Rear Brake Pad Swap Question

[Ivan 5.0]

So I read a write-up on Boss Mustangs Online (thread here: http://bossmustangsonline.com/index.php?topic=4834.0) where the OP said "Make sure the indents in the piston are at 12/6 oclock so you can get the inner pad back in correctly."

I put the rear pads in easily enough but didn't pay attention to how the rear caliper piston indents were lined up. Is that critical, or should I be ok?

 

[sdunlap10]

So I read a write-up on Boss Mustangs Online (thread here: http://bossmustangsonline.com/index.php?topic=4834.0) where the OP said "Make sure the indents in the piston are at 12/6 oclock so you can get the inner pad back in correctly."

I put the rear pads in easily enough but didn't pay attention to how the rear caliper piston indents were lined up. Is that critical, or should I be ok?

You should be okay - you can't fit the caliper over the pads if the piston isn't aligned correctly. There's a little nub on the back of the brake pads that won't allow the piston to fit otherwise. If you were able to get everything back together, you probably got lucky and the indents were in the right spot.

 

[ArizonaGT]

If you were re-using old pads, it's possible they're not aligned properly. If they're new pads...I'd still check.

You can do this without taking the caliper apart by using the inspection hole at the top of the caliper.

 

[Ivan 5.0]

If you were re-using old pads, it's possible they're not aligned properly. If they're new pads...I'd still check.

You can do this without taking the caliper apart by using the inspection hole at the top of the caliper.

They were new pads. Thanks for the tip - I'll take a look today

 

[jayel579]

Make sure the caliper piston is lined up properly otherwise the piston can hang up and drag on the rotor, ask me how I know....

 

[Ivan 5.0]

So where should I look? I just snapped a few quick pics...

Left Rear

Right Rear

 

[ArizonaGT]

From the hole facing towards the rear of the car (the "top" of the caliper). You will probably have to remove each rear wheel.

 

[sdunlap10]

The pads that I installed had a bump on them that wouldn't allow me to reassemble the brakes with the piston oriented the wrong way. Doesn't look like your pads have that - probably why you didn't run into any problems reinstalling without checking the piston.

Not my picture, but my pads looked similar to this - notice the bump at the bottom of the back of the pad:

 

[Norm Peterson]

Even with the little bumps, it is sometimes possible to install the pads and not even have them drag (almost guaranteed they'll wear funny and very quickly, though).

Maybe some pads' bumps are taller than others, and won't let that happen.


Norm

 

[STEVE_POE]

If your caliper bolts went back in very easy and didn't bind then your fine. If you fought the bastards to get them started take it back apart.

Just take a grinder and knock the tab off the backing plate. been doing this for years on the race cars with no problems.

 

[Ivan 5.0]

Different question, but kind of on topic. What brand of grease do you guys use for the caliper slide pins?

 

[SoundGuyDave]

As long as we're on the subject of rear brakes... Has anybody figured out how to delete the parking brake assembly from the rear calipers? I would be MORE than a happy camper if I never had to get the tensioner tool out for a rear brake swap again on the race car...