I installed new front brake pads over the weekend and there were some metal shims between the pads and the caliper. I did not put them on the new pads because the friend that was helping me said I didn't need and and because they were bent on the ends. Do I really need them? Thanks.

 

They are antisqueel shims... you decide.

 

Well, it looks like I will be putting those back on tomorrow especially since I have a horrible squeal now. Do I need new ones or can I just bend those back to fit? Is there a reason why one pad had 2 and some others only used 1?

 

YES! You should reinstall the shims. Otherwise, it will screech like a ****. You should also lube the ends of the pads and the slider pins with high temp grease.

When I bought my Max, the previous owner did both the front and the rear brakes himself, and didn't reinstall any of the shims.....when I hit the brakes, dogs would start howling for miles!

 

That would definitely be what I am hearing. What are the slider pins you are talking about? Are those the two wire clip things that were on my old pads? I took them off but never put them back on. I followed the instructions on www.maximadriver.com and it said that I don't need the pins anymore in step 3. I hope I did this right.

 

Both sides will be the same (front left - same as front right), (Rear left - same as rear right). 1 shim per pad. Whether you should relace the shims depends on how badly they were bent & how closely to original you can restore them. If you have any doubts, replace them.

Make sure you apply anti-squeal goo to the shims before installing the pads in their retainers. (Let it set up a few minutes b4 installing)

You really should have a manual. Haynes is better than Chilton.


For all those taking a shot at brakes for the first time, please do it "by the book." Take a gamble & screw up your intake or y-pipe install by "guessing," but please don't mess around with the brakes unless you're clear about what you're doing. It's not just about getting "squeally" brakes. You could endanger your own life, as well as the lives of others you share the road with if you screw up that job.

->says: "Safety's cool."

 

Thanks, I have a Chiltons manual and it didn't say anything about all that. Where can I get new shims? My Nissan dealer or will any auto parts store have them?

 

Get the OEM's from Nissan. Nothing in the Chilton's brake section on shims, huh? Wow, that's pretty weak, considering their important role. I have been very pleased w/ my Haynes manual, so far.

As a general rule, when disassembling/re-assembling complex component systems (like brakes), always replace/re-install all parts exactly as you found them. With very few exceptions, every part is engineered to perform some specific role within that system.

 

No, the slider pins are the two pins that join the two halves of the caliper. They need to be lubed so that the two halves can move freely.

The V-shaped wire clips are actually springs that keep the pads from dragging on the rotors when the brakes aren't applied. Personally, I would put them back on. Dragging brakes reduce performance, reduces gas mileage and unnecessarily pre-heat the pads, rotors, bearing grease, etc.

 

When I replaced my brakes this past weekend, I noticed my Nissan replacement pads didn't have holes to replace the springs. That being said I just left them off. Anyone else run into this same problem?

 

I had the same experience with the Porterfield R4S pads I installed a year ago. I just drilled holes in the pads for the springs.

From what I've told here, Nissan changed the return spring design around '98 or '99; they no longer use the V-shaped springs. A brake hardware kit for a late 4th gen should fit early 4th gen calipers.

 

I went to my Nissan dealer yesterday and paid $23 for 6 shims and the 4 clips. I installed them with high temp grease and no more squealing! Wahoo!