02STi brembo front caliper on GF8, fouling on wheel after removing and replacing pads
 

Hi guys,

I think I did a boo boo last week. I've got a '99 GF8 with an STi brembo swap front and rear. Bought it with them already installed many many years ago and have never had any issues with them.

The brakes had started squealing a little in the last month or so, so last week I pulled my front wheels off and pulled my brake pads out to check how much meat is left on them, no worries there plenty left. Stuck them back in and put everything back together.

I noticed this weekend a squealing sound from my front left wheel when I take right hand turns, had a look and the wheel is now fouling on the outer surface of the caliper, paint on the bottom of the caliper is starting to get shredded. The wheels are 17" subie wrx/sti wheels which have just enough clearance to clear the calipers and again have been on the car since I bought it and never had any issues.

I'm thinking I may have bent the bracket that holds the caliper when I was compressing the pistons in the caliper to remove the pads, I was using a flat-head screwdriver and carefully prying between pad and rotor to compress them, guess I wasn't careful enough!

My question is, would taking a rubber mallet to the caliper and giving it a few good beatings be a reasonable course of action to get the caliper back into a position where it won't be rubbing any longer?

I consulted a Subie FB group and have been given advice it is more likely the wheel bearing is shot and giving enough play to hit caliper when I'm taking right hand turns.

I have it booked in at Stechnic for Thursday and hopefully I can report back with good news.

yeh mine wheel bearing was that bad i had to replace the hub as well as it was wrecked giving the high pitch squealing as well..

[QUOTE=Rslib72;860266]yeh mine wheel bearing was that bad i had to replace the hub as well as it was wrecked giving the high pitch squealing as well..[/QUOTE]

Fudge! Hope I get lucky and it's just the bearing that needs replacing!

yeh in good hands with who you are taking it too, bear in mine had 300,000 kms on it so hope it just your bearing...

[QUOTE=Rslib72;860277]yeh in good hands with who you are taking it too, bear in mine had 300,000 kms on it so hope it just your bearing...[/QUOTE]

Haha I was not lucky. Just got it back, had both front wheel bearings replaced. The left front bearing which was the one with the wheel that was rubbing on the caliper had completely collapsed and ruined the hub flange too so needed a replacement flange. $465 per bearing ($930 total) and $88 for the used hub replacement. Stung but trust Stechnic.

Mine is coming up on 300 000 k's too, 100 000 put on the odo by me since I've owned the car so no complaints they had a good life.

You gotta pay to play!

But good to hear its sorted!