[csmaan12]

Changed my brake pads today all around. When I got to the front passenger wheel I noticed some things.

1. My sway bar link had popped out (who knows how long I've been driving like that). Can it be popped back in, or do I need new ones. Nothing appears to be broken, and everything is stiff. I tried compressing the strut/spring to align the link back up with the 4 notches but it just popped back out when I lowered the car.

2. Again, after the pad change in the front passenger side, after a good 30 min of trying to muscle in the new pads, more specifically the one with the metal on it that's on the back of the caliper, I tapped it in with a rubber mallet, put everything together, and now when I drive when I turn left, I can hear a "skree skree skree" sound. Its not loud, sounds like the little brackets that the pad goes on are the culprits, but they're snug so I have no idea how to go about fixing this, other than disassembling and reassembling again.


And for reference I have the StopTech Street Performance pads in there now. The old pad slid in without effort, the new one had to be muscled in there, I have a feeling its because the old pad on the edges, was even and smooth, and the new ones had some paint or some material that was bulgy. Meh that will sort itself out.

Any input on the 2 inquiries above though? I swear, all I've had is bad luck with this car, wheel lock key broke, sway bar link popping out, squeak after pad change, what's next? :smash:

 

[Aragrev7]

Problem with number two is described in your install. The pad should NOT be so hard to fit in. You will need to remove it and clean out the rust/debris etc that is caught in there and behind the metal shims that are designed to hold the pads in place. These are designed to allow the pad to move freely a small amount as the pad glides on the surface of the rotor. The sound you hear is the pad scraping as it is forced in and out of place while being pinched unduly by the caliper brackets.
Also, you are supposed to lube this area with anti-seize during install.


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[Phisigbrotha]

Not sure about the first problem.

But for number 2, one of the removable clips is rubbing. It might look like its snugly in there but it's not. Pull the pads off again and reseat the clips. This happened to me twice.

 

[Aragrev7]

I can't quite picture what your issue is with number one, but it should not be able to pop out!
The endlink is secured by a nut. Check the threads of the stud portion. It sounds like those have been destroyed. (Are you threading any nut on? - if not, then of course it will pop out).
Worst case, the sway bar has been off so long on one side that it is warped or something. You shouldn't have to compress the suspension to have the endlinks match up and fit.

Last question: How is your steering?! No front sway bar (or not installed properly) must be really weird.


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[csmaan12]

Problem with number two is described in your install. The pad should NOT be so hard to fit in. You will need to remove it and clean out the rust/debris etc that is caught in there and behind the metal shims that are designed to hold the pads in place. These are designed to allow the pad to move freely a small amount as the pad glides on the surface of the rotor. The sound you hear is the pad scraping as it is forced in and out of place while being pinched unduly by the caliper brackets.
Also, you are supposed to lube this area with anti-seize during install.


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Yeah I figured as much, I took those shims off and cleaned them with a metal brush to get all the crap off, then greased them (not a lot, just a little bit). Most of my brake cleaner went to cleaning the shims all around. Would it be a bad idea to file down the nubs on the pads where they get seated on the shims? Just to smooth them out not to reduced them in size.

Not sure about the first problem.

But for number 2, one of the removable clips is rubbing. It might look like its snugly in there but it's not. Pull the pads off again and reseat the clips. This happened to me twice.

Dammit, more work after work tomorrow.



At least now my lug nuts won't be impossible to take off from being way over torqued from the dealer, I bought a torque wrench and have them at 80 ft/lbs.

I can't quite picture what your issue is with number one, but it should not be able to pop out!
The endlink is secured by a nut. Check the threads of the stud portion. It sounds like those have been destroyed. (Are you threading any nut on? - if not, then of course it will pop out).
Worst case, the sway bar has been off so long on one side that it is warped or something. You shouldn't have to compress the suspension to have the endlinks match up and fit.

Last question: How is your steering?! No front sway bar (or not installed properly) must be really weird.


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Steering feels normal, car doesn't pull to any particular side, or maybe I think its normal because its been out this whole time since I bought the car. Let me see if I can find a picture to show you what I mean.

That's the sway bar link on the driver side, which is still on. The opposite side, the top of the link where you see the 4 nothces, those are exposed, and the actual top of the link itself is popped off and about an inch from the sway bar. The bolt is still on the sway bar, and the top of the link is just a cap with 4 holes on it.

I'll be able to get a better pic tomorrow when I take the brakes apart.

 

[asselin.jerome]

For the first problem, no you cannot pop it back in... it will pop out again. I cannot beleive you did not notice that, your car must be very sloppy when turning to the right...

I lost control of my Integra when one link it decided it was time in a high speed curve...Did not know much back then and did not do anything. Once I installed the Energy kit, I discovered and understood why...Car felt very sloppy but, only turning one side.

For the second problem, it happens sometime that the aftermarket pads are slightly thicker. It happened to me with my Hawks; not the first set but, the second. I ran a week or two without the shims (They wear pretty fast..). I reinstalled them when I played around the brakes again.

EDIT: The Integra '91 does not have link kits like the TSX, thay attach directly on the lower control arm thus why sloppy turning on one side. In the case of the TSX, must be on both sides...

 

[Aragrev7]

Oh man! Your endlink is busted! Lol. The top part is not supposed to come off like that!
As for steering, straight line won't be effected really, it'll be in the turns as mentioned. Fix it!


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[csmaan12]

Oh man! Your endlink is busted! Lol. The top part is not supposed to come off like that!
As for steering, straight line won't be effected really, it'll be in the turns as mentioned. Fix it!


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Oh I plan on fixing it, just gonna buy two new links. I just hope I don't have to change the entire sway bar because it looks like its a nightmare. For the front anyways.

 

[Phisigbrotha]

Do NOT file anything down on the pads. Compare the old and new pad. Is it the same size (the metal part not the meat of the pad obviously)? If yes, do not alter the pad in anyway. If no, return pads and get the correct ones.

 

[csmaan12]

Do NOT file anything down on the pads. Compare the old and new pad. Is it the same size (the metal part not the meat of the pad obviously)? If yes, do not alter the pad in anyway. If no, return pads and get the correct ones.

They are identical in size, like I said the only thing that's "off" is the the edges that sit in the caliper bracket have some extra "paint" or whatever on em that isn't perfectly flat. That's why I'm thinking that, that problem will solve itself after a couple of days. Still gonna take em off tomorrow and see if there's anything out of the ordinary in there that I haven't noticed.

 

[gideon's_test]

It is lilely that the screech noise you are hearing is the brake pad retention clip. When you tapped the pad in place, you may have shifted the clip out of place and it has come into contact with the rotor. You'll need to remove the pad, reposition the clip and carefully reinstall the brake pad.

 

[csmaan12]

Ok new sway bar link is in, and holy crap, I was driving a boat compared to now.

Brake noise scratchy sounds went away as I described, maybe 2 days after I made this post sounds were completely gone.

But now a new problem has risen.

My rear passenger side pads, aren't making full contact with the rotor. I took it all apart again (and keep in mind they slid in without any struggle, fit like a glove), checked to see if I did something wrong, couldn't find anything. I did take out the caliper pins (again), and greased them once more, but lightly, but I'm not sure that did anything.

All other corners are braking fine, just the rear, right side rotor, isn't contacting the pads on the inner most part, nearest to the hub. I re installed everything, greased again, and it seems to have made a difference, but that ring around the rotor is still there.

Also may be worth mentioning that when I took out the rear pads when I was changing them