Brakes/SS Line Install Question

[edmundu]

Ok, another question...Should I be concerned that they didn't use my factory shims, which were in perfect shape? Instead they used some spray stuff that looks like complete sh*t on the pads.

They aren't making any noise, but I was just curious if they should have used my factory shims.

Also these idiots got oil or brake fluid all over my center console and passenger seat. I am incensed over this whole ordeal.

 

Although not strictly needed, they should have at least reused the metal shims. They help in keeping the heat away from the dust seals & piston faces. As for the rubber coated shims, I would have kept them because they are superior to any brake goop. Plus not to mention, they aren't messy....

 

Wow, so what was the name of the shop? You know, so anyone else nearby doesn't have to go through it again.

[jc51373]

Good information, I am going to have the pads redone.

 

 

The shop name is Crothers Tire in my hometown of Whitinsville MA. I doubt anyone will use them because they aren't very big.

 

When I went back there to point out the oil stuff they got all over my car, they completely denied it and said it could be coffee or coke. Both of which I never drink. I told them to smell it (cause it smelled like oil) and the continued to come up with excuses. Needless to say the conversation did not end well at all.

 

This will bother me for about a week or some before I let it go completely. Ruined my weekend quite honestly. F-n crooks.

[hondas123]

Hey jc51373 sorry to hear about your misfortune with these guys. How do you like the feel and reponse of the brakes after the install? Despite these guys taking you to the bank. I'm thinking of doing it myself, I've read Xenonks thread.

[donswhitegt]

Grease Monkey? Ever see a monkey that can rebuild a fuel injector?

 

.......Putty from Seinfeld...........

[jc51373]

Hey jc51373 sorry to hear about your misfortune with these guys. How do you like the feel and reponse of the brakes after the install? Despite these guys taking you to the bank. I'm thinking of doing it myself, I've read Xenonks thread.

 

Thanks man, its a bummer. I think I am done modding anything else. My buddy who is a former Tech is having a baby and he can't work on my car, so this is what happens to me-bad karma I guess. Dont' ever trust mechanics, painters, or plasterers though-majority of them are dirtbags.

 

Tell you the truth on the brakes, I am not that impressed with the difference. I mean the petal feels a little better, but not like I would have expected. I don't know, maybe it is just that the pads need to break-in more, or that I had such a bad experience, but I expected a little more this mod.

 

I drove a new 3 Series the other day and the brakes were awesome! Like an on/off switch. Once you get used to that it is awesome. Dont think I will ever have that with a Legacy.

[ilh]

I drove a new 3 Series the other day and the brakes were awesome! Like an on/off switch. Once you get used to that it is awesome. Dont think I will ever have that with a Legacy.

Yuck! I want a linear response.

[G.T.Subie]

I plan on doing this exact mod thiis week. I am using a mechanic that I always use he is a little pricey but I trust him and his work. I haven't gotten a price yet but now I'm a little curious.

[Opie]

I drove a new 3 Series the other day and the brakes were awesome! Like an on/off switch. Once you get used to that it is awesome. Dont think I will ever have that with a Legacy.

 

Sure you can have that in a Legacy.....

 

http://www.thel7.com/Wills/2.5GT/brakes.jpg

[edmundu]

^^^Show off! Nothing like having big honking Brembo's to slow you down....except having them in the rear as well:icon_mrgr

[jc51373]

Nice Brembos and nice Rotors! Makes what I did look worthless. Do you have them in the back too?

[PGT]

my car yesterday

 

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/PatagonianGT/brembos.jpg

 

I agree that pads, fluid and lines doesn't do enough. I did that last summer....hindsight being 20/20, I would have gone straight to the Brembos. After selling my stock front brake setup, the Brembo rotors and pads, net expense will be right at $1K with Brembo calipers, SS lines, Hawk HPS pads and Racing Brake 2pc rotors. Cheap upgrade for what it does for the car's performance, IMHO. Install was a snap....took longer to bleed the brakes than swap new pads in, remove stock set, and mount the new parts. Thanks Opie for the writeup!!!

[edmundu]

^^^Looking good!!! So what do you think of the brakes now?

[PGT]

instant response....no more half pedal travel BS for the brakes to engage. Loving it so far, though I haven't gotten on them except forthe bed in procedures. 600 miles before I can wail on them?? Road trip time.

[SBT]

JC53173 - Sorry to hear about your poke job.

 

Did they fark up your individual banjo bolts or connector sections? I'd check them over very closely and if they did (you were planning to use these on another project or give them to a friend right?) tell them you want some of your money back.

 

I wish people were more ethical and honest (especially about the oil spill). That kind of stuff really gets to me. And I'd make sure that they gave me back everything they took off the car including the shims for the brakes.

 

Hopefully you can find something good out of all of it.

 

SBT

[jc51373]

JC53173 - Sorry to hear about your poke job.

 

Did they fark up your individual banjo bolts or connector sections? I'd check them over very closely and if they did (you were planning to use these on another project or give them to a friend right?) tell them you want some of your money back.

 

I wish people were more ethical and honest (especially about the oil spill). That kind of stuff really gets to me. And I'd make sure that they gave me back everything they took off the car including the shims for the brakes.

 

Hopefully you can find something good out of all of it.

