in the US. I ended up buying from a company called brake performance slotted and dimpled rotors with semi metallic pads. It resolved my warping issues but left me with the same growl under heavy breaking. They claimed that its a trade off ya have to deal with, so I left them on and its been over a year and 60k miles. I think I will research this a little further for the next brake job.t
Great site BTW…., found you over at the garage journal forum while researching the Maxjax before buying one.
What kind of advice can you offer on welders and plasma cutters for the newbie 🙂
Thanks
Kurt
Hi Kurt! Thanks for a nice response, and I love compliments!;) ON the Subaru Baja, I just sold it the other day. With the rotors from O’reilly’s auto parts, they stop quietly and smooth, just couldn’t stand the growling that you and I know of all too well. I suppose you’re right, it’s a trade off. Perhaps if one spends the big bucks for the Best rotors, perhaps then one can have quiet brakes. If I were to have kept the Baja, maybe then I would have splurged on the high dollar parts, but we humans tend to go the lesser expensive route expecting excellent results! lol
As for welders, and plasma cutters~ you may have seen my welders trio on my blog. The lesser lesser expensive plasma/tig/stick welder which was 800 bucks~ Don’t go there! If you’re going to plasma, buy a Lincoln and maybe buy from a local welding supply, that way if something goes wrong, you can put it right in front of them for problems encountered. The Everlast plasma/tig/stick “works”, but I had to mail it back to the company after the plasma failed. Cost me 80 bucks to ship it and 35.oo to get it back! It works, but is untrustworthy.
My Northern tools 135amp (120v) wire feed welder is superb; it’s not the Hobart, it’s the Northern tool brand. I’ve never had a problem, or I did with the smaller spools of wire, but when I bought the large spool of wire, (running .023 wire), it is fantastic. I use this machine for sheet metal and 1/8- 3/16-1/4″ plate.
My Systematics mig is an old machine, back from the early ’90’s. American made and parts are readily available for it. It’s 220volt and I use it for the heavy stuff.
We as consumers want the best possible deal, and perhaps spend way to much time on eBay, Amazon and online shopping, when the local Welding suppliers is, in my opinion, the best option. Spend the bucks for well known brands and researching reviews on what you want. Don’t buy multi-functional units like I did and no Chinese! Then when it comes to a welding hood! Buy the best! When I bought my Miller American Eagle, my welding improved and my eyes weren’t getting blasted. A great investment for sure!
Don’t you just love the Garage Journal!
Thanks for stopping in, and let me know what you’re looking at in the welding environment!
You may want to check out WeldingTipsandTricks.com, I spend more time watching Jody Collier and have learned a great deal from him!
ClassicCarsandtools@gmail.com
dne’;)