Just installed centric rotors and akebono pads. Used old clips but cleaned them well on wire wheel. The inboard pad with the indicator would not slide in for anything. Made sure clips were fully seated. Wound up grinding both edges a bit. Outboard pads went right on. Anybody experience this?

 

Mine akebono pads slipped right in, maybe you got the wrong ones??

 

nope.

 

Surely you took the calipers off?

 

Akebono 1090. I pulled everything off and made it "eat off of it" clean.
Had to pry old ones out of clips once I removed it..

played with it with caliper bracket off the car. Same effect. inboard was too tight, outboard slipped right in. retaining clips seemed to seat perfectly in bracket, and I lightly greased them. Did not seem like there was any corrosion built up behind the clips. The pad without the indicator did not slide in the inboard side either. Was like the bracket was just warped ever so slightly... I don't think I took off more than a few thousands of an inch to get it in- not much...