I searched and found a post about back brake and rotor replacement with a similar question, but wanted to ensure correct torque specs for front brake caliper bolts. I am replacing front pads and rotors on my Mom’s 2013 Subaru Outback, I have found some conflicting information on caliper bolt specs so wanted to check and see if anyone has that info before purchasing the 3 day tech info access from Subaru (would order service manual, but these puppies need done a loooong time ago!)
Thanks for any spec info you have for front brake and rotor replacement, appreciated.
Great, thank you. Was reading forums and saw this mentioned as being included in the service info and wasn’t sure, after looking it up it does seem there is a spec for it. Doing my own brakes on my Honda I have just tightened, but new to Subarus so wasn’t sure level of importance. Appreciate the response.
If you wish to continue to diy’er your own repair and maintenance work, it’s a fool’s errand to attempt without access to a good repair manual. An alternative source you might consider is purchasing an aftermarket repair manual, for example from Haynes. These publishers seem to be moving away from paper manuals to online manuals, especially for newer vehicles. The upside, no three day limit. Downside, unlikely to be as accurate as a Subaru-sourced manual. I’d guess the Haynes manual lists the brake torque values you were looking for.
There are other online sources for car repair info as well, All Data, Mitchell’s, Chilton’s, etc.
I did a quick search for service manuals for this vehicle, thought it might be a good thing to have around, however did not get around to looking into who produced one worth purchasing. I’ll take a look at Haynes for sure, Thank you for the rec and info.
Thank you for the specs. I have found 3 different numbers, glad I asked. While I (probably should) torque my own calipers I wanted to be sure I got the info as this is my Mom’s car and ‘by the book’ felt like the way to go, especially with a safety system. If I hadn’t found them, I wasn’t going to stress it too much, but now I can relay this info to my son while we work together on it. Super helpful!
I am not trying to put you on the spot, but I am curious, (Inquiring Minds Want to Know…), if a nut or bolt is to be torqued upwards of 80+ foot pounds, why is it even specified to the half-pound (88.5 ft-lb.).
Maybe in the space program, NASCAR (and other forms of racing: Formula 1, Indy, Drag Racing, etc…), critical construction, etc…, where the threads are perfectly cut and clean, the fastener is unused and un-stressed (not previously torqued and stressed…), and an installer who cares…
Once again, I am not trying to put you or anyone else on the spot, but it seems so inane, so insignificant, so senseless. What mechanics tools are so calibrated to even make this a point of issue?
Especially since the various torque tools: Beam-type Torque Wrench is only ± 10 % accurate, Torque Sticks are recommended to be used up to 70% of the Torque requirement and the Torque finished with a Torque Wrench, and a Digital Torque Wrench is only ± 4% accurate…
So a Digital Torque Wrench with ± 4% accurate is going give a Torque range of about 85 to 92 foot pounds… See my point?
Ok, I’ll accept that, it makes sense now that I have researched it (based on your answer…)
Quote:… Torque can either be measured using the imperial scale in foot-pounds or inch-pounds or the metric scale in newton meters** . Most mechanical torque wrenches (the click, beam, and split beam types) have a dual-range scale with foot- or inch-pounds on one side and the corresponding newton meter scale on the other. End Quote…
Thank for the taking the time to answer… I grew up with mechanics that made timing adjustments with a ball-peen hammer, where “the proper torque was Tight…”
Yeah all 3 of my clicker torque wrenches have ase on one side and Nm on the other, and a lot of torque specs show one with the other in () that is why I checked it out… and you are welcome sir…
You can check your local library. mine had a bunch of manufacture service manuals for all different vehicles, which kind of surprised me. I guess someone must have donated them. you could not take them out, but you could make copies of any pages you needed. they also had ALLDATA free online their.
I took a look in my Haynes repair manual to see if has the torque values my front-disc equipped Corolla. It said the caliper installation bolts are 65 foot pounds , and the the caliper bolts (presumably the guide pins) are 18 foot pounds. Both are slightly less torque than for your Subaru presumably b/c it is a heavier vehicle.
Caliper bracket bolts to steering knuckle are 65 foot pounds and caliper to caliper bracket are 18 foot pounds on your George…
BTW: It is always good to know what your brake caliper bracket torque specs are, rather you use a torque wrench or not… Can anyone say F-150’s with the brake caliper bracket torque spec of 184 ft.lbs … I can’t even remember how many I have seen towed in with missing bracket bolts… lol
That must be why I frequently find what appear to be brake caliper bolts laying in the road. Brake caliper bolts are my most common bolt find I expect. They are good quality bolts too, marked high strength. In case anyone is wondering, no, I wouldn’t re-use them for my vehicle’s brakes … lol …
