I just installed new brake pads on the front of my 98SE 5-Speed. As everyone who has done a brake job knows, getting the piston back in to fit over the inside pad is a bear. At any rate, the stock inside pad has two shims, the new ones, Performance Friction Carbon Metallic, didn't come with any shims. I used only one of the shims with the new inside pads because I couldn't get the piston back in with both shims on (yes I tried using a c-clamp AND a piston tool). The car stops fine, no squealing or loose feel. My question is how important are both of the shims on the inside pad?

thanks

TMAX

 

I've changed my pads twice and noticed that there were no any pads shims at all (my Max is a used one). This was a little bit surprising, so I was very attentive first days after changing the pads. But nothing had happened.

Regards,
DDD

 

Funny thing he did not use shims either. I asked why he said it only gets in the way. He also mentioned that anti-squeal grease is used when the install is wrong. If one knows what he's doing, it's not necessary.

 

Why wouldnt the caliper fit with all the shims on?? Never heard of that one. Bottom line is, if you have no squeal, you are good to go!

 

I'm thinking the same thing! If you're using a c-clamp to push the piston back in, the pad WITH the shim should fit. Once the one side pad is in, you can use the clamp to push the other piston back in, then put the other pad in. Something is done wrong if it does NOT fit w/ the shim plate.

 

To Max96, with both the inside and outside pads in their brackets and shims on, the piston was lacking about a 16th of an inch of clearance when I rotated the piston down. So I took one of the two shims off the inside pad and that gave me enough clearance to bring the piston all the way down. I used silicon based grease between the pad and shim to prevent any squealing.

To "got rice?" I am not clear on the order you are suggesting. There is only one piston on each side. Are you saying I should: 1)Place inside pad with shim against piston. 2) Compress pad/piston assembly, 3) Rotate pad/piston assembly into place against rotor, 4) Insert outside pad between caliper and rotor. This leaves me with 2 questions: 1) How would you put on the retaining springs with this method? and 2) How can you fit the ouside pad between the caliper and the rotor ?

thanks,

TMAX