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example of how irrelevant at least 25% of anandtech posts are

S

Shaftatplanetquake

Diamond Member
Ok, I removed the little metal clips inside the caliper that hold the brake pads in place. There were too dificult to line up (actually I didn't understand them at all so I didn't even try) so I just ripped em out. Now the brakes seem too spongey for me to attempt a test drive.

Do I need to get replacement clips, re-disassemble the caliper, and put the clips in place?

Car is a 95 mazda 626 4 cylinder.

Roger, Quixfire, I hope you guys are out there reading....
 
Originally posted by: Shaftatplanetquake
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
You need to bleed the brakes.
Assuming you put the clips back in.
Click to expand...

Why bleed the brakes if no air got into the system?
Click to expand...
Because if you put the clips back in and the brakes are spongy, you introduced air when you pulled the pads and the pistons fell into your lap.
EDIT
spelling
 
Wait a minute. You removed the clips that hold the pad stationary in the caliper and you CONCIDERED driving it? WTF is wrong with you? Take the car to a shop and have someone who knows what the hell they are doing repair your screw up. In addition, swapping out the pads should have no effect on the "spongy" feeling in the pedal. Hell, removing the retaining clips should have no effect on pedal feel either. Be thankfull that you FUBARed up one of the hoses (probably by not properly supporting the caliper while chainging the pads). If you tried to drive without the retaining clips, the pad can move enough to jam against the rotor, causing a locked tire at speed.

Do me a favor and take a pic of your car so I can add it to my list.
 
If its the same clip that is on Dodge 96-99 caravans, it would be totally undrivable and unstable. On those pads, if the clip breaks, you replace the pads, no ifs, ands, or buts.

Orrrr.....
Go for a drive and lighten the population load. 🙂

Seriously, replace them or pay someone to.
 
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Originally posted by: Shaftatplanetquake
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
You need to bleed the brakes.
Assuming you put the clips back in.
Click to expand...

Why bleed the brakes if no air got into the system?
Click to expand...
Because if you put the clips back in and the brakes are spongy, you introduced air when you pulled the pads and the pistons fell into your lap.
EDIT
spelling
Click to expand...

Posted by Evadman
Wait a minute. You removed the clips that hold the pad stationary in the caliper and you CONCIDERED driving it? WTF is wrong with you? Take the car to a shop and have someone who knows what the hell they are doing repair your screw up. In addition, swapping out the pads should have no effect on the "spongy" feeling in the pedal. Hell, removing the retaining clips should have no effect on pedal feel either. Be thankfull that you FUBARed up one of the hoses (probably by not properly supporting the caliper while chainging the pads). If you tried to drive without the retaining clips, the pad can move enough to jam against the rotor, causing a locked tire at speed.

Do me a favor and take a pic of your car so I can add it to my list.
Click to expand...

Which is it? Where did the air come from? I messed up the hose or the pistons? I didn't know there were any pistons involved..

And then...

If its the same clip that is on Dodge 96-99 caravans, it would be totally undrivable and unstable. On those pads, if the clip breaks, you replace the pads, no ifs, ands, or buts.

Orrrr.....
Go for a drive and lighten the population load. 🙂

Seriously, replace them or pay someone to.
Click to expand...

The clips I am talking about were not included with the pads. They were supposed to hold the pads in place, but the pads seemed to be very secure even without the clips. So I didn't think they were needed. Mainly, I couldn't figure out how to pop the pad in and allow the clips to hold it secure. The clips were just seeming to get into the way of popping it in place properly.
 
Maybe, we could start a new reality show: "When shadetree mechanic car repairs go bad"

I guess I don't understand why someone would work on their brakes if they've had no training what-so-ever. I've had plenty of training (in a tech automotive environment) and I've done several brake jobs. However, a shop local to me only charges about $100 per axle to do a brake job. Their price alone is cheaper than my time - which I can spend enjoying doing other things - rather than getting myself all greasy.

 
Seriously I don't want to call you a retard but how hard is it to put the clips back. On most cars they sit one way and basically fall into place.There should be no reason to bleed the system as nothing short of pushing the pistons out of the caliber is going to introduce air provided you didn't loosen the line. The fact that you didn't know there are pistons kind of scares me because if the pads were worn you should have needed a c-clamp to push the piston back into the caliper (master cylinder cap off) in order to bring the caliper back over the pads/rotors.

Out of curiosity did you feel the shims were uneeded too? Did you bother cleaning anything or applying grease?
 
Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
Maybe, we could start a new reality show: "When shadetree mechanic car repairs go bad"

I guess I don't understand why someone would work on their brakes if they've had no training what-so-ever. I've had plenty of training (in a tech automotive environment) and I've done several brake jobs. However, a shop local to me only charges about $100 per axle to do a brake job. Their price alone is cheaper than my time - which I can spend enjoying doing other things - rather than getting myself all greasy.
Click to expand...

