I changed the rear pads on my car today (for the first time) and I just marked how the X was placed when the caliper came off the rotor and turned the piston inward and lined the X up with that mark again. The caliper slid back easily onto the rotor and did not seem to catch the tabs on the back of the back of the pad, but for future reference is there a specific marking on the caliper to line the X up correctly?

I don't have an ITR helms yet, so maybe I am missing something simple?

Any thoughts on grinding the tabs off the back off the pads and skipping the X completely?

 

You don't need to line it up. It's not for reference -- it's for wedging a big screwdriver in there and turning.

 

some pads do not have the tabs on them.

the X needs to be set at 90 degree spots... place the pad into the caliper bracket and then twist the piston to the right spot.

slide on and enjoy good clamping...

Will
-who ruined a rear pad b/c of the tab

 

Uhhh no. OEM and some aftermarket pads require the piston to be aligned properly or the pad won't seat correctly.

Grinding the tabs off the back of the pads is just fine, they're not really nessesary, but its not so hard to line up is it?