 

SBT

 

 

Thanks man, that was a very kind message. If there is anything positive to pull out of all of this it is you guys. This whole thing is weighing heavily to be honest. Especially if you knew all the details-like the confrontation I got in with those idiots and had to go to the Police to file a report. These guys are truly the dregs of society, cops told me they all have long records too.

 

Anyway, I check over the parts (yes i did ask for them back) and the bolts on the brake lines look fine, perfectly re-usable. This is supposed to be a good thing right? But all it does is piss me off more because they do not look like they have a spec of rust on them like they said. Nor to they look like they were frozen.

 

These guys saw a guy in a suit and a tie and just figured he is dumb so we will overcharge. Bottom-line at this point is to give myself a few days to move on from it and then never think about it again. Because nothing good can come out of it now after what happened.

[05BluePearlGT]

Subaru wanted 300 bucks for brakes/alignment. I was like hell nah. I paid 165, and alignment wasnt needed. They are waiting on the tool to come in to install the brake line. I already paid for the installation though, so its all good. I love my new Rotoras.

[G.T.Subie]

Just had my lines and pads done,along with going to syntheic oil. Paid $320 which is a little high, but I know I am paying for a good job done right.

[jc51373]

If I had it to do over again I would not do this mod. Not just because I got screwed on the labor, but mainly because I don't notice much of a difference at all from this mod. Pedal is the same, just a little more bite from the Endless pads.

 

Not worth it to me..Should have taken the money and put it into calipers.

[SBT]

If I had it to do over again I would not do this mod. Not just because I got screwed on the labor, but mainly because I don't notice much of a difference at all from this mod. Pedal is the same, just a little more bite from the Endless pads.

 

Not worth it to me..Should have taken the money and put it into calipers.

 

If that's the case, then I'd suggest that the place that installed your brake lines & pads did not do a proper job of bleeding the brakes. You should definitely feel a better, more solid engagement from the SS lines than with the stock setup. What type of fluid did they use? Was it Motul or one of the other high-performance fluids? Remember, there is a specific sequence to bleeding your Subaru. Did the shop know about this and did they follow it?

 

1) LF

2) RF

3) LR

4) RR

 

Start with the wheel closest to the master cylinder (MC) and work outward to the farthest wheel away from the MC. This is not the typical process of starting with the farthest wheel from the MC and working inward toward the MC.

 

I'd just ask them how they bled the brakes and if they didn't do it properly they should have to do it again correctly as they may be compromising your safety. Also, since this shop sounds a little on less on the up and up (Subaru tech wise) then you'd like, it's possible they may have gotten air in the MC and didn't know how to properly bleed this BEFORE they bled the brakes.

 

Anyway - I'd definitely take it back and tell them you want it the system completely re-bled, on their dime, since it's not right. Might as well get some of that labor cost back. And I'd monitor it, whille they're doing it, to make sure they do it right and use the right fluid.

 

SBT

[LittleBlueGT]

If I had it to do over again I would not do this mod. Not just because I got screwed on the labor, but mainly because I don't notice much of a difference at all from this mod. Pedal is the same, just a little more bite from the Endless pads.

 

Not worth it to me..Should have taken the money and put it into calipers.

 

 

Do your brakes have the "warped" sensation?

 

If not then thank the pads. All it takes is a few hard stops on the OEM pads and you will get uneven pad deposits on your rotors, no fun.

[melayout]

Do your brakes have the "warped" sensation?

 

If not then thank the pads. All it takes is a few hard stops on the OEM pads and you will get uneven pad deposits on your rotors, no fun.

 

+1, that's the only reason why I upgraded to the Endless Vitas.

[jc51373]

Good advice Subietonic, but I can't take the car back to this place. I had to go to the Police and almost got into a physical altercation with one of the little weasels that works there. If I were in my twenties again I would have just smashed this kid, but I have too much to risk now, so I left and reported the fact I was threatened to the Police.

 

Trust me when I tell you, I brought up ALL this stuff to them. So far here are all the things they did to me:

Over charged, $358 in just labor!

Didn't used my factory shims, just some crappy looking spray stuff.Which ruined the look of my pads

Probably didn't bleed the lines correctly.

Lied to me about rusted frozen lines

got Brake fluid all over my interior

 

 

When I brought it up to them, they either denied it was them, or came up with an excuse. When I argued it more I ended up getting threatened by some little crack-head, white trash, deadbeat whose mouth was bigger than his balls.

 

Truth is, the possibility of me getting my ass handed to me by every guy in the shop was there, so I left ina hurry, and I am not going back. Situation is too emotional at this point to re-visit it with them. Best thing I can do it move on from it, and figure out how to fix it.

[G.T.Subie]

Dam! That sux to have an experiece like that when you were probably excited to get your brakes done. Hope your problems are resolved if they can be.I like the feel of brakes,especially at higher speeds:icon_bigg. I had plenty of probs with my brakes from the begining.

[MIKEBRAVO]

Sorry dude.

[zildjiank]

my car yesterday

 

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/PatagonianGT/brembos.jpg

 

I agree that pads, fluid and lines doesn't do enough.

Unfortunately, I'm thinking the same thing (it feels just like stock)...and I shelled out about $300 just in parts...

Not to mention stripping one of the bolts during the SS process (didn't use proper wrench...)

 

Sorry about your sucky situation dude...I've determined to do most of the work I can for upgrades by myself...even if I have some mishaps, it'll all be my fault, instead of hassling with someone else's car fixing deficiencies...