blkaspec

ok, so first off i should have paid someone to do this job...it sucks.

now the questions:

1) the diagram shows two shims on each brake pad. my inner pad has the two, but my outer pad only has the inside shim of the two. is this ok?

i would taker apart the other side but it has taken me a while just to do the one so i want to hold off on that.


2)when i install the new pads, how exactly am i suppose to position them? is there a pre-set mark for them? or will they move in to the correct position once i install them?


p.s. this job sucks, especially without someone to talk to

blkaspec

and now the fucking shims wont even fit on the new pads!!! they are like just slightly off. WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!

blkaspec

i think i may have to re-install all the old shit. SON OF A BITCH!!!! i am fuckin pissed. how come these pads wont work. i picked up the Racing Brake ET500 pads and one piece rotors. but the little nubs/notches at the top and bottom of the pad are not in the correct place. they are just off and wont allow the shim to stay on. the two nubs that are close together on the one edge are just a small bit too far away from one another. i dont know what to do now. so far a waste of 2.5 hrs and nothing to show for it.


PLEEAAASSSEEEE, ANY SUGGESTIONS?!?!?!?

blkaspec

ok, i am really frustrated now. if there are any suggestions please chime in before i re-install all my old parts.

did i mention how mad i am right about now!!!

csmeance

what type of brake pads are you installing? Also did you get the grease for the shims to keep them from squeeking? Do you have the brembos?

blkaspec

no, i have an AT, and i got the racing brake ET500 pads.

YeuEmMaiMai

if your stuff does not fit, your caliper is not pushed in all the way. you can do this with a c clamp.....using it to compress the piston back into the caliper......


tug the wheel slightly to take pressure of the steering wheel lock

blkaspec

thanks, yeah my buddy told me about the locked wheel and that did the trick for turning the key.

but it wasnt the caliper that didnt fit, i actually rented a caliper tool to compress that for me, but it was the metal shims that go on the outside ofe each pad. the inside pad, the one that is pressed by the piston, has two shims on it. the one closest to the pad fits, but the one that actually makes contact with the piston would not fit. there are two "nubs" on the rounded edge of the pad and the outside shim has to tabs that are suppose to go on the outside of the nubs. but...the nubs are two far apart and the tabs actually go over them instead on to each side. anywho, i just trimmed them a little so they would fit. its not perfect, but it works.


so i got the front two installed, but will save the backs for another day. i do hear a slight "hiss" or something at certain speeds, usually slower, so i will keep my ears open and hopefully it goes away.

oh, and i also did three break in sessions....just in case you all are wondering. on the first session by the last stop there was very little stopping power, it was crazy, but by the end of the third session it was much better.

01tl4tl

RacingBrake does not require the use of backing plate shims-sorry your day was so long on something not needed

I and many others run without them, and with no problems at all.
I called RB Tech when mine arrived- he said `if they wanted you to have a backing shim they would have included it`
My guess is the backing plate is thicker than stock- or the pad material is thicker so the shims are not needed

As for tab positions etc- the pads fit several cars, and some require different things, or the backing plate was originally designed for another car but happens to fit the TL

NOTE!!!!!! on the rear pads-
make sure -inner pad--the center/middle tab has been ground off at the factory- that fits rsx brakes, but causes the pad to sit crooked in the TL,,, so when that was discovered--a quick grinding is all it took to fix
If you have any brand replacement rears beside acura pads- check the inner rotor for rust on half its width. That means the pad is not touching fully- probably has a 3rd tab- many brands have been found with the exact same problem

On the fronts and rears:
Apply caliper grease to the back of the pad plate where it will touch the caliper piston and on the outer side where the caliper fingers will touch.
Then make sure the metal slider clips- where the pads clip into, those have to be cleaned then lubed- remove and clean under them as well
the pads move in and out on those- as well as forward motion under braking- so all the parts should have some slack after install

Brake fluid shold be flushed/changed every year, do it before working on the brakes to prevent backwashing crud into the systems and abs controller.

Correct torque of the caliper bolts and wheel bolts is important

The noise is because the pads dont need the shims- and they are taking up needed clearance- remove them immedialty
Then follow this pad bedding directions from MrHeelToe- it was developed for RB applications using several makers instructions- a `best of`- type of DIY bedding
Works great- done on my TL and many others who ask me what to do- I helped write the article
http://heeltoeauto.com/httech/YaBB.pl?num=1184261899

01tl4tl

do NOT come to a FULL STOP when bedding brake pads and rotors-
that causes a massive hot spot- and then you have to fix that before you bed the pads!

SLOW downs- is what you want- increasing effort on some- getting heat all the way thru the pads and heating the rotors smoothly---its all in the directions
follow them and get really good results

When the pedal is soft and the brakes smell-then you do the 2 medium effort partial slows--- to make a transfer of pad material- to the rotor,- then drive on freeway, cooling everything off gradually. Bedding may take a few times, and RB rotors take a few hundred miles to get full bite- when they are working 110%- you will KNOW IT~
With a pad material layer on the rotor- the car stops WAYYYYY better and parts last longer too~

01tl4tl

As you also learned- the pad with the metal arm/tab, thats the low pad `squeeler alert` and is the inner pad. When pad gets low the tab hits the rotor and makes the bad nosie at low speeds

They should have spring tension in the end clips/sliders- push pad down and in- they lock in place.
The 2 pesky screws holding the rotor on- if they were damaged in removal, dont worry- they are to hold the rotors on at the factory-- while the car rides along rails, without any wheels on the car-- when the wheels are on- they hold the brakes and everything to the car!

blkaspec

thanks for the info...i just wish it came like 4 hours ago

ok, well i dont have time to remove any shims tonight, so i guess i will have to do that tomorrow. i wish i didnt have to drive 70miles on them tomorrow but thats just how it is. maybe i can borrow a car until i get home. i didnt read anywhere about the shim issue so i had no clue, and this is my first time doing any brake work so i guess i was bound to make some mistakes. i wish it was only Saturday....

blkaspec

i dont get this?

blkaspec

oh, and i got a car to drive tomorrow so i dont have to fudge anything by driving it in its current condition.

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

Just an FYI, I added a few more comments to the bed in procedure for the street pads. Some stuff was missing that I usually tell people.

Marcus

01tl4tl

The springy clips I refer to are the long metal clips that attach to the bracket- the pads slide into them and there is a slight spring pressure to clip the pads in place.
Thats why you put one end in, then the other- or fight them trying to push in straight.

On the end of the pads is a tab that rides on that clip- you apply caliper grease to the tab and the clip/plate- when you apply the brakes the pads get pushed in on those tabs and then back off when released- its about 1mm travel from brakes off to brakes on

01tl4tl

according to most repair manuals you are supposed to replace that `hardware-clips` at EACH brake job
They are about 4 bucks each- need 2 per wheel