I'm ready to drop in new pads and have my warped rotors turned. Just before I took everything apart, I noticed one pad has an extra tab. Can I just break this off?? The part number on the pad is correct (HB448 - 5th gen w/6th gen bbk)

Thoughts?

All pads
4th Pad

 

I seem to have bad luck with Hawk Pads. This happened to my pads when I had the regular brakes:
http://www.youtube.com/unrealii#p/u/5/IDBRP2l6yqc
Hawk replaced the pads, but decided to upgrade to 6th gen with monroe ceramics. They're okay pads, but I need something with hawk stopping power for my crazy taxi driving style.

 

I don't recall having to "break anything off" my Hawks....

Not really sure what you're talking about????

Pics???


gr

 

That tab is the wear sensor, leave it on. Looks like it was broke off the other front pad. It's there to make noise once your pads get too low so you don't go full metal to metal on your brakes. Which is a bad/expensive thing.

 

On the other pad, it looks like it was never even welded on given the clean look of that extra metal they would use to weld it.

When I install the pads, should this tab face towards the engine or outside the car?

 

It doesn't matter which location it's in. just make sure that tab is on the leading (top) edge of the pad. If you put it on the trailing (bottom) edge, it'll break off the first time the pads get that low.

It's just a wear indicator though.. no big deal if it's there or not.