anti-rattle spring?

I've had a long-standing problem with the fit of these "springs". (And I mean the ones that go above/below the pads, where they seat in the caliper mounting bracket.) For years I thought the problem was with one of the pins that the caliper floats on seizing up. The caliper stops "floating", so all of the braking is done by the inner pad, which now wears twice as fast. Whenever I'd check the brakes, of course I would only look at the outer pad, and it always looked great!

A couple months ago I heard that dreaded grinding sound again. So last weekend I was putting new pads/rotors on again, and finally decided that the problem was those shims/springs/whatever. (I'm pretty sure those are what's called the "anti-rattle springs", though.) I think the pad fit has always been too tight with them in. Greasing them never seemed to help. So this time I just left them out. I'm pretty sure that the springs on the back of the pads will hold them in place just fine. It's not like they're going to be back there flopping around. Anyway, I'd never hear them over the sound of the fuel pump, the alternator, the radio, the multiple sqeaks/rattles in the dash, etc. etc.

Of course, changing the pads/rotors this time was extra-special, because I sheared off one of the caliper mounting bolts. Fortunately the head of the pin that it threads into is exposed, so I was able to just take a hack saw to it. Replacement pins from Auto Zone. Someone had "borrowed" the boots from the hardware kit, but I had a full set floating around from some previous brake job, so no problem!

It's great to be back on the road!

I have ended up using only one of the shims on my car several times. If it takes beating on the pad to get it in it's too tight.

steve

Make sure the caliper piston is clocked to the right position, otherwise the pad will go most of the way in, but not fully.

Match the notch in the piston, to the nipple on the backing plate of the pad.

-Shane