I spent about 1.5 hours JUST TO inserting brake pads into a brand new caliper. Do I need to redo it again? A few queries.

[lizpat]

I am reminded, YET AGAIN, how simple things can become so complex once you actually do it.

Question 1: How much brake lubricant is acceptable on brake pads?

As it is right now, there a few spots with a thin film of brake lubricant, I wiped it off carefully so as to not introduce more brake lubricant on the pad. As it turns out inserting the brake pads is harder than I thought.

On one caliper, I was finally able to insert the pads after much difficulty and checking the play--there's no play, it's very firm and while I can push it back and forth (with my fingers) to simulate the action of the caliper pushing against it, it's very firm, perhaps tooooo firm!

On the other caliper, the pads would not fit (these are new Raybestos ELEMENT3 calipers.) They do fit with the anti-rattle clips removed (but then I found that they would indeed rattle as there's too much play) so I put back the clips. After some thought and Google research, I realize that I have to file down the brake pads to make them fit--this is rather common I learned.

2. Should I remove the pads again to file it down further to make them easier to slide back and forth? How easily should they slide back and forth?

Final question: HOW DO PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS AVOID GETTING LUBRICANT ON THE BRAKE PADS?? BECAUSE I COULD NOT. I had to use about 10 pairs of Nitrile gloves just to minimize lubricant transfer. I HAD TO STRATEGIZE IN COMPLEX WAYS JUST TO MINIMIZE THIS BUT STILL GOT SOME ON IT.

SHOULD I PULL THEM OUT AND DO A THOROUGH CLEANING WITH SOAP/DEGREASER/BRAKE CLEANER????????

THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO EASY!

Note to self: apply lubricant AFTER inserting the brake pads in the future.

 

[JavierH19]

I assume you didn't take the bracket off and just tried to put them on in the wheel well instead of a table, doing that makes pad slaps so much faster easier since they just slide right in and is mess free when putting grease on the back. And you can use brake cleaner.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Learn something new every day. What part are you supposed to file down - the ears? I have never had to file anything, they fit and the springs keep them from rattling. Guess I am lucky.

Picture?

 

[KrisZ]

What's the car in question? If there are stainless steel anti-rattle shims that go on the bracket first and then you install the pads, then you only use a bit of lubricant between the shim and the bracket. You use nothing on the pads.

As far as fitment, yes aftermarket pads may fit poorly. You can file them to fit, but you need a bit more experience for that. Your best bet is going with OEM pads. These will fit no problem.

 

[bdcardinal]

Learn something new every day. What part are you supposed to file down - the ears? I have never had to file anything, they fit and the springs keep them from rattling. Guess I am lucky.

Picture?

You should never have to file anything on brake pads. Except maybe on some they get a little excessive with the powdercoat/paint, but pads should just go right in.

 

[Kira]

Again, what year, what car?
Remember, before the stainless steel anti-rattle clips are installed, the bracket must be free of rust.
The rust behind the clip pushes the clip away, leaving less room for the pad. This is what squeezes / binds the pad ears.

In my rookie / amateur opinion, cleaning the clip lands is the most time consuming part of the whole job.
A lot of times, a couple of swishy-swishes with a Harbor Freight stainless steel work brush isn't nearly enough.
It doesn't get "deep into corners".
You could argue for the use of a Dremel tool to get those corners clean. AND you lube under the clip too in order to stave off rust.

 

[Number_35]

I've mistakenly gotten lube on brake pads and rotors, and have successfully cleaned them with aerosol brake cleaner.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I lightly file and then clean the caliper slide area; make sure there's not rust or whatever.
I've never had to file the pad ears. I put the caliper bracket in the bench vise to prep and assemble. Makes things easy.

Good luck.

 

[eljefino]

I knock the rust off the caliper bracket so the stainless clips fit as they should. This alone does not let the pads slide freely, often, though. So I hit the pads with an angle grinder where needed. Nobody on the internet is going to know where YOUR pads need it, you'll have to take a little off at a time and get a feel for it. Often it's the ears, but sometimes its the "shoulder" near the ears.

A little loose is fine, but may make noise when the pads vibrate. Lubricant isn't even needed, it's done for noise reduction. You do want to make sure your caliper slide pins move freely. Any lube you put there needs to be 1) high temp and 2) compatible with the lube you already have in there. Many recommend syl-glyde (sp?).

If your (FWD) rotors don't have the little screws to the hubs, they should wiggle around. I like to wiggle the rotors and pads as an assembly before putting the caliper back on, just to make sure nothing is binding.

 

[LongTime_Lurker]

Some brake pads have an excessive amount of paint applied to them from the factory. First be certain that the pad orientation is correct and remove any corrosion from the caliper mounting bracket grooves. You can lightly sand or clean up the contacted edges of the pad (if necessary) and recheck fitment. There should not be any binding after installation.

 

[SHOZ]

Hyundais are terrible. They either slide right in or you spend time trying t get then started. The bottom of the caliper bracket gets hit with a wire brush and square edged file then some synthetic grease before the shim goes on.

 

[dogememe]

Brakes should take like 20 mins per wheel tops. And most of that time is lifting the car and/or getting tools organized.

Are you sure the parts are correct?

