Need help installing rear brake pads

[sanchezcruz_20]

Recently purchased some Hawk HPS brake pads from American Muscle.

The front pads went on in about 30 mins, no problem whatsoever and I'm a newbie as far as wrenching goes.

However, the back is a different story.  Basically, I can't get the caliper to go back on.  It appears that the Hawk pads are too thick! 

There are 2 bolts holding the caliper on, interestingly the "socket" that excepts the bottom caliper bolt adjusts/moves in and out.  Is the top one supposed to do that too?  Because that is the only thing keeping me from bolting the caliper back up, I can't get the top of it seated properly.  When I put the stock pads back on, everything is fine b/c I have more room to work with since they are worn down.

The bottom is easy b/c the "socket" that accepts the caliper bolt just moves in giving me more room.  I am hoping that one of you will tell me that top "socket" is supposed to move/adjust as well b/c then I'll just know it is seized up or something and I gotta bang on it.

I wasn't sure if it was supposed to move like the bottom so I didn't wack on it too hard.

Let me know what you guys think or if you've had similar problems.

[scarface]

there is a tool to collapse the caliper all the way...it pushes the piston in as it turns it.   You can rent them at most autoparts stores.

[ck4.6]

The square tool that you buy does not have the right fittings unless you grind one side of it. Ask you local place if they have the caliper tool to rent.

[scarface]

The square tool that you buy does not have the right fittings unless you grind one side of it. Ask you local place if they have the caliper tool to rent.

what square tool?

[sanchezcruz_20]

I know what tool you're talking about and I actually have it.  The funny thing is, it doesn't work/fit properly (I thought about grinding that side down like you suggested when I was out there fooling around with it).  I ended up using a pair of needle-nose pliers to compress the piston.  Unfortunately, the piston is not the problem.

But it turns out that I figured it out by taking off the wheel on the other side and realizing that in fact the "socket" I was referring to is indeed just stuck and is probably gonna need some penetrant or PB Blaster or something to get it moving again. 

I know it's hard to visualize what I'm talking about when I say "socket" but maybe I could get a picture of it on here, it's the part that accepts the caliper bolt on the caliper bracket.  Sorry, I'm not mechanically inclined enough to know what things are called, haha.  I dunno how else to explain it.

Either way, I just got back from Autozone with some penetrant and I'm gonna let that sit overnight and go back at it tomorrow.

Thanks guys.

[scarface]

its funny people say they dont fit, but I got my set at autozone, and it fits fine?  Oh well...Glad you figured it out.

[sanchezcruz_20]

Is your tool a cube (6 sides)?


Penetrant is soaking.... see how it goes tomorrow

[4point6GT]

grind them down so they fit, I put mine on as skates n skated around my parkin lot.......jk

[ck4.6]

its funny people say they dont fit, but I got my set at autozone, and it fits fine?  Oh well...Glad you figured it out.

Thats crazy because I bought one at autozone and advanced, neither one of them worked.

[scarface]

this is the set I bought from autozone...

[ck4.6]

That is the same set I rented from a mom and pop shop. The Autozone I went to only had this pos.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[scarface]

That is the same set I rented from a mom and pop shop. The Autozone I went to only had this pos.

WTF is that thing? Pandora's box?

[sanchezcruz_20]

haha... that's the same thing I got.  The guy at Autozone said it would work... but it didn't.  Plus it cost $10, what a waste of money. 

[ck4.6]

haha... that's the same thing I got.  The guy at Autozone said it would work... but it didn't.  Plus it cost $10, what a waste of money. 

Throw it away and rent a kit like scarface has.

[BOS-94-003]

I just made my own out of an old socket.  Got to love fabrication and i just like all the sparks from the grinding wheel.  Makes you feel like your doing something important. :hammer:

[veggiemike]

Hey, pretty sure the part you're talking about is the "caliper mounting bracket pin" or something like that.  When I pulled the rear breaks off my '95, I discovered the same damn thing...  rear passenger-side break was only using one pad.

Bought a new mounting bracket (comes with the both pins and their rubber boots) at Autozone for $30 or so.  Problem solved.  Except now I have one brand new shiny caliper mounting bracket and one rusty ugly pos mounting bracket.

[sanchezcruz_20]

You're exactly right, I finally looked it up in the Haynes Manual and they referred to it as the caliper mounting bracket pin as well, or something like that.

Only $30????  I'm definitely looking into that because I still haven't been able to get the damn thing loose.  I even opened up the rubber boot on it and sprayed some penetrant in it with no luck.

