Write-Up: OEM Front Brakes Pad & Rotor Maintenance

Hey all. I'm doing my front brakes this weekend. I got the front rotors too.

The only part I am not 100% on is these clips for the brake pads. I understand that they help to hold the pads in.

Does anyone have a pic of these on our cars?

They keep tension on the pads, reduce noise & vibration. You can install the pads without the hardware, but the pads will rattle around, and may click switching forward to reverse. pad/rotor wear could also be affected.

What's the issue? They should just install between the pad edges and the caliper, and there's another one contacting the middle outside edge of the pad.

I haven't taken anything apart yet, I was just wondering how they looked on the caliper is all. I suppose I will know after I take apart the old hardware.

sniperdude wrote:

I haven't taken anything apart yet, I was just wondering how they looked on the caliper is all. I suppose I will know after I take apart the old hardware.

Like Aaron said there is nothing difficult about replacing them. They normally stay stuck on the caliper brackets so just R&R with new ones. With the 95's i think there are only clips on the outside of the pads, none on the center. but its been forever since ive seen a 95/96 caliper so dont quote me

Lol, yeah I def need to replace these:

My caliper slides were seized up pretty bad... is there a place to buy replacements?

man,you gotta hate that noice a?

It was actually dead quiet when stopping believe it or not. The pads had a lot of material left. The rotors are sad, though.

sniperdude wrote:

My caliper slides were seized up pretty bad... is there a place to buy replacements?

Here I go answering my own questions again, but for anyone else with a '95 - the front caliper sliders from Dorman are #HW5053.

The rears are Dorman #HW5056.

As far as the caliper loading, the larger pad is a no-brainer as far as the clips, it pops right in. The other pad was not really clipped in, per se. It had two metal clips on the back, but these were inserted into the caliper piston. Is this the correct way the smaller (inner) pad should be installed?



Was sitting right in that piston hole with the clips inserted there.

Yes the factory pads should have a metal clip on them that holds them to the piston on the 95's and 96's. Its kind of a press fit if i recall correctly, been a really long time since ive seen the stock brakes on a 95/96 riv.

Yeah, the previously installed one has one of the clips bent to fit into the bore, the new ones' clips are just as big as the old one so I'm assuming I'll have to replicate that bend.

Brake install was pretty easy. I had to bend the clips for the inner pad as suspected for a proper fit but it went well.

Here are a bunch of pics on the job, hopefully they help others out.

My passenger side front brakes were terrible. No meat left on the pads and the guide pins were totally seized up in the bore.

ohhh yeah....perfect

It would not be a waste of time to polish those guide pins as long as you don't polish off the plating.

Nice work, Mike. Well-documented!

Thanks, Aaron!

Nice! sux to have to get rid of them to make room for the F-body brake mod tho?!

About to survey and attempt rotors and pads today. I've read threads and studied. Here's to hoping it works out for me!

TOOLS NEEDED
7/16 socket
5/8 socket
brake compressor tool or c clamp
(opt) wire wheel, masking tape, and caliper paint

STEP1
jack car and remove wheel to be worked on
STEP 2
remove brake line using 7/16 socket ( not necessary if only doing pads)
STEP 3
remove the 2 caliper mounting bolts ( only need to do 1 if only doing pads) using 5/8 socket
STEP 4
compress piston using tool or c clamp
STEP 5
remove 2 caliper bracket bolts using 5/8 socket
STEP 6
remove rotor by pulling off
STEP 7
clean hub, caliper, and mount bracket with wire wheel and tape off all bolt holes
STEP 8
paint caliper and mounting bracket
STEP 9
reassembly is reverse of removal
STEP 10
bleed brakes and enjoy
pics below

step 1

step 2


step 3

step 4


step 5

step 6

step 7


step 8

step 9/10

misc pics from install










old on bottom

Thanks for the pics. I merged your thread with our existing brake write-up thread.

Just wondering - Did you clean the caliper before painting, or just paint over the old rust and grime?

i hit it with a wire wheel then wiped it down with wax and tar remover

hhmm,the Riv is all metric.jus sayin