Can't get calipers back on with Hawk HPS pads
 

Hey everyone,

I'm in the middle of my first brake job. After doing all of the hard stuff, I'm trying to get the front calipers back on, and it's not happening. I've believe that I have the pistons pushed in all of the way, because they won't go in any further. It's just a mm off. I've got new Brembo blanks and Hawk HPS street pads. The pads came with a metal backings on them, and I think that this little bit of added thickness is causing problems. By the time I get the shims on, and the extra shim on the piston side, there's just no more room in there. No amount of force seems to what to do the trick. I can post some pics if that would help. Any ideas?

Since these pads have a metal shim embedded in the back, do I not need to install the original shims?

Thanks!
Cliff

Push the pistons in a little more. No, you don't use the original shims as the new pads have them built in.

Almost there 1 more question
 

Thank you very much -

I left the old shims off and the calipers went right on. I did leave the inner piston shim on...the small shim that is on top of the large shim on the piston side. Should I remove this one too or leave it in place as I have it now?

It seems like leaving those smaller shims on the piston side doesn't have any ill effects, but I've not taken her out to bed in the pads yet because I still have to do the rears.

I torqued the torque member bolts to 80 ft-lbs and the caliper bolts to 32 ft-lbs. Does this sound right?

Sorry, I did search, but didn't find any results. Thanks, everyone. Especially you, JwaxMax99. :)

glad you got that figured out. if by "inner shims" you mean the one that is made of stainless steel and very very thin and flimsy, yes you can and should leave that one in.


as for the torque it sounds about right. the 14mm caliper bolts i do "hand tight" as in a good snug tightness with a regular 6" ratchet, and the torque member bolts I give a good yank with a 10" breaker bar.

looking at pg BR-13 in the fsm (in the 98 version), it looks like 53-71 ft-lb for the TM bolts and 16-23 ft-lb for the caliper bolts

Sweet! Thanks for the torque specs. Looks like I over-torqued the bolts. I'll back them off.

Yeah, I was talking about the flimsy :) stainless steel plates. Glad I left them on then. It seemed like the right thing to do.

Thank you so much, everyone! This one is in the bag.

I love the Hawk HPS pads. Overall, the brake performance is much better than OEM. Had fun bedding in the pads. :)