Shaving brake pads

[coullstar 0]

I was attempting to fit my new pads this morning and feared this might happen when I compared them to the old one. The new pads are too thick to sit in place of the old ones. They probably need 3-4mm taken of either pad to get them in.

 

Is there an accepted practice on shaving brake pads and can I just use a bench grinder and take some material away?

[poll250 0]

I'm assuming you pushed the pistons back fully when you took the old pads out?

[delfinis38 1]

that thickness shoul fit... do you have a piston winding tool ?

[coullstar 0]

Yes guys I pushed the pistons back in, its not standard calipers I have. Its the Wilwood superlite 6 piston ones. They wont fit as is, I need to remove some of the pad material, I was just wondering if there was a way to do this that wont damage the pad. I suppose some rough sandpaper on a flat surface and rubbing the pads should work as well.

[RW1 0]

Your problem is getting the pad face parrallel with the back plate or the pads will not contact the disc correctly. Therefore reducing your braking capability.

 

The only way is to machine grind them down on a flat bed machine or something similar. If the pad face are not parrallel to the back plate, I doubt if they will ever wear to make it parrallel for a long time. If they do, it will be thousands of miles, not hundreds before full braking potential is acheived again.

 

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[coullstar 0]

Yeah that is my concern. Only one way to find out.

[Rob_B 0]

Know anyone with a milling machine? That's how I've done them before. I've also used a grinder and file but that was a little less scientific!

A rough rasp would be good. How soon do you need them done? I've got a mate who would do it for a few beer tokens if you posted them to me?

[Fulltimejunglist 0]

i would check the piston in the caliper make sure its all the way back (Not a fun job without a caliper tool)

 

Milling machine is the best way to make sure their even and will contact the disc correctly, where you from?

 

My mates dad has got one at work and has done this for me in the past when i did not have a caliper winder.

[coullstar 0]

The pistons are all fully in. Ive done it rough and ready style for now. There seem good enough with the vernier so I'll just go out and find an empty bit of road and do a few hard stops.

[davidwort 0]

I got some G60 pads for my 16v by mistake once, just sanded the pads down on paint strippng sandpaper and checked I'd got them level before fitting, never thad any problems from doing that.