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What's the benefit for this step?

Fig. 15: With an assistant depressing the brake pedal, you must clinch the outboard shoe tabs so they are locked tightly in position

I did not have to do this with my truck but will need to with this car. I looked at the pads in the store and saw the outboard shoe tab coming as "straight" out of the box. What I fail to see (and please forgive my ignorance) is the benefit for this step? I mean, the end of the outboard shoe tab will be bent down at a 45 degree angle but it's not going to be making contact with anything on the caliper to hold it in place? Will it? I assume (from the diagram) that the shaded section "under" the outboard shoe tab is the actual pad itself making contact with the rotor. Does this step pretty much guarantee that the pad won't "slide off" (I don't know how it could as the retaining pin is holding it in tightly to begin with). Does it pretty much have a "shim" effect where it will stop (due to the man-made 45 degree curve) sliding and be anchored onto the caliper?

Also, I think they have the sequence out of order? With step 19 coming "after" you put the tires on, I don't see how you can easily reach the outboard shoe tab. Seems like you want to do that step while the tire is still off so you can get to it.

That step just kind of seems redundant but I'll definitely do what the manual says.. By the way, I'm working on the brakes for 2 vehicles. Admittingly, both are not trucks at this time but they're Chevy's (I have a truck that I may need to ask questions about too). I respect/admire the folks on this newsgroup and really hope you don't mind answering questions about it as I cannot find a newsgroup that comes remotely close to being this good!

thanks in advance!

Reply to
Anon
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The tab will be close out of the box. I will tighten them up a bit if its loose enough. Either way its no big deal. If you tighten it up you might help with noise. An easy way to do it by yourself is use a prybar under the part of the pad that is closest to the inside of the rotor, pry up and out to hold it tight and then beat the tabs down tight(er) to the caliper mount with a small hammer. It is probably more important to make sure its not to tight as to hold the pad off of the caliper mount a little. either way the brakes will work fine so don't get too excited over it.

Reply to
Shoe Salesman

Its primarily to keep them from rattling and also to keep them off the rotor that minute amount when the brakes are released.

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Reply to
Shades

thanks. So you're saying that I can skip this step all-together and not risk the pads slipping out (I don't see how they can slip out with the retaining clip and the adhesive).

thanks again...

Reply to
Anon

This is designed to keep the outer pads from vibrating. If you don't clinch the outer pad tabs down, usually what happens is you will end up with a brake squeal. I see this all the time when we get vehicles in that have had the brakes done elsewhere. Just a lack of knowledge.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Excellent. So the point being that the outer tabs will not actually be making contact with any surface but rather than curved shape will act as some sort of (I don't know the term here) resistance to prevent vibration? I just wanted to make sure that the tips of the outer pad tabs do NOT make contact with anything. Just need to point downwards (toward the rotor) at approx a 45 degree angle?

thanks.

Reply to
Anon

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The source of your confusion is they are showing two different styles of pads. The one clearly pictured in Fig 9 and 10 with the spriing clip do not have tabs that need to bent over. The other style used on older models, in fig 15 and 16 two tabs on the outboard pads go through openings in the caliper housing. These tabs have to bent over when the job is done, or the out board pads move around, rattle and cause squeel..It has been my experiance to put a couple lug nuts on to stablize the rotor, pump the brake pedal to get the pads in contact with the rotor, use a large screw driver to pry up on the pad between the bottom of it and the hub of the rotor and then peen the tabs over.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

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Well the PADS they show in the picture don't have TABS to bend over. On some PADS there are TABS that need to be bent over a bit. It keeps the Pads from moving back and forth which you may end up getting a knocking sound when you put on the brakes lightly.

Reply to
JBDragon

thank you WhiteLightening... You are right. I checked out newer pads today and they don't have that tab that needs to be bent over.

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Reply to
Anon

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