Plus, since I was having trouble with the left side I decided to just get the right side done but found out that the bottom caliper pin is stuck on that side (it's the top caliper pin on the left side)!  So now I can't do the rears at all until I get these damn pins loose.

[veggiemike]

Yeah, I spent half a day soaking mine in penetrating oil and beating on it with a hammer and yanking/twisting on it with pliers...  got one out, but the other wouldn't budge.  Then I felt like a dope for wasting my time when I realized how inexpensive the replacement part was.

[sanchezcruz_20]

FINALLY!  Got all 4 bolts loose and both caliper brackets removed from the rear  :dancing6:

It took a lot of penetrant, hammer wacking, swearing, pacing around, and staring/intimidating the brackets but they finally busted loose.  And I only busted one of my knuckles in the process.

The replacement brackets had to be ordered, but they'll be in today and the reassembly should be a cake walk compared to disassembly.

I'm gonna make sure the pins are nice and greased so they're less likely to seize up in the future (because at some point I'll be doing the cobra upgrade anyway) and probably use some anti-corrosion/rust product on all the bolts.

[95Grandtouring5.0]

That is the same set I rented from a mom and pop shop. The Autozone I went to only had this pos.

WTF is that thing? Pandora's box?

ROFL!

[veggiemike]

Hey, one other thing.  Make sure you have the anti-rattle clips for the rear pads.  You need 'em.  When I opened mine up after I bought it, I discovered that the previous owner had lost them.  I tried to just go without, but the damn pads were loose enough in the caliper that they would squeak against the roters whenever I went over a bump.  I tried to live with it for a while, thinking that maybe the pads would get worn in and hold still, but it just got worse.  My mustang sounded like a falling apart snot box!

Anyway, if you need to get new ones, you can get a whole box of miscellaneous hardware from Autozone or PepBoys for the rear breaks for $10.  It's got the anti-rattle clips, new bracket pins with boots, and all the nuts/bolts in the assembly.

Squeaking is so not cool...

squeaka, squeaka, squeaka...  ugh.

[driftingmustang]

as far as doing it yourself, your pretty much boned unless you can find the right tool specialy made for this (which i never could).

[scarface]

correct tool from autozone...

[driftingmustang]

correct tool from autozone...

had that (or somthing similar), didnt work. well, are sure it works? if so ill need to eventualy get one of those.(this very specific set)

[sanchezcruz_20]

Yeah the right tool really helps make the job easier. 

I ended up renting the one shown above as well, finally got the job done, though compressing the piston was never really the problem from the beginning but it did prove to be a hassle. 

I tried using Pandora's Box (see above a few posts) which didn't actually work.

[scarface]

correct tool from autozone...

had that (or somthing similar), didnt work. well, are sure it works? if so ill need to eventualy get one of those.(this very specific set)

I have used it at least 10 times.  It the correct tool.

[scarface]

Yeah the right tool really helps make the job easier. 

I ended up renting the one shown above as well, finally got the job done, though compressing the piston was never really the problem from the beginning but it did prove to be a hassle. 

I tried using Pandora's Box (see above a few posts) which didn't actually work.

yeah pandora's box is a POS, the set above it a pic of my set, with part numbers from autozone. I use it all the time.

[sk8inrj1]

what is Pandora's box actually used for?  I've always used a big 'ol C clamp to compress my pistons.

[ck4.6]

You can't use a C-Clamp on the rear brakes. Pandora box goes onto the end of a ratchet to turn the piston in. The brake set pictured above is the one that autozone can let you rent/buy.

[GTnightrider]

I had that same problem with my rears took me for ever they were seized up and we could not get it so we just took a hammer and beat on it till it would push back in

[scarface]

what is Pandora's box actually used for?  I've always used a big 'ol C clamp to compress my pistons.

Pandora's box is the box carried by Pandora that contained all the evils of mankind — greed, vanity, slander, lies, envy, pining — and hope...lol

I had that same problem with my rears took me for ever they were seized up and we could not get it so we just took a hammer and beat on it till it would push back in

you didnt have to turn the piston as you pushed? 

[ck4.6]

I had that same problem with my rears took me for ever they were seized up and we could not get it so we just took a hammer and beat on it till it would push back in

Did they still work without turning them while pushing afterwards?

[scarface]

I had that same problem with my rears took me for ever they were seized up and we could not get it so we just took a hammer and beat on it till it would push back in

Did they still work without turning them while pushing afterwards?

probably not the way they should...lol