You make $200 an hour or are you just one of those "I don't want to get dirty" girls? Can you give me some career advice. It cost me $20 and 30 minutes to replace my pads.
 
Originally posted by: BannedTroll
Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
Maybe, we could start a new reality show: "When shadetree mechanic car repairs go bad"

I guess I don't understand why someone would work on their brakes if they've had no training what-so-ever. I've had plenty of training (in a tech automotive environment) and I've done several brake jobs. However, a shop local to me only charges about $100 per axle to do a brake job. Their price alone is cheaper than my time - which I can spend enjoying doing other things - rather than getting myself all greasy.
Click to expand...

You make $200 an hour or are you just one of those "I don't want to get dirty" girls? Can you give me some career advice. It cost me $20 and 30 minutes to replace my pads.
Click to expand...

I think $200 for a complete brake job (assuming no work is done on the rotors) is expensive... but not all vehicles can be done for $20 and in 1/2 hour. Older ones maybe. Doing work yourself is cheaper, but I know I tired of spending my weekends with a wrench.
 
Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
Maybe, we could start a new reality show: "When shadetree mechanic car repairs go bad"

I guess I don't understand why someone would work on their brakes if they've had no training what-so-ever. I've had plenty of training (in a tech automotive environment) and I've done several brake jobs. However, a shop local to me only charges about $100 per axle to do a brake job. Their price alone is cheaper than my time - which I can spend enjoying doing other things - rather than getting myself all greasy.
Click to expand...

BS. I know exactly how this would happen. A brake job is second only to changing your own oil when it comes to internet loser's recommendations of things you can do yourself. I know I've frequently gotten the "what you don't even change your own brakes??" speech from a number of keyboard-and-mouse mechanics.
 
Couple of tips...

Before you do the job, get a repair manual for your car, or download the tech sheets from a place like Autozone. Make sure you have all parts ready for the job, even things like cans of brake clean and rags before you start working on it.. Fully study the instructions and check out all the parts you have so you know what you are getting into.

If at this point you are still not sure, you should just take the car and parts to a qualified mechanic and let them do it....especially on something like brakes.

One more thing, I've found taking pictures of what I'm taking apart at each stage with a digital camera helps a ton when you hit a snag and you aren't sure how something goes back together. I think the first couple times I did drum brakes would have been a nightmare without it.

🙂
 
Shaftatplanetquake it looks like you might have two different issues with your brakes. First lets handle the missing anti-rattle clips.

Your front brakes require two different types of anti-rattle clips for the brakes to function correctly, the metal sliders (#7) and tension spring (#3) in this picture. The metal slides allow the pads to move horizontally in the caliper bracket. The tension spring keeps the pads front vibrating when not pressed against the rotor. Both need to be in place for the front brake to work correctly.

The pads binding in the caliper bracket due to the missing shims could cause the spongy pedal, but it also could be caused by air or debris in the brake lines. I would like to know how you pressed the pistons back in to the calipers. Did you just press them in with a c-clamp or did you break the bleeder screws loose and drain the excessive fluid into a jar? Either way you might need to bleed the brakes to solve the spongy pedal concern.

How to Bleed Brakes
 
Originally posted by: Shaftatplanetquake
Ok, I removed the little metal clips inside the caliper that hold the brake pads in place. There were too dificult to line up (actually I didn't understand them at all so I didn't even try) so I just ripped em out. Now the brakes seem too spongey for me to attempt a test drive.

Do I need to get replacement clips, re-disassemble the caliper, and put the clips in place?

Car is a 95 mazda 626 4 cylinder.

Roger, Quixfire, I hope you guys are out there reading....
Click to expand...

Wait a minute... is this Steve O?

Are you filming a new episode of JackAss?

 
Most of the posts in this thread were either entirely off target (and usually the poster acted as if his words were the gospel truth)or completely useless(contributing nothing at all). Watch out anandtechers, there are a thousand guys on this forum who are sure they can tell you exactly what you need to do with your car when in fact they don't have a clue.

Quixfire, your advice was very helpful. I bought replacement clips last night, put them in this morning, and now my brakes are tighter than they ever have been. The reason for the sponginess was that the pads were not being held in place correctly without the clips. I got no air into the system, I do not, nor did not, need to bleed the system.
 
Originally posted by: Shaftatplanetquake
Most of the posts in this thread were either entirely off target (and usually the poster acted as if his words were the gospel truth)or completely useless(contributing nothing at all). Watch out anandtechers, there are a thousand guys on this forum who are sure they can tell you exactly what you need to do with your car when in fact they don't have a clue.
Click to expand...

It really took you this long to figure that out?

Edit: I don't think you have room to place blame considering that you're asking for car advice on a internet computer forum. You must expect these types of responses.
 
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