New front brake pads installed on wrong sides ( upside down )

[odie]

of car ( Raybestos R-Line ) . Rotors ( Powerstop ) are new as well . Squealing and grinding started a day or 2 later after install . Figured it's the brakes breaking in and tried to do the best possible for break in period . They kept making noise and thought it's due to wet weather , dirt on the road and still not thoroughly broke in . Then decided to take it to a dealer service center and was told it's normal for new brakes to make noise . When on the lift I noticed the inner surface of the new rotors are mirror like compared to their outside and pointed this out to the technician and he said they're fine . The noises continued after inspection and got worse . So I decided to put the car on ramps and take a look at the back of the brakes . Discovered the front inner pads were placed on the wrong sides of the vehicle . So , upside down . The wear tabs are supposed be at the top when installed . Discovered this after watching a few videos on YouTube and the HYUNDAI parts online diagrams . Also , concerned they may have placed the sliding pins in the wrong positions , so not sure if the calipers are working properly . Can't tell due to build up of rust . Will try to clean upper pin head to verify the pin is in the correct place . The top pin is of different color ( pics below ) . Due to quality of work not likely not to return to the shop . So , what should the concerns be ? Need to drive it during poor weather because it has studded winter tires , the other vehicle doesn't .

 

[The_Jeff]

Sometimes one pin will have a rubber boot, for noise reduction, while the other won't.

Doesn't excuse this poor workmanship. Probably should flip the pads around so they're right. How did this come to be, did you just get the car, did you just pay for a brake job?

Those bellows boots do eventually crack and fail. My fix is to stuff them right full of grease then order new parts and put in when the weather's nice.

 

[Jetronic]

The wear tabs are likely to break off as soon as the pads are worn enough,when installed on the wrong side. The sliders don't make a difference. If you have weird noises something else is going on, like pads too tight in the carrier.

 

[IndyIan]

I would think the original shop that did the work would make it right given the chance. Give them a call, and see what they say. Sounds like the junior guy got it wrong, and needs a double check now and again.

 

[Hall]

Taking pictures with something other than a potato camera would help. Most of those pictures are so grainy it's hard to tell what's what.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Those PowerStop rotors are new?

Wear indicators generally go on the leading side of the pad.

Slide pin with the rubber sleeve is generally the trailing pin. It's there as an anti-rattle device. 'Top' or 'bottom's is not a clear way to describe its position because on some cars the caliper is behind the axle center and others it's in front. Where are yours?

That said, position of the wear indicators or the pins will not cause squealing or grinding noises. Something else is going on.

 

[meep]

Is this even a thing? On pads I’ve done, the wear tab can be clipped on to either end of the pad. I’ve never seen directional pads? Or maybe I have and didn’t recognize??

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

No one should have to put up with noisy brakes (especially newly overhauled) these days.

 

[Hall]

I would think the original shop that did the work would make it right given the chance. Give them a call, and see what they say. Sounds like the junior guy got it wrong, and needs a double check now and again.

Exactly. They'll have a more experienced tech check it and resolve it and probably give the OP 1-2 free oil changes or something.

 

[D60]

Is this even a thing? On pads I’ve done, the wear tab can be clipped on to either end of the pad. I’ve never seen directional pads? Or maybe I have and didn’t recognize??

Agreed, in most common applications it doesn't really matter. Unless the knuckle or caliper bracket only allows clearance for the tattle at one slot/one location.

I usually put 'em at the leading edge if inner pad and trailing edge if outer pad. Why? Because no good reason.

There are also plenty of examples -- at least on Ford trucks-- where the slider pin with the rubber damper will be "top" on one side and "bottom" on the other side, from the factory... thus I'm not convinced the manufacturers are all that conscientious about this.

I've also seen applications (that I can't recall) where the pins are different diameters so you can't put it together "wrong". I always thought that was the best idea if it's really important.

 

[D1dad]

I’m sure over my 30 plus years I’ve installed them wrong but never an issue that you describe. I’ve got some ebc red stuff pads on right now that I can’t get to stop squeaking in reverse but only when I apply the brakes. I’m down to new hardware, and if that doesn’t do it, then I’m switching out the pads. If you’ve got a grinding sound, somethings wrong elsewhere I believe. Backing plate maybe?

 

[odie]

These are rear brakes which are the same as the front . Shows where inner pads with wear indicator tab go ( 3:20 > 3:36 ) and the bottom slider pin ( 2:31 > 2:49 ) . The VENUE / CRETA are related to ACCENT and RIO . Starts replacement of PADS at 57 seconds into video . I would think that the pads that are being replaced would likely be the factory installed .



TOP Pin as in video ( not removed ) ( 2:31 > 2:49 ) :

BOTTOM Pin removed in video ( 2:31 > 2:49 ) :

 

[odie]

2018 HYUNDAI Elantra brake pad replacement . I'd would think the pads being removed are possibly the factory installed . Reason being the video was placed in '21 and the ELANTRA being a 2018 , so around 3 years of use on the O.E.M. brakes . The sliding PINS of the '18 Elantra are the same part # as the '18 ACCENT ( pictures above ) . The sliding PINS positions are shown at 1:30 > 1:46 . He points out the proper position of the inner pad with the wear indicator TAB at 2:18 > 2:31 and at 5:10 >5;28 .

 

[vwmaniaman]

Looks like a pad slap to.me.

 

[Mcbeem5]

Taking pictures with something other than a potato camera would help. Most of those pictures are so grainy it's hard to tell what's what.

Those rotors look rusty and very rough surfaced!!

 

[odie]

Other HYUNDAI / KIA vehicles with wear indicator TAB on TOP position in the caliper .

 

[odie]

The pictures of the pads upside down with the wear indicator tabs at the bottom in the calipers are from the '18 ACCENT . The very top photo is from a 2020 ACCENT front brake replacement video from YouTube .

 

[meep]

But does the tab placement matter? I’ve never heard of it mattering. I think your theory has too much you-tube.

Is it squeaking or grinding? Squeaking is common especially if it’s a pad-only change. I often have to at least rough up both sides of the rotor with a belt sander and then do a good bed-in. Some pads are harder to manage this than others. Grinding/crunching means something is wrong. Or maybe the pad is running against an area of the rotor which the previous pads did not. Solution? Keep driving it until it wears in, or replace the rotors.

If you take it back, be prepared they may tell you it needs new rotors. They would rather replace the rotors than take it apart 3 times to eventually fix a squeak. And sometimes, even new pads and rotors don’t set right, but if this is an active shop they should have parts they have goo experience with.

 

[Jetronic]

Is this even a thing? On pads I’ve done, the wear tab can be clipped on to either end of the pad. I’ve never seen directional pads? Or maybe I have and didn’t recognize??

yes it's a thing. if the tabs are on the wrong side they snap off when they should be squealing.

 

[D60]

yes it's a thing. if the tabs are on the wrong side they snap off when they should be squealing.

That makes sense for the longer ones as shown. And they often clip on to the pad backer (I'm thinking Subaru).

For shorter, riveted ones like this, nah, they're not gonna break or come off

Anyway, I watched the video in post #13 laid out by @odie at the ~2:18 mark. Even if that pad was installed upside down I don't see that causing grinding noises.

And for those wondering, the front pads live in front of the axle on this application. As previously stated, this is necessary information when determining leading or trailing edge

@odie you've obviously done A LOT of research on this. So, based upon your research what exactly do you think is grinding?