These frigg'n anti-rattle clips drive me nuts! I find it so hard to keep them and the inner pad in place when trying to put the caliper back on. The clip goes in the groove in the piston fine, but when I try putting the pad on, the clip keeps slipping out. It seems like a pretty mickey mouse way of holding the pad in place, and it's hard to see that it is really doing anything once the pad/caliper is installed. If the pad is trying to move it is hard to see that this thin wire is going to really hold it. The pad has the 2 pins sticking out the back that fit into the holes in the piston, so it really can't go anywhere once it is all together. If it is really to prevent rattling, I'm thinking of putting a thin smear of high-temperature RTV (the copper stuff) on the back of the inner pad, clamping it to the piston, and letting it cure. Then I can assemble the thing without fighting with the clips.

See anything wrong with this?

Rick

I hate pre-88 Fiero brakes with a passion, I really do.

That stupid wire clip isn't as bad as that round metal stamped clamp thingy. I used a medium thin coat of anti-squeel compound to help hold the pad against the piston with the help of that piece of crap clip, holding ok for now. I really didn't want to fight with it but I didn't want my pads dragging either.

Good luck with that, I really feel for you.

the pad does move around, especially when braking in reverse, so, not sure how well RTV is gonna work
yes, I agree the clips are a PITA

I didn't use those chintzy things on my 86 two years ago when I restored it. I have no complaints about rattles.

I bend the tabs in a little bit so that they hug/grab the outside edges of the pads better.
Two pairs of medium needle nose help to bend them properly and keep the tab angle at 90 degrees.
I have not had any issues with the pads coming off the rattle clips.

Kit

I used the clip on my 85, it was a #^$#$&@$%&^*(&*#$.

I think you'll be fine without it though, as long as you make sure the pins on the back of the pad properly engage the piston face.

Thank you guys. There seems to be 2 types of hardware, the ones made of wire and the ones made of thin sheet.

I think I'll leave them off and use some RTV and see how that goes.

Rick

Are you referring to the circular clip that is used to hold the inner pad to the caliper piston? If so, it needs to be there. The eBrake operates using a scew in mechanism. The circular clips purpose is to keep the piston from rotating so that the ebrake functions. They are easy to keep in place during a brake job but some slight bending of the retaining clips is necessary so that they snap over the slotted positions on the pad.

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" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

quote Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: Are you referring to the circular clip that is used to hold the inner pad to the caliper piston? If so, it needs to be there. The eBrake operates using a scew in mechanism. The circular clips purpose is to keep the piston from rotating so that the ebrake functions. They are easy to keep in place during a brake job but some slight bending of the retaining clips is necessary so that they snap over the slotted positions on the pad.

How could the piston possibly rotate? There are 2 pins sticking out of the inner pad backing plate, and these fit into 2 shallow holes/slots in the piston. The only way the piston could rotate is to take the pad with it, and the caliper housing prevents this from happening.

Maybe there are some pads that don't have the pins and they would need this retaining piece?

Rick

quote Originally posted by couldahadaV8: How could the piston possibly rotate? There are 2 pins sticking out of the inner pad backing plate, and these fit into 2 shallow holes/slots in the piston. The only way the piston could rotate is to take the pad with it, and the caliper housing prevents this from happening. Maybe there are some pads that don't have the pins and they would need this retaining piece? Rick

thru use of the handbrake
reading Dennis' post reminded me of how it works
its like a screw jack
and, to keep the rear brakes working properly, the hand brake needs to get used every so often

quote Originally posted by Pyrthian: thru use of the handbrake reading Dennis' post reminded me of how it works its like a screw jack and, to keep the rear brakes working properly, the hand brake needs to get used every so often

Yes, I understand all of that. I know how it all works. Explain to me how using the handbrake is going to rotate the piston (if I leave the clips out) when the pad is pinned in 2 locations to the end of the piston.

