I have a question for all of you guys that have replaced your back pads. Take a look at the pictures attached to this. My left rear has a band of area that the pad appears not be touching. At first I thought the pad might have been cocked in there funny but if look close you will see it is making contact on the center of the rotor. The other picture of the right rotor sorta has the same problem but it has got better over time as I am sure the left will to. My question is what do you think is causing this? I have changed my own brakes for years and never had a problem. The pads I put in are Hawk HPS. I used the metal shim and the other shim that was attached to back of the original pads. Also the rotors felt smooth and looked smooth when I changed the brakes. Thanks for taking the time to read this and sorry for it being a book.

 

I havent used hawk HPS' so they may be different, but most of the pads I have used have the metal shims basically built into the back of the pad so it is not neccessary to remove them from the old pads... Each pad should only have one shim on it, do you happen to have two? Your situation is kinda of weird. Only thing else I can think of is that maybe you didnt seat the pads between the two retaining clips on each side of the rotor correctly.

 

No your right on the front HPS pads they do have a metal shim built in. On the back HPS pads there is no shim built in. I just matched what the factory pads had for a shim. The metal shim and then the other shim. Now on the factory pads it seemed to be stuck to the back of the pad. I had to peal it off. Was that wrong should I have not reused the non metal shim? By the way the car stops fine and there is no sqeaking at all. Also the clip on the top seems to in correct.

 

hmmm if all of the shims are correct, which you make them appear to be, then im pretty lost....I dont want to give you ill advice. On the rear pads, ur right, most dont have shims built in, the old pads have a thin metal shim which I just pop off and then pop on the new pads. Either way, the more I think about it, the shims shouldnt matter for what ur problem is, they are more designed to quell noise... Sorry man im outta answers on this one.

 

Did you turn the discs? Even though the surface of the rotor may have felt smooth/flat/true, it probably was not. Your new pads are not making contact with the "low" spots on your rotors. If the pedal feels smooth under hard braking, the rotor and pad will eventually mate, and you should be ok. If you are geeting vibration under braking you should get the discs turned. Only use the stainless shims from your factory pads, there is no need to use that "fiber" shim. Use a small amount of "copaslip" anti seize between the new pad and factory shim, to ensure sqeal free braking under light pedal pressure. Good luck, at least you have a 3-day weekend to sort it out. Make sure that you "bed" the pads correctly as well.....