I spent about 1.5 hours JUST TO inserting brake pads into a brand new caliper. Do I need to redo it again? A few queries.

[Dave9]

Sometimes the caliper itself is what has too thick a coating on it.

Reusing calipers, I clean the rails with a straight file to remove rust, lightly apply silicone paste, put on the stainless shims, light coating of grease on them.

Many pads don't need the ears filed but some do. It is easy enough to see when you try to put them in. It's all about getting enough, but not too much clearance. Whether someone else had to file this or that, is somewhat irrelevant. Just make sure there is no corrosion on the mating part, causing you to file down the wrong part.

 

[97prizm]

I am reminded, YET AGAIN, how simple things can become so complex once you actually do it.

Question 1: How much brake lubricant is acceptable on brake pads?

As it is right now, there a few spots with a thin film of brake lubricant, I wiped it off carefully so as to not introduce more brake lubricant on the pad. As it turns out inserting the brake pads is harder than I thought.

On one caliper, I was finally able to insert the pads after much difficulty and checking the play--there's no play, it's very firm and while I can push it back and forth (with my fingers) to simulate the action of the caliper pushing against it, it's very firm, perhaps tooooo firm!

On the other caliper, the pads would not fit (these are new Raybestos ELEMENT3 calipers.) They do fit with the anti-rattle clips removed (but then I found that they would indeed rattle as there's too much play) so I put back the clips. After some thought and Google research, I realize that I have to file down the brake pads to make them fit--this is rather common I learned.

2. Should I remove the pads again to file it down further to make them easier to slide back and forth? How easily should they slide back and forth?

Final question: HOW DO PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS AVOID GETTING LUBRICANT ON THE BRAKE PADS?? BECAUSE I COULD NOT. I had to use about 10 pairs of Nitrile gloves just to minimize lubricant transfer. I HAD TO STRATEGIZE IN COMPLEX WAYS JUST TO MINIMIZE THIS BUT STILL GOT SOME ON IT.

SHOULD I PULL THEM OUT AND DO A THOROUGH CLEANING WITH SOAP/DEGREASER/BRAKE CLEANER????????

THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO EASY!

Note to self: apply lubricant AFTER inserting the brake pads in the future.

If I had that much trouble I'd looked at the previous or following year of brake pads. The only reason I say that is many years ago a coworker needed brake pads for his 2000 honda civic. The pads didn't even remotely fit. On a hunch I asked the parts store for the 2001 pads. Bingo they fit

 

[Hall]

his 2000 honda civic

Was it built in 2000 ? I've seen people confuse the issue of when their car was built vs what model year it is.

 

[supton]

Was it built in 2000 ? I've seen people confuse the issue of when their car was built vs what model year it is.

Wouldn't you have to go digging deeper to find that info, finding a sticker somewhere on the car, to know build date? as opposed to using the number that the registration would have on it., and what one was told when they bought, etc Given how it's coded into the VIN I can't see how anyone could get a car registered nor insured if the VIN didn't match the model year that the person stated / filled out in the forms... although I suppose anything is possible. Just seems like one would have to do work to find build date, as opposed to falling out of a tree on model year.

Although one can be completely convinced of something... until they read the actual words. Memory of a steel colander, that's what I have these days.

 

[JohnnyG]

Sometimes the build date is on a sticker on the door jamb.

 

[Hall]

Wouldn't you have to go digging deeper to find that info

Nope, it is almost always (if not required) on the door sill plate. And the reason I brought it up is in more than once case, I've seen people insist their car is one model year vs another and it always came up when parts didn't fit. Why ? 'cause they bought parts for the year it was built, not the model year.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Assuming you live in the rust belt, you need to use a file or a sandblaster to clean corrosion out from the caliper brackets, under where the abutment clips mount. A wire wheel won't cut it. They just polish the rust. I got this wrong for decades and struggled with some brake jobs.

Here is the file I use. It was an SMA channel recommendation that I took years ago. It's German made and is specifically designed for caliper brackets.

Link? Name for said caliper bracket file?

Has the OP checked back in?

I have to redo my neighbors rear brakes when it warms up a bit. He needed to get the new rotors. I got him working well until then. The "professional" shop that did them last didn't clean out old grease and redo them, ripped a boot, twisted up a rubber sleeve and lost the rubber plug on another. Pins were glued in place.

We all need to learn, brakes are not "hard" but maybe not the best first time choice. I have never had an issue of getting grease on friction surfaces that I recall. I learned by helping dad over 45 years ago. No YT to help out back then. Experience, good teacher, service manuals, learn the rusty stuff and how to correct.

 

[wtd]

Link? Name for said caliper bracket file?

Has the OP checked back in?

I have to redo my neighbors rear brakes when it warms up a bit. He needed to get the new rotors. I got him working well until then. The "professional" shop that did them last didn't clean out old grease and redo them, ripped a boot, twisted up a rubber sleeve and lost the rubber plug on another. Pins were glued in place.

We all need to learn, brakes are not "hard" but maybe not the best first time choice. I have never had an issue of getting grease on friction surfaces that I recall. I learned by helping dad over 45 years ago. No YT to help out back then. Experience, good teacher, service manuals, learn the rusty stuff and how to correct.

This is the caliper bracket file that Eric on the SMA youtube channel uses. I bought the thinner one but they also make one that is a little larger. I also lube the areas on the calipers that he does on his channel and it has worked out very well for me.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QS07L4Y?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[Donald]

I assume you didn't take the bracket off and just tried to put them on in the wheel well instead of a table, doing that makes pad slaps so much faster easier since they just slide right in and is mess free when putting grease on the back. And you can use brake cleaner.

He said new caliper. Does that include bracket?

 

[Donald]

The problem with filing the brake pad ears is once you file off the paint or e-coating they are likely to rust.

 

[97prizm]

Was it built in 2000 ? I've seen people confuse the issue of when their car was built vs what model year it is.

Yes the vin came back as a 2000 model year. Yeah I've seen that as well with build vs manufacturers model year.

 

[HemiBenny]

If rust on the bracket isn’t the issue, then it was probably poorly machine pads or a little too much paint. I’ve seen plenty of poorly machined brake pads that just would not fit.
Some people are okay with filing the ears down, but I won’t put them on my vehicles if they don’t fit right without modification.

 

[D60]

Installing Brake Pads

I become aggravated every time I install pads. Seems like most installs the ears of the bad won't go into harware and need to be filed down to fit. That just seems weird to me, Did a 2010 Impala front brake pads and had to grind on the ears. Does everyone have this issue? Thanks

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