Can anyone possibly advise how to get the retaining brake pad clips out from the caliper without breaking them. Went to change my pads the other day and didn\'t want to force them as they looked like they might snap. I\'m hoping I was just having a bad day and that I couldn\'t see the obvious solution.
Cheers
Paul
Fronts Paul?
First you release the caliper and pivot up out of the way. 2 hook type springs sit over the top of the pads; these just about fall out. They\'re single ended springs by the way, not broken at one end.
Then get a bit of side play on the pads with a lever to enable them to lift out, complete with the shim backing plates still on. (I think they\'re what you mean). Shim plates will be well rusty by now.....
Reassembly is the reverse procedure except you need to compress the pistons back in to accept the thicker new pads....I used a heavy duty pair of dogs (thanks Lidl...£3 or £4 browse find), with a softwood packer. Need to watch the Master Cyl for overflowing at this point.
White brake grease very sparingly on the rubbing edges of the pads, a minimal white grease film on the shim plates to hold rust in check, then struggle to fit the pads/shims back in. That\'s if they\'re the full size of the backplate like mine were (Mazda ones were trimmed back to allow easy fitting). The full size ones will still go in with a bit of gentle tappy tappy.
Firm up brake peddle then send wife out to brake test and to check wheel nuts are on. Job Done
Quote from: David Nock;763802Fronts Paul?
First you release the caliper and pivot up out of the way. 2 hook type springs sit over the top of the pads; these just about fall out. They\'re single ended springs by the way, not broken at one end.
Then get a bit of side play on the pads with a lever to enable them to lift out, complete with the shim backing plates still on. (I think they\'re what you mean). Shim plates will be well rusty by now.....
Reassembly is the reverse procedure except you need to compress the pistons back in to accept the thicker new pads....I used a heavy duty pair of dogs (thanks Lidl...£3 or £4 browse find), with a softwood packer. Need to watch the Master Cyl for overflowing at this point.
White brake grease very sparingly on the rubbing edges of the pads, a minimal white grease film on the shim plates to hold rust in check, then struggle to fit the pads/shims back in. That\'s if they\'re the full size of the backplate like mine were (Mazda ones were trimmed back to allow easy fitting). The full size ones will still go in with a bit of gentle tappy tappy.
Firm up brake peddle then send wife out to brake test and to check wheel nuts are on. Job Done
David, thanks for your reply which was great but I don\'t believe I explained my problem very well, sorry.
I should have mentioned it\'s the rear brakes. I took the calipers off and there are two small clips, one at the top and one at the bottom of the pads that run across the width of them and appear to clip on the inside and outside of the caliper and are bent up on the inside of the caliper so it looks impossible to pull them out without causing damage to them. Probably as clear as mud!.
Having checked a Haynes manual, that appears american it mentions nothing about rear discs only drums so thought they my have been the same as the front discs but are not. Just to clarify I have an 84 series 3 if this helps. I\'ll try and post a pic of the problem pads and clip in due course.
Thanks again David
Paul
Not sure about them Paul. Do you really need the clips out, \'cos from memory you keep \'em in when changing pads?
If you have to get them out, I\'ve never done that...... Have I? ....can\'t remember.