Holy crap EVIL brakes!

[ScottyDsntKno]

Picked up a 95 ATX SHO a few weeks ago and it needed a brake change. I've done brakes a million times before on my stangs so w/e. Well I have never had so much trouble with brake pads in my life! Those freakin clips are ridiculous first of all, what is the point of them? To stop chatter I guess? At any rate the backs were fine but I went out for a drive after I got all 4 wheels done and the left front started smelling like burning and smoking. So I took it back apart, cleaned everything off, reseated the pads, comressed the caliper again and put it back together. Then the freaking right one started doing the same thing after the second test drive so I took it apart too. Then the left one started overheating AGAIN...

At this point I am wondering wtf is going on? I took the left apart again, made sure those stupid spring/clip things were in the right spot, carefully seated the caliper and tightened it down. Took it for another drive and it seems like the problem might be solved but I'm not sure. The left caliper was still noticibely hotter than the right but that might have been from it overheating before. No smoking or burning this time... I think those wire clips were getting stuck between the caliper and pad. I have half a mind to just cut them off with ***** and say screw it. If they chatter then too bad. It is dark now and I won't have time to mess with this thing till wednesday but are brakes usually THIS much of an issue on these cars? Am I missing something here? I mean this is absolutely ridiculous. I can do the brakes on my cobra in like an hour at most and it never gives me any problems whatsoever.

Wow...

 

[SHOtimer]

I have done the front brakes on my '95 ATX several times and I have no idea what you are talking about in regards to 'clips'? You just push the piston in, seat the pad, and bolt the caliper onto the bracket and you are good to go. The rears are a bit of a pain because you have to turn in the piston, but if you get the proper tool it is a breeze.

Doug

 

[ScottyDsntKno]

Those little wire spring/clip things that are on top of the brake pads. The rest I did just like you said but those stupid little clips were driving me nuts. They still might be binding up. Can I just **** them off if the brakes start overheating again?

 

[SHOtimer]

They are on the pads themselves? If so, you have the wrong pads, the pads should have no clips or whatever on them.

Doug

 

[ScottyDsntKno]

These are just like the ones I got and the ones I pulled off were just like that too.


edit: Just checked out the HAWK pads and they don't have them. Now I am thoroughly confused. Do some pads come with these and some don't? I'd rather have a set that didn't have them.

 

[khanartist]

I dont understand why those clips would affect the heating of your brakes.

As long as you seat the caliper evenly, the clips will spread to both sides and they wont cause a problem.

You do have the metal clip that goes into the slot in the middle of the caliper correct?

 

[CerberuS]

If you are REALLY sho you have the right pads.

Common rear brackes issues =

-collapsed rear brake line (rubber)

-seized calipers.

 

[ScottyDsntKno]

Yeah I figured out what was locking them up. The freaking clips got caught between the top of the caliper and the pad when I put the caliper back on. Then they would get compressed onto the rotor and stick there becaus the metal clip was wedged in. I made sure to get them on right the last time taking great care to make sure they tucked up into that little space in the middle of the caliper. Just took the car for a 10 mile test drive and the calipers are nice and cool, no smoke and smooth braking. Still, the trouble I had to go through with these things... I'm buying the hawks next time. Oddly enough I had zero issues with the rears.

I feel like a complete idiot for having so much trouble with the brakes but I've never come accross pads with these stupid clips on them before.

 

[93rev2sev]

Those clips are installed correctly when they are between the pad and the top of the caliper - with the ends spread aparts, not cinched together. They just keep the pad fron riding off of the little lip on the caliper.

If you have squeezed the ends of the clip together and pushed them through the large slot, they are incorrect.

They should sit square to the pad and ride on the inside of the caliper. Set the tips of the clip on the inside of the caliper one tip on each side of the slot. Then push the bottom end of the pad to compress the clip and snap into the caliper.

I know this is hard to grasp with no pics...maybe I'll getcha one.

 

[ScottyDsntKno]

Thanks but I figured it out. They ride on that thin metal piece in the middle of the caliper nice and spread out. Like I said it took me a few tries and I really want to injure whoever designed those brakes/pads. I have never had to deal with them before and all my other cars stop better and have a much firmer feel than this SHO does. I mean, I know it is a taurus and all... Maybe I'll upgrade to the 96 brakes next time I do them.