How To Change Brake Pads on a Subaru and Most Cars

[neoextream007]

nice seems easy now can u make a video of recharging the ac unit for the subaru h6 engine

[illredsea]

awesome guy

[Mrjmoyer78]

Thanks again Brian for a great how to video...same age btw (33 yr old here too)...same learning,(must be a generational thing) my dad taught us all this kind of stuff when my brothers and I were kids and helped him work on his car....he expected we could do all this on our own as well....and I can, it's a lost art to teach your kids things like this in my opinion, another way our society gets lazy and helpless...lol

[briansmobile1]

@Mrjmoyer78 We're just being taught to be dependent instead of independent or interdependent. It makes our boss, government, slave driver seem more crucial than they actually are.

[utubehayter]

@briansmobile1

Ah! You are in a pensive mood today.. talking politics. :)

[briansmobile1]

@utubehayter I hate politics, but ignoring them when things stink like old fish isn't going to make the air smell any sweeter.

[09victoryrc]

does anything need to be done with the ABS system before the piston is pushed back in? ... Ilast time I did this was years ago on a car without ABS ... We loosened the cap on the master cylinder before using a C-clamp to push it back in,same thing now a days with a ABS system ? ( scion Tc ). Thanks

[briansmobile1]

@09victoryrc Nope. Just be sure to not clobber the sensor or wire.

[09victoryrc]

@briansmobile1 thanks for the help.

[briansmobile1]

@09victoryrc You're welcome!~

[giroguy123456789]

Thanks for the Video Brian! Could i request a video? I have a clunking coming from the right rear of my 2007 subaru legacy wagon, it only happens after the car has been parked for a bit with the parking break engaged and only after going from reverse to forward. I believe it's the e-brake that is doing this noise and i would like to do a full e-brake servicing since the e-brake lever needs adjusting also (pulls up quite far to apply brakes)

Thanks!

[briansmobile1]

@giroguy123456789 That sounds like it could be a control arm bushing. I DO have a video on that in the works. I should be able to get that up today.

[steevum]

When you spread the brake caliper what precautions do you have to take with the master cylinder? I changed the pads on my Civic and I removed the master cylinder cap to allow for expansion when the brake fluid was pressed. I was told that not removing the cap could damage the master cylinder. Is this the same with all vehicles?

You are doing great videos. Thank you for this.

[briansmobile1]

@steevum On 90's Chevy's that was the case. now most cars don't sustain damage at all. As a general rule just go slow and you're OK regardless.

[marty1901]

This was exactly the video I needed. Thanks!!!

[briansmobile1]

@marty1901 You're welcome!

[vgbr88]

For cars that require it, what product do you use to lubricate the ends of the pads that slide on the caliper? Thanks - your videos are great.

[briansmobile1]

@vgbr88 Use special silicone based grease for brakes/clutches. Bearing grease goes to concrete with heat.

[XYtruck25]

where did you buy your brake pads from? Are they cermaic or semi-metallic? Good job on the video, I watched 5 other brake pad change videos. Your the only one who mention the to check bolts to see if they move freely and if not lubed them.

[Frey5150]

Just finished doing front brakes on my 08 Legacy thanks to your video. I would have taken a few pictures but the job went too quickly! Last week I did lower ball joints, shocks and rotors on my 97 T100 4x4. I suddenly feel empowered. Great videos and advice, thank you.

[briansmobile1]

@Frey5150 YES!!! I love that! Way to go!

[bikeordie666]

could u make a vidoe on heating up the slide pins

[briansmobile1]

@bikeordie666 Sure. Give me a week of so and I'll do it.

[ffgew22]

You sound very UPBEAT! in this video. Must've been a good day hah

[greatbigshineyhelmet]

my torque setting is long bar to take them off short bar to put them on. do a few miles and go round them all again. just cause i dont have a air rachet. same way diffrent tools. :-)

[beefystik]

Yo Brian. I'm not gonna lie, I've warped my own brand new (cheap) brake rotors by not using torque sticks, and I won't make that mistake again. I got a set of the extensions for about 50 bucks from amazon, and they vary from 60lbs to 140 for trucks. Was well worth the investment for me, and I've never had a wheel fall off.

