brake pads too thick???

A

asiantony

New Member

Oct 1, 2005

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Jun 15, 2006

#1

• Jun 15, 2006

• #1

ok, i painted my calipers and noticed my brake pads were shot. since this is my first time replacing them, i didn't know what pads to get as the car (1966 mustang fastback) already had the disc brake conversion. assuming the previous owner did the granada conversion, i purchased the pads for a 1975 ford granada. perfect match! but... i replaced the pads, and the caliper won't go back onto the rotor. the piston is compressed all the way in, and the inner pad now sits inside of part of the caliper, so no clearance problem there. but, the outer pad is seated flush as it should be, but now there is not enough room to fit it back onto the rotor. help!!!

 

krash kendall

Active Member

Nov 19, 2004

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36

Aldergrove, B.C. Canada

Jun 16, 2006

#2

• Jun 16, 2006

• #2

How much of a clearance issue are you talking about? Are you sure the piston is all the way in? I often use a furniture C-clamp to press it home.

 

A

asian tony

New Member

Oct 27, 2005

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Jun 17, 2006

#3

• Jun 17, 2006

• #3

pads too thick

yup, piston clearance is more than adequate. the outer pad looks to be around 1/8 in. too thick.

 

degins

Member

Sep 18, 2004

361

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17

Texas

Jun 17, 2006

#4

• Jun 17, 2006

• #4

asian tony said:

yup, piston clearance is more than adequate. the outer pad looks to be around 1/8 in. too thick.

Click to expand...

Measure the pads from outside of backing plate to inside friction surface (total crossection). The outer pad on a new bendix pad is 0.56" thick and the inner is 0.58". I'm guessing they are supposed to be the same +/- a little.

I would guess that you don't have the piston pressed in enough.

 

M

mustangdave

My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

Founding Member

Feb 26, 2002

2,976

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56

North Carolina

Jun 17, 2006

#5

• Jun 17, 2006

• #5

Did you remove the m.c. cap before pressing the piston in? If not, you got a long way to go. If so, its possible the pads got mixed up in the boxes.

 

A

asian tony

New Member

Oct 27, 2005

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Jun 17, 2006

#6

• Jun 17, 2006

• #6

pads too thick

m.c. cap is off, piston is pressed all the way in. clearance is no problem on the piston side. compared different pad manufacturers, same size. tried 1981 granada pads, totally different.

 

A

asian tony

New Member

Oct 27, 2005

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Jun 17, 2006

#7

• Jun 17, 2006

• #7

the new pads are identical to the old ones. is it possible the disc brake swap is from a car other than a granada? would the pad thickness be different, but look exactly the same otherwise?

 

degins

Member

Sep 18, 2004

361

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17

Texas

Jun 18, 2006

#8

• Jun 18, 2006

• #8

asian tony said:

the new pads are identical to the old ones. is it possible the disc brake swap is from a car other than a granada? would the pad thickness be different, but look exactly the same otherwise?

Click to expand...

There's an old engineering principle call KISS. It means "Keep It Simple Stupid". In essence, this means the simple solutions are usually the correct solutions.

Have you tried putting a clamp on the piston to compress it some more? Don't be shy about it, the piston will compress nearly flush with the caliper cylinder.

 

A

asian tony

New Member

Oct 27, 2005

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Jun 18, 2006

#9

• Jun 18, 2006

• #9

thanks for the KISS, lol. as i've stated before, the piston is COMPLETELY compressed. the inner pad now sits inside of the caliper cylinder. so, the caliper sticks out farther than the inner brake pad. anyone with other ideas? i am about to take the pad to get machined down so it will fit, even though it goes against the whole point of replacing pads.

 

6

66HertzClone

New Member

Aug 24, 2004

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Central New Jersey

Jun 19, 2006

#10

• Jun 19, 2006

• #10

How did you remove the caliper? Is sounds like you removed the two bolts holding the caliper bracket to the spindle and not the single small (sometimes allen head) bolt the holds the key and wedge in place. If you've removed the bolts then the caliper bracket is still attached to the caliper and the pads will not fit over the top of the rotor no matter what you do. Bolt it back in place and remove the small bolt, use a punch or old screwdriver and push the wedge out, the caliper will lift off the bracket and the pads will fit correctly.

I worked in parts store years ago and had a customer return with pads I had sold him earlier the same day. He told me the pads were too thick, after I tried to convince him the pads were correct, he bet me $50 that I was wrong. I followed him back to his house and installed the pads in a few minutes. I told him to keep the $50, he always asked for me when he returned to the store for more parts after that.

 

M

mustangdave

My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

Founding Member

Feb 26, 2002

2,976

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56

North Carolina

Jun 19, 2006

#11

• Jun 19, 2006

• #11

I agree with the above. Another case I had the same problem: turned out I just needed to physically slide the caliper outboard to make room for the new pads (caliper slid on bolt).

 

reenmachine

20+ Year Stangneter

Jun 27, 2004

1,258

2

38

Montrose, CA

Jun 19, 2006

#12

• Jun 19, 2006

• #12

mustangdave said:

I agree with the above. Another case I had the same problem: turned out I just needed to physically slide the caliper outboard to make room for the new pads (caliper slid on bolt).

Click to expand...

This is very likely the problem. A floating-type caliper not only needs to have the piston pushed back in, but also the sliding outboard half slid back out to the nominal position. The caliper spreads open. Not doing this would make the pads seem too thick.

 

A

asian tony

New Member

Oct 27, 2005

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Jun 21, 2006

#13

• Jun 21, 2006

• #13

will check it out tomorrow! so where is the bolt in question? much thanks boys, that sounds like a solution. i'll repost the results!

 

6

66HertzClone

New Member

Aug 24, 2004

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Central New Jersey

Jun 21, 2006

#14

• Jun 21, 2006

• #14

asian tony said:

will check it out tomorrow! so where is the bolt in question? much thanks boys, that sounds like a solution. I'll repost the results!

Click to expand...

The bolt is threads into the caliper itself, if it were mounted back on the car, it would point towards the centerline of the axle.

 

A

asian tony

New Member

Oct 27, 2005

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Jun 22, 2006

#15

• Jun 22, 2006

• #15

i should get newbie of the year award... i'm retarded. 66HertzClone... thanks for your help. the pads went on in like 5 minutes, lol! i'd also like to thanks everyone else that posted, i knew this would be the place to go for help! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!