hey guys, I just have a couple questions with my install. I installed some KVR rotors and Hawk HPS pads and now that they are done I don't know if I did it all correctly. The install was relativley easy and I didn't even break or cut anything this time

Now that everything is installed I went out and did a little break-in. What I noticed was that the rear was making some pad on rotor rubbing noise and was not too sure if that was normal. I took her for a ride today and I noticed the noise a bit.

So is this normal to have some rubbing? The brakes are not sticking or locking the tire so I know it's not that bad. I just don't want to have uneven wear that's all.

So is a little rubbing bad or no?

 

Did you properly grease up all the slide pins on all the calipers with high-temp brake grease? Did you also apply some of the same high-temp grease to the back side of your pad shims, or to the backs of the pads if you don't have shims?

 

I didn't put any grease on anything I just took the calipers off, the brackets that hold that calipers and replaced the rotors and pads. I kept all the shims for the pads and reused those as well. It's just the drivers side rear that makes noise.

Do I need to take the pads out again and use some grease or can I get away with how it is?

 

You should always re-grease the slide pins any time the brakes are serviced. OEM floating calipers rely on these pins to be able to slide, so that the piston on only one side produces even pressure to squeeze the pads against the rotor on both sides. If they can't slide freely, you'll end up with too much pressure on one side and eventually a seized up caliper.

Go to an auto parts store and buy 2 little packets of brake grease. Remove the calipers, and pull the slide pins out of the caliper brackets. Make sure the rubber boots are in good shape and not torn. Wipe off any remains of any old grease, and apply new grease to each slide pin. Put the slide pins back in place, and push in to get the rubber boot over the "lip" on the slide pin.

That should be all you need to do. However you can also remove the pads and apply some of the grease to the shims to help reduce possible squeel and chatter noise. 1 packet of grease should be enough for the slide pins and pad shims on 2 brakes.

Oh also, are you sure you turned the rear caliper pistons enough to back them into the caliper to give enough clearance when putting them on the new pads?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You should always re-grease the slide pins any time the brakes are serviced. OEM floating calipers rely on these pins to be able to slide, so that the piston on only one side produces even pressure to squeeze the pads against the rotor on both sides. If they can't slide freely, you'll end up with too much pressure on one side and eventually a seized up caliper.

Go to an auto parts store and buy 2 little packets of brake grease. Remove the calipers, and pull the slide pins out of the caliper brackets. Make sure the rubber boots are in good shape and not torn. Wipe off any remains of any old grease, and apply new grease to each slide pin. Put the slide pins back in place, and push in to get the rubber boot over the "lip" on the slide pin.

That should be all you need to do. However you can also remove the pads and apply some of the grease to the shims to help reduce possible squeel and chatter noise. 1 packet of grease should be enough for the slide pins and pad shims on 2 brakes.

Oh also, are you sure you turned the rear caliper pistons enough to back them into the caliper to give enough clearance when putting them on the new pads?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I have some white lithium grease in an aerosol can...would I be able to use that? it's good stuff but dirt does stick to it. If not I can always pick some brake grease up. I do have to say that one of the rear boots for the slide pins are torn. I guess I need a new boot there as well.

I'm pretty sure I compressed the rear pistons enough. It was hard to do and took a little bit of the hammer technique to get the calipers over the pads but they went on. I turned one of the wheels while off the ground and you could hear the pads rubbing against the rotor but only in one spot. I figured putting the wheels back on might have corrected it but it didn't.

Also when I was compressing the passenger rear caliper, some rubber gaskey came oozing out from the edge of the piston. Not a whole lot but some. I knew this wasn't good but no fluid came leaking so I just cut the torn part off and put the caliper on. I will get this fixed and just upagade if needed but that side doesn't make noise nor have problems holding the wheels tight so I might just leave it.

How can you tell this was my first time doing brakes

 

Don't spray that **** on them. Get some brake lube and put it on wherever the pad contacts either the caliper or the bracket.

Did you line up the caliper with the little raised dot on the back of the pad? If not, that might be why it didn't want to sit in there properly and you had to hammer it on there. Take them ***** apart and do it again if you didn't do this the first time. You need to take them apart to put the grease on anyways

Oh, that ripped boot is not good, you can score the piston easily if any sand or **** gets in there. I've never done a caliper rebuild, but I don't think it's that difficult (if you don't want to spend a bunch of money on a new caliper).

 

yes definitely get some brake grease. It's like 99 cents per pack, and you only need 2 to do all 4 brakes.

 

I just stuck the pads in the calipers. They only really fit one way with the shims but I didn't see or pay attention to any dots. I will take a look though.

I will take em apart again and grease em up. I'll try and find a boot but if I can't find one then I'll just cover it with a finger from a latex glove or something (for now).

I knew this was too easy of an install to be right....*sigh*

Thanks for the help guys!

 

Did you not put the pads in the caliper bracket, and then put the caliper over the pads?

Remember the cross shape on the face of the rear caliper pistons? There is at least one raised dot on the inside pad of each rear caliper that has to fit somewhere inside that cross shape. I think it's in the center, so the cross shape on the piston should be aligned with center of the caliper body.

The purpose of the dot on the pad is to keep the piston from spinning as it comes out of the bore to squeeze the pads.

 

Yeah sorry I meant to say I slid the calipers over the pads that were seated with their clips and shims.

I know the 4 pads on the rear calipers. I had to use a screwdriver to compress them. I don't remember a dot on the inside rear pads though. I hope I didn't mess these pads up already. I just bought them