[peelout40]

I have to say, I like using a torque wrench on my wheels--and for 7 years, no wheel(s) have come off...my eclipse had a lug over tightened, and it damaged the threads...it took all my weight on a breaker bar just to get the wheel(s) off (thank you shop). I say, whatever you use, not too loose, not too tight. DEPENDING on vehicle: 80 - 110 ft/lbs is what I have lived by. Also, steel or custom alloy wheels plays a part. (ie: ferrari, porche, aftermarket, etc...)

[briansmobile1]

@peelout40 for sure.

[dubbledown]

@peelout40 agreed. well before I started working on my cars (I wouldn't even call myself a weekend mechanic, just doing it on the cheap out of necessity)... I learned the star pattern bit from tightening and tuning drum heads. same concept. and I agree about a torque wrench 100%. I damaged a rim on my jetta due to a tech cranking down with his shop gun. the strongest neighbor around was helping me with a 6' length of fence post slipped over the breaker bar and it still took us over an hour.

[peelout40]

@dubbledown Hey! I play drums too, and trumpet, and guitar, so I take a lot of what I've learned with harmony/balance into car work, and I'm the same: weekend mechanic out of necessity to save a buck here and there. But yeah, some of those techs just wanna get the car out of the door...I even caught one guy smoking in the drivers seat while he was doing an oil change in my dad's car (not mine to work on at the time), and the manager didn't do anything! :( I am a nonsmoker btw, so it bothered me.

[dubbledown]

@peelout40 yeah, that would really piss me off. I'd have talked to the manager and demanded an interior detailing. I'm sensitive to smoke, but my mom is actually very allergic and often had trouble even being in non-smoking sections of restaurants bank when they had smoking sections. besides that, it's just rude and shouldn't be done on principle alone.

[peelout40]

@dubbledown Agreed.

[newyota1]

Factory torque specs always worked fine for me.Had tires replaced once and the mech. ran the lugs so tight I busted a lug off when I had to do my brakes shortley after..They were all like that.Also, after a state inspection same thing(too tight) and I checked the wheels he took off and had to take it back and complain and had them loosen for me.I always ask the mech. to use torque wrench to be safe.

[briansmobile1]

@newyota1  I've had SO many similar comments it makes me shy to share stuff like this without doing a whole video on it with complete detail. Torque specs aren't magical numbers. They are derived from actual feel and visual process. You can duplicate the process. That's what I'm saying. You can't do it your first day, but with practice you can learn to get it better than with a torque wrench or torque bar. Over 20 years it's a good skill to acquire.

[newyota1]

@briansmobile1 -I understand but there alot of poor mechanics that don't care and are in a hurry, but you find that in any profession and I am very untrusting of mechanics unless they did good by me before.Case in point-Just bought a used mazda and the used lot had a shop do front brakes.When the mechanic put caliper back on he had one of the rubber booties bent over and ran the pin right thru the side of the rubber and tightened it.Just luck that I was under there checking things out.

[briansmobile1]

@newyota1 I used to work for just any body till I did work for a number of used car dealers one summer. They all wanted special pricing and would say repetitively "I'm a wholesaler" over and over till I'd give some kind of discount. They would basically try to reduce the price I quoted AFTER the work was done and they had already agreed to a price. I'm saying maybe the tech did that boot on purpose? Who knows. Used car dealers screw their mechanics, not just clients.

[mtlh05]

I got a flat while driving my moms car once. The lug nuts were on so tight I broke the lug wrench. First i bent it then it actually cracked and stripped a nut

[JohnSRosamond]

While I agree with what you say, torque from an impact gun is dependent upon the pressure your compressor is set at and how much air your compressor can put out. Is that not right. So someone with your impact gun but a much smaller air compressor may be tigthtening their bolts less that you are if you have a bigger compressor. No?

