Legacy Front brake refurb.
Discussion
My facelift Mk4 Legacy had been suffering from brake judder above 50MPH prior to lockdown so I took the opportunity to refresh the brakes over the last few weeks.
Stripped out the front brakes and put in new discs, pads and flexi hoses. Rebuilt the calipers and reassmebled.
Only hiccup was the offside flexi to fixed union got rounded. Managed to undo it with some mole grips and then cut the fixed pipe back to a convenient point, flared it and and made up a new section to meet up with the flexi pipe.
Obviously the brakes were bled which proved tricky and in the end I just let gravity do the work and kept topping up the reservoir. It took a lot of fluid to extract all the air but patience got there in the end. Gently tapping the calipers and pipes seemed to help move the bubbles along.
OE spec Brembo discs and pads
BigRed caliper refurb kit inc pistons
HEL braided hoses with new bajo bolts and copper washers
Tired discs and pads, pistons were starting to stick
Fair amount of corrosion on the pistons and the seals looking tired, inside the caliper they weren't too bad, but the kit came with new ones so they were replaced anyway.
Freshly painted before rebuilding, I used the old pistons and seals to stop the paint getting where I didn't want it
Freshly rebuilts caliper
Calipers and carriers ready to reattache
All back together, I also fitted new slide pins and hoses.
Stripped out the front brakes and put in new discs, pads and flexi hoses. Rebuilt the calipers and reassmebled.
Only hiccup was the offside flexi to fixed union got rounded. Managed to undo it with some mole grips and then cut the fixed pipe back to a convenient point, flared it and and made up a new section to meet up with the flexi pipe.
Obviously the brakes were bled which proved tricky and in the end I just let gravity do the work and kept topping up the reservoir. It took a lot of fluid to extract all the air but patience got there in the end. Gently tapping the calipers and pipes seemed to help move the bubbles along.
OE spec Brembo discs and pads
BigRed caliper refurb kit inc pistons
HEL braided hoses with new bajo bolts and copper washers
Tired discs and pads, pistons were starting to stick
Fair amount of corrosion on the pistons and the seals looking tired, inside the caliper they weren't too bad, but the kit came with new ones so they were replaced anyway.
Freshly painted before rebuilding, I used the old pistons and seals to stop the paint getting where I didn't want it
Freshly rebuilts caliper
Calipers and carriers ready to reattache
All back together, I also fitted new slide pins and hoses.
I always gravity bleed my brakes. It's worth noting that continually tapping the brakes will cause the bubbles to form. So when you think they are taking ages to bleed, it's because you are creating the bubbles, rather than air being still in the system.
Also, providing the tube from the nipple has fluid in it, you can still pulp the brakes without fear of air being drawn back into the caliper.
Also, providing the tube from the nipple has fluid in it, you can still pulp the brakes without fear of air being drawn back into the caliper.
Pupbelly said:
Nicely done. How much for the rebuild kit and what was included? (Assuming you bought a kit)
ThanksI bought the full rebuild kit on ebay which does both front and rear calipers, it cost £52
Includes seals, pistons, new bleed nipples, new rubber boots for the slide pins and grease.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/for-SUBARU-LEGACY-3-0-2...
I'll be doing the rears some time soon I have new flexi hoses to go on there too.
TEKNOPUG said:
I always gravity bleed my brakes. It's worth noting that continually tapping the brakes will cause the bubbles to form. So when you think they are taking ages to bleed, it's because you are creating the bubbles, rather than air being still in the system.
Also, providing the tube from the nipple has fluid in it, you can still pulp the brakes without fear of air being drawn back into the caliper.
I'm not sure I understand how tapping the brakes can cause bubbles to form if there is no air in there? By that reasoning if I was tapping them then I would never get the fluid to run without bubbles. Tapping the calipers can't create bubbles if there is no air in the system.Also, providing the tube from the nipple has fluid in it, you can still pulp the brakes without fear of air being drawn back into the caliper.
My view is that tapping the calipers dislodges the very small bubble clinging to the internal surfaces and allows them to join with others and then they can be drawn out by the fluid flow.
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