2003 TL w/nav. 112k miles.

So it's that time. 112k miles on the original rear pads and rotors however they need to be replaced. I am farily mechanical and have done the front pads and rotors on my Acura and a few other cars before however have never messed with rear disc brakes. Is the process pretty similar to doing the front? Do I need any other tools besides what I would use on the front? Trying to decide if I want to tear into this project myself. Thanks!

 

the only differance is the rears contain a mini set of drum brakes that are the parking brakes
need a screwdriver or $5 adjuster tool for them, otherwise same as fronts

NOTE: make sure the rear pads have only 2 `raised tabs` on the inner pad.
aftermarket has used 3 pin units and the extra center pin hits the caliper piston-
cocks the pad sideways under use,, and wears at strange angle- making only half contact width of rotor

anyone can ck theirs for this prob visually- look under car at rear rotors- if shiny on half its width and rusty on the other- you have the 3rd tab issue and need to grind it off

 

Quote "NOTE: make sure the rear pads have only 2 `raised tabs` on the inner pad.
aftermarket has used 3 pin units and the extra center pin hits the caliper piston-
cocks the pad sideways under use,, and wears at strange angle- making only half contact width of rotor"

Whoa.....explain this in more detail ! I have this issue and I thought it was "normal". What exactly do you mean by "raised tabs" ?

Pics would help.......

 

on the inner pad for the rears- on each end of the backing plate is a raised tab/pin,
one holds the `low level squeeler arm`, the other is just there

the wrong pads also have a tab/pin top center of the backing plate
that one is the bad one for us,,it fits the RL which has different park brake than our car

Hawk and many others use this same pad backing plate!
So look at the inner side of rear rotors
half shiny/half rusty across the width = wrong pads

You can grind the offendor off.. if the pad wear isnt really bad yet
otherwise new pads and remove tab if needed

 

Thanks so much for your help! Parts are on order.

 

I'm not quite getting this......

One pad has a squeeler, one does not.

The one without the squeeler has a completely flat backing plate and I'm assuming is "good".

The pad with the squeeler, has a rivot holding the squeeler on one end and a short round pin in roughly the same spot at the other end of the backing plate.

Is this the "bad" tab that needs to be removed ?

 

the outer pad has no squeelers- correct, its fine and not part of this discussion

the INNER pad should have 2 raised pins- one at each end of the backing plate
1 holds the metal squealer arm, the other sits there empty

the WRONG PADS being sold as TL pads will have a 3rd pin- in addition to those end pins,
it will be dead center at `top` of the INNER pad backing plate

if 3rd pin is present, you have the wrong pads-
you can grind off the middle/center tab, do NOT cut the end tabs!!
OR get a different brand with only 2 raised pins- 1 on each end

if removing pin, make sure its ground down flush- otherwise it hits the caliper piston first,
before the whole piston does, making the pad go crooked and causing angled wear to pad and half rusty on rotor inner side

 

Hmmmm.....I have only two pins on the ones I have so I think I'm OK.

Although I still have the issue of the inside rear pads wearing a path in the center of the rotor and the outer portions rusting.

 

Post a pic so Tom can see if it's wearing normally.

 

the center of the rotor is clean and both edges rusty--how wide a path of each? -

thats freaky!

I would pull them apart and ck grease on the sliders, are the pads able to move in and out freely,, on demand of the system?? inner and outer pads same wear amount?
or way different wear amount

 

the very edge ~1/4 inch or so of the inner and outer edges of the rotor do not get contact with the pads under braking,,,,some rust buildup there is normal

 

The "shiny" part in about one inch wide and dead center. The pads in that caliper are OEM and need replacing along with the rotor. I won't know if I've got a three-pin inner pad until the squealer goes off and I get it apart.

I'm in the process of change all the rotors and pads as they wear completely out. I'm fully aware of making sure that the pads are free and I file off the rust build-up under the SS raceways, grease the exposed metal and the bottom of the SS raceways which the pads slide back and forth in. After all this is done, the pads just fall into place (and fall out !) if everything is serviced properly.

And yet, I still have this "Mohawk" wear pattern.

Got'a be the wrong pads.....

 

Can you take a photo of it so we can see?

 

where the pad end tabs fit- to slide-in the bracket:
there is a metal clip that pops in place- easily wiped clean and regreased,,you do have that `slider clip` at each end right? not bare braket to pad end tabs
the pads should `push and clip` into place- not fall in or out!!

wear in center only--not the 3rd tab issue--something else is very wrong!
get them apart and figure it out before trying new brake parts on it
Measure rotor width across its full width--is it way thinner on the ends?
or is the caliper not deploying fully? place a 2x4 wood block in caliper and have helper pump brakes as you watch for smooth action