[briansmobile1]

@JohnSRosamond It's not the size of the compressor that's the factor. The pressure in the tank is. And even that isn't the factor. I'm not squeezing the trigger till my hand is numb I'm using my eyes to see when the nut is settled in snug. I'm only giving it gun till the nut settles. There's a point that- that happens that you can see.

[srissy007]

You are a great teacher!

[MichaelCosta84]

@briansmobile1 I was taught at my automotive school to never fully torque the lug nuts with the wheel suspended, finger tighten them, and then lower the car to the ground and then torque...what are your thoughts on this?

[briansmobile1]

@MichaelCosta84 I do it from a visual/forces approach. On the ground you have more forces involved. On the assembly line they are tightened while in suspension. I'm OK with it.

[briansmobile1]

@MichaelCosta84 Seems people put a lot of "SHOULDS" all over each other. Some good some not. Bottom line is there is more than one way to do any given thing. There are many different yet correct answers in life. I say listen to your instructor. Give him respect. When you're well learned from him/her then add to it the best information you can find.

[cheekster96]

Awesome vid!  I will be doing tomorrow on my girlfriend's Baja!

[briansmobile1]

@cheekster96 Thanks.  Good luck man!

[hp11208]

nice

[Flaheat]

My '96 Legacy got flooded on the passenger side of the car and the front caliper started sticking. I gotta take it all apart this weekend and see if I can regrease everything.

[briansmobile1]

@Flaheat Cool. Use some heat to make the pin come out if you need to.

[rtzapper]

I iked the video thanks Brian

[briansmobile1]

@rtzapper You're welcome.  Thanks for the input.

[drm315]

you said hexagonal

[briansmobile1]

@drm315 It's fun to say. My other favorite word is  (Homer Simpson Voice.) Nuke-U-lar!

[elic123456]

yahh never falls off, and the guy (or his wife) in the middle of nowhere would not be able to change the wheel by himself, have seen it many time

[briansmobile1]

@elic123456 It looks too tight, but it's not. I too have seen that many times. The key is to stop when the socket does. I regularly make a habit of pulling over and helping people on the side of the road. I've seen what you describe many times.

[o7powerwagon]

Another awsome vid!! i gotta do this to my wrx soon!! upgrading to brembos though lol

[briansmobile1]

@o7powerwagon Mmmmmmmm! Brembo. = )

[killman1971]

Actually with AL rims the lug nuts will loosen on their own slightly. This is why many people recommend checking the torque after 100 miles or so. Setting 1 on a high end impact gun in good condition is about the torque that most manufacturers spec.

[precopster1]

I've only had four wheels come off but that's OK, it was my billy cart and my dad put the wheels on for me LOL

[brakedd]

you seem to work on lots of subarus!

[UBBERTANKER]

I still prefer to check my lugs with a torque wrench, its not that time consuming and it can prevent a crash.

[briansmobile1]

@UBBERTANKER Could be.

[briansmobile1]

@nuccireyo7 They're pretty tough to beat. They're now owned mostly by Toyota. It seems to show.

[CURBECK]

Nice vid on

[briansmobile1]

@CURBECK Thanks.

[antonio30824]

@briansmobile1 I have a question. i replaced my breaks on my explorer with drilled and slotted pad and rotors. But now when i apply the breaks i hear a nose that sounds like a cricket lol Do you know what can cause that?

[backwoods3214]

right free them slides. what is big bottle of red lube?

[briansmobile1]

@backwoods3214 It's glue. Disc brake quiet.

[labidus74]

Thanks for the tips i need to cgange mine soon that will help!

[briansmobile1]

@labidus74 You're welcome.

[labidus74]

Thanks for the tips i need to cgange mine soon that will help!

[justin3zelda]

Our instructor always told us we had to open the bleeders when expanding the calipers so that seals don't get damaged in the master cylinder. It sucked ass because alot of the cars we worked on, the bleeders were so rusted, it was impossible.

[briansmobile1]

@justin3zelda You don't have to. Just be gentle. Chalk that up to old wives tales.

[84W150]

So Subaru finally put the parking brake on the rear. The old ones had the parking brake on the front.

[briansmobile1]

@84W150 Yep.