I've never worried about getting lube on brake friction surfaces. Just a little on the ears where it goes in the hardware, a light coat on the back where the caliper presses on it, and the slide pins, and that's it. No mess no fuss. I will say the goofy packets are a pain, it's best if you have the brush in a can type of brake grease.

 

[Rand]

Depends on the car.. on the 2013 subaru the only pads I didnt have to grind on were element 3's.

OP doesnt mention vehicle so any specific help would be hard to give.

the 2020 elantra took me about 5min a corner.. after I got it jacked and tools out etc.
2013 subaru was always a PITA by comparison. Maybe 20min a corner.
I'm not a pro but there was no easy way to preload the caliper on those.. and the pads always fit like crap.

Brakes should take like 20 mins per wheel tops. And most of that time is lifting the car and/or getting tools organized.

Are you sure the parts are correct?

I've never worried about getting lube on brake friction surfaces. Just a little on the ears where it goes in the hardware, a light coat on the back where the caliper presses on it, and the slide pins, and that's it. No mess no fuss. I will say the goofy packets are a pain, it's best if you have the brush in a can type of brake grease.

That's the California method.. anywhere with salt you want put a light coat under the clips to keep the rust away longer.
I actually have a specialty brake file just to clean where those snap in.

 

[dogememe]

Depends on the car.. on the 2013 subaru the only pads I didnt have to grind on were element 3's.

OP doesnt mention vehicle so any specific help would be hard to give.


That's the California method.. anywhere with salt you want put a light coat under the clips to keep the rust away longer.
I actually have a specialty brake file just to clean where those snap in.

Valid point, around here no rust or corrosion to deal with.

 

[JohnnyG]

Sorry man, you did it wrong. This may be something you are not qualified to do, and should not attempt.

 

[Hall]

You should never have to file anything on brake pads. Except maybe on some they get a little excessive with the powdercoat/paint, but pads should just go right in.

Here in the rust belt, you often have to LIGHTLY LIGHTLY file the caliper bracket slots where the pads (or hardware) sits. You don't remove metal though, just grit, rust, etc. Some people might think they need to file the mating part though.

OP is using Raybestos Element 3 parts and I haven't seen anyone mention having to make them fit. I'm afraid the OP has something else going on....

 

[D60]

I had to file Powerstops on our F150 once.

No rust here and I KISS with no lubricant of any kind except in slider boots.

First, file under the clips and make sure they're fully seated and settled square at any right angle edges.

Next, be sure you're installing the pad square and straight. A slight angle top to bottom might help you cheat it in, but a severe angle is short when leaning but grows greater than OAH (overall height) as you attempt to right it.

Finally, don't stress too much about taking too much with a file or sandpaper by hand. As a formerly panicked machining student I can tell you it takes a sore elbow just to remove half a thou (.0005"). We'd get close on tight tolerance parts and spend the whole day removing the last thou -- it was better than starting over!

 

[IndyIan]

Now you learned something at least. Rust does reduce clearances so in the rust belt, a thorough scrub with a nice brake caliper wire brush seems to get things to fit well. If not you can lightly file the calipers.
I find my car work never goes super fast, but some evenings I don't mind working on something and saving a couple hundred bucks. Its up to you.

 

[hrv]

I am reminded, YET AGAIN, how simple things can become so complex once you actually do it.

Question 1: How much brake lubricant is acceptable on brake pads?

As it is right now, there a few spots with a thin film of brake lubricant, I wiped it off carefully so as to not introduce more brake lubricant on the pad. As it turns out inserting the brake pads is harder than I thought.

On one caliper, I was finally able to insert the pads after much difficulty and checking the play--there's no play, it's very firm and while I can push it back and forth (with my fingers) to simulate the action of the caliper pushing against it, it's very firm, perhaps tooooo firm!

On the other caliper, the pads would not fit (these are new Raybestos ELEMENT3 calipers.) They do fit with the anti-rattle clips removed (but then I found that they would indeed rattle as there's too much play) so I put back the clips. After some thought and Google research, I realize that I have to file down the brake pads to make them fit--this is rather common I learned.

2. Should I remove the pads again to file it down further to make them easier to slide back and forth? How easily should they slide back and forth?

Final question: HOW DO PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS AVOID GETTING LUBRICANT ON THE BRAKE PADS?? BECAUSE I COULD NOT. I had to use about 10 pairs of Nitrile gloves just to minimize lubricant transfer. I HAD TO STRATEGIZE IN COMPLEX WAYS JUST TO MINIMIZE THIS BUT STILL GOT SOME ON IT.

SHOULD I PULL THEM OUT AND DO A THOROUGH CLEANING WITH SOAP/DEGREASER/BRAKE CLEANER????????

THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO EASY!

Note to self: apply lubricant AFTER inserting the brake pads in the future.

Thats why on my Hondas I only use OEM Honda Pads front and rear....They always fit with no issues...

 

[JTK]

Assuming you live in the rust belt, you need to use a file or a sandblaster to clean corrosion out from the caliper brackets, under where the abutment clips mount. A wire wheel won't cut it. They just polish the rust. I got this wrong for decades and struggled with some brake jobs.

Here is the file I use. It was an SMA channel recommendation that I took years ago. It's German made and is specifically designed for caliper brackets.