Caliper and pad clocking

[dremu]

Doing the rear disc thing on a 14BFF ... I hate drums, they're heavy and a pain and ... one of my hubs apparently leaked gear oil all over the shoes on that side.

So, it makes sense to clock the caliper so that the bleeder screw faces up -- I'm not doing Caddy calipers, I'll do a driveshaft parking brake on this rig.

Questions:

1. Do I want the caliper to the front of the axle, to the rear, or does it matter?

2. The wear tang on the pads goes on the *trailing* edge, yes, i.e. towards the rear of the truck?

-- A

 

[readymix]

1. Doesn't matter
2. Doesn't matter

 

[roadnotca]

Doing the rear disc thing on a 14BFF ... I hate drums, they're heavy and a pain and ... one of my hubs apparently leaked gear oil all over the shoes on that side.

So, it makes sense to clock the caliper so that the bleeder screw faces up -- I'm not doing Caddy calipers, I'll do a driveshaft parking brake on this rig.

Questions:

1. Do I want the caliper to the front of the axle, to the rear, or does it matter?

2. The wear tang on the pads goes on the *trailing* edge, yes, i.e. towards the rear of the truck?

-- A

The exploded diagrams in the books show which way the wear indicator mounts.

 

[dremu]

The exploded diagrams in the books show which way the wear indicator mounts.

I see you went to the same school of charm as Beater_K20.

-- A

 

[goldwing2000]

1. Doesn't matter
2. Doesn't matter

Yep.

I've seen rear systems with the calipers in front of the axle and behind the axle and I've seen squealers in all locations possible.

 

[dremu]

Yep.

I've seen rear systems with the calipers in front of the axle and behind the axle and I've seen squealers in all locations possible.

Fair nuff. Thanks all!

-- A

 

[roadnotca]

The manufacturers do not mount the squeelers in two different positions just because the sky is blue.

 

[goldwing2000]

The manufacturers do not mount the squeelers in two different positions just because the sky is blue.

Ok... so what magical factors are there to consider?

As long as it contacts the rotor when the pads wear down, what else is there?

 

[roadnotca]

Ok... so what magical factors are there to consider?

As long as it contacts the rotor when the pads wear down, what else is there?

For us that are looking at them at least once a year (sic) we could probably cut them off or bend it out (Sun. 9:00 PM and wheel is off and I'll stick a screwdriver in there and bend it out to shut it up until Wed.) for all that matters. The fact that all the manufacturers make them that way means that feature is not driven by any one particular make's design, but by industry. Brakes; I'd guess the decisions are driven by product liability. To build in a -1, -2 opposite costs money, and its just pennies per brake set but $$ for the paper in catalog, tracking, inventory, lawyers etc. Engr. wise there's probably a good argument for some abnormal safety scenario like accidents, misalignment, weather etc. Modern cars have crash beams in the doors, its a very small percentage that are ever utilized them, but all the cars have them. In this thread the only reason to try to explain it is because someone asked the question to begin with.

 

[goldwing2000]

Ok, that made absolutely no sense to me.

Is there or is there not a reason to differentiate putting the squealers in the up or down position?

 

[Gravel Maker]

Just put the bleeder valve on the high side and you are done....

If it is not on the high side you cannot bleed the brakes, there's your answer.

 

[79Jimmy]

I try to install the squeelers on the leading edge of the pad as it sits on the rotor. The leading edge of the pads usually wear the quickest. Just my $.02

James

 

[sled_dog]

I try to install the squeelers on the leading edge of the pad as it sits on the rotor. The leading edge of the pads usually wear the quickest. Just my $.02

James

true but if its on the leading edge and it contacts it could possibly fold into the pad...

 

[79Jimmy]

true but if its on the leading edge and it contacts it could possibly fold into the pad...

Highly unlikely......those things are usually made of spring steel and would more likely snap than bend. Not saying its not possible but I've never seen it happen. Regardless, at that point its prolly time to change the pads anyway

James

 

[goldwing2000]

Just put the bleeder valve on the high side and you are done.... If it is not on the high side you cannot bleed the brakes, there's your answer.

Yeah... but that wasn't the question.

So, it makes sense to clock the caliper so that the bleeder screw faces up --
...
2. The wear tang on the pads goes on the *trailing* edge, yes, i.e. towards the rear of the truck?

He was asking which way to install the brake pad with the squealer.