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Disc Brake Problem

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
I recently hit a snag trying to replace the front pads, calipers, and rotors on my GT/CS.

The driver's side fit together perfectly but on the passenger side the caliper won't fit over the rotor. It seems like the rotor assembly is not going far enough on to the spindle because there is a gap between the inner pad and the rotor rear face. The driver's side has no such gap. On the driver's side the inner pad touches the rear rotor face, as it should.

I've tried all 4 rotors (2 new and 2 old) to no avail. The gap is there no matter which rotor is installed.

I can file down the outer pad but that would be only treating the symptom and it would make for some interesting braking.

The only thing I can think of is that the spindle is bent outward but before I take the spindle off I was hoping there might be some other, easier-to-fix, cause.

Can anyone think of how there could be a gap between the inner pad and the rotor?

Thank you for any insights you can offer.
 
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Mosesatm

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
It doesn't seem to be a caliper issue because the inner pad is installed on the spindle before the caliper is slipped over the rotor. There doesn't seem to be any adjustment for the inner pad because it slides tightly into a pair of slots so I can't see how anything could be wrong. Well, I did think of another possiblity but I don't like it. Someone may have replaced the spindle with one from another Ford or from the wrong year Mustang.
 

rvrtrash

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Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
I'm confused by what you're dealing with but I'll try to help. First, the inner brake pad does go in the caliper before the caliper is installed on the rotor. Going from memory, there are slots on either side of the caliper that the pad slides into and then there are flat springs that hold them in place. I'm going to assume you got this part right and I'm just having trouble wrapping my brain around your description. The part that stumps me is that your old rotor that fit before doesn't fit now. If you hadn't tried 2 old and 2 new, I'd say someone installed the inner bearing backwards. Another possibility is someone used a spindle from a car with a different engine. Without checking, I believe the V-8 and 6 cyl. spindles are different diameter, but then why won't the original rotor go back on? Scott is correct that the caliper floats on the mounting bracket so make sure it moves freely. That has to be the most likely answer at this point.
Steve
Sorry for the ramble. Just thinking out loud.
 
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Mosesatm

Mosesatm

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Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
Here are a couple pictures of the inner pad attached to the spindle. The first one shows the gap.

There is no way to attach the pad to the caliper. The outer pad attaches to the caliper with the usual rods and clips but I'm pretty sure the inner pad must slide into the slot on the spindle and be attached with the sping clips before the caliper can be attached.

Bill is going to swing by with one of his old spindles and we'll see if they match. It looks to me like the passenger spindle is longer than the one of the driver's side.

The car used to pull hard to the right before I started working on the brakes, and when I put the car up on blocks and spun the wheel it had way too much drag to it. The caliper was also very difficult to remove. I think the previous owner had the same problem. It's a good thing she never took it over 15mph. If she had run it on the highway she might have fused the rotor to the pad (if that's possible).
 
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Mosesatm

Mosesatm

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Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
Mosesatm said:
Here are a couple pictures of the inner pad attached to the spindle. The first one shows the gap.

There is no way to attach the pad to the caliper. The outer pad attaches to the caliper with the usual rods and clips but I'm pretty sure the inner pad must slide into the slot on the spindle and be attached with the sping clips before the caliper can be attached.

Bill is going to swing by with one of his old spindles and we'll see if they match. It looks to me like the passenger spindle is longer than the one of the driver's side.

The car used to pull hard to the right before I started working on the brakes, and when I put the car up on blocks and spun the wheel it had way too much drag to it. The caliper was also very difficult to remove. I think the previous owner had the same problem. It's a good thing she never took it over 15mph. If she had run it on the highway she might have fused the rotor to the pad (if that's possible).
Here is a picture of the caliper and the outer pad.
 
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Mosesatm

Mosesatm

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Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
OK, I'm a blithering idiot. Buy hey, at least I can admit it!!!

The problem is that the outer pad was not squarely set between its raised supports. It looked like it was ok and the clips went on so I didn't notice the problem earlier. I took a file and filed down the supports a little and the pad slid right in.

The pads are still pushing too hard on the rotor but filing a little off the pads should take care of that.

Thanks for the advice. You got me headed down the right path and all I had to do was pay attention to the signs.

Notice in the caliper picture above how the pad is sitting crooked in the caliper. Of course it hadn't been pinned in place yet but that's about how it looked after the pins were set
 

rvrtrash

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Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
Just to help you out a little, the part that is holding your inner brake pad is part of the caliper assy., not the spindle. There are two bolts holding it on that are 11/16", 3/4" head or something like that. If you pull those two bolts and reassemble the caliper assy., it is so much easier to put it all back together. When I pull a caliper I just pull the two bolts and lift the whole thing off. Glad you found the problem with the brake pad.:wink:
Steve
 
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