quote Originally posted by couldahadaV8: Yes, I understand all of that. I know how it all works. Explain to me how using the handbrake is going to rotate the piston (if I leave the clips out) when the pad is pinned in 2 locations to the end of the piston.

when you pull the hand brake, the pads are not engaged, so, there is no guarantee the 2 pins are going to be in position to hold the piston from rotating. tho, I agree that it is unlikely that the caliper/pads disengage from the rotor for a greater distance than the size of the pins.

quote Originally posted by Pyrthian: when you pull the hand brake, the pads are not engaged, so, there is no guarantee the 2 pins are going to be in position to hold the piston from rotating. tho, I agree that it is unlikely that the caliper/pads disengage from the rotor for a greater distance than the size of the pins.

In a properly adjusted system, the pads should be lightly dragging.

If there was THAT much clearance, the pedal would go straight to the floor!

The clip is an installation aid more than anything (at which it fails miserably).

The circular clip helps keep the two pins on the pad in the piston but mainly under two conditions. It is especially important that is it there when you install new pads ( where there is looseness) and make the intitial adjustment and when you haven't used the ebrake in a while. If the pads are tight then the clip may not be as important but I am not certain of this. I believe that it was put there for a reason so why try to "reinvent the wheel".

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" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

quote Originally posted by pmbrunelle: The clip is an installation aid more than anything (at which it fails miserably).

I agree. I haven't had clips on mine for two years. Your understanding of how the e-brake works is correct CouldahadaV8. The balance spring in the rear caliper maintains a slight pressure (approx 3 psi) to keep the pads against the rotor. There aren't any circumstances that the piston is retracted enough to unseat the nubs on the back of the pads from the piston recesses, allowing the piston to rotate (except upon reassembly after fully retracting the piston). And once the nubs are seated, the caliper prevents the pad from rotating, the pads prevent the piston from rotating, and pulling the hand brake causes the only reaction possible... moving the piston out the bore.

quote Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: why try to "reinvent the wheel".

I suppose because a wheel invented 25 years ago could use some "reinventing" today!

Recently I resorted to rubber bands to hold the inner caliper in place. It worked!

I dont use them.

I just got home from working on my (you guessed it) 86 Fiero brakes, I hate them worse now than ever, arrrrg.

I've been trying to track down some annoying rattles myself. I have been wondering if I might be missing my anti-rattle clips on my rear brake pads. The noises I hear seem too loud to be a brake pad moving around but what do I know.

As for proper application of the emergency brake, aren't we supposed to put pressure on the brake pedal before and during e-brake pulling? Wouldn't that prevent unnecessarry stress on the cables and also prevent the piston rotation problem since the pistons should be fully extended at that point because of foot pressure?

Jonathan

Never reuse the spring,, any one who has a pre 88 fiero should have 2 pad retaining clips

the best price on these are from the Fiero Store part # 56015..$2.95 ,,worth it!!

it is a severe pain in the anal tract to use the spring or the clip..
this pad retaining clip comes in brake parts kits that are much more expensive,, than just the clip from Fiero store,
you must be carefull to install with out damage *^%#@*#..

with spring type clip. Im surprised the inner pad does not come off..adding to the Fiero adventure, ha ha

quote Originally posted by pmbrunelle: I used the clip on my 85, it was a #^$#$&@$%&^*(&*#$. I think you'll be fine without it though, as long as you make sure the pins on the back of the pad properly engage the piston face.

What this mean in french ? Lol #^$#$&@$%&^*(&*#$.

calisse de criss de pièce de char américain de marde

You forgot "tabernac de putain"

quote Originally posted by pmbrunelle: calisse de criss de pièce de char américain de marde

Wow but the import have their kind of tricky **** too .

Thanks

I once left them off. After a couple of months of annoying rough road clinky rattle I bought new ones and put them on. Could only hear it with the windows down, but it sounded cheap and embarrassing. Of course anyone you were passing by could hear it also. Put the clips on and no more rattle.

[This message has been edited by 2farnorth (edited 12-13-2009).]