make me less dumb - how tight is too tight for brake pads?
 

Hey all,

Just got some custom-made track pads from Raybestos/Porterfield - they were ground from a larger pad footprint. Some I had use a file on the backing plate edges to get them to fit in the caliper - but some are still TIGHT. With heat expansion, I'm worried that they might not move in and out as freely as they are supposed, and might drag, causing more heat, causing more sticking... etc.

Should I just drink a beer and forget it? File more off so they slide in/out more easily?

Thanks all.

They have to slide in and out freely. If they don't, you're going to run into trouble.

With the retention clips, you should be able to get them in/out readily with just a tiny bit of tension.

What's necessitating a custom-made pad?

You want some slop and for racetrack I don't recommend retainer clips. I've had more hangups and issues with retainer clips than I care to admit before I threw them all away and life was grand.

On my CRX I used to buy pads from Porterfield for an S2000 then I would use a file to remove 1 or 2mm on the end tabs to fit in my calipers. The reason for buying the S2k pads was they were larger and got me more "meat" which translates to more heat sink.

Any disadvantage of running without the retainer clips?


I bought new OEM brake pads for the winter (came with new clips), and I had to grind/file the backplate near the tabs because they were too tight...

Not in 16 years of W2W racing.

Just noise

I had to grind down the corners of the WinMax W3 pads I bought. Maybe 2-3mm on one side. You should not need tools to put in or take out pads. They sort of "click" into place. Not really, but very very little tension.

Take out old retaining clips. Clean any rust on the caliper bracket with a file before installing new clips. That is usually what causes this issue. But sometimes aftermarket pads are not perfect. Just make sure rust isn't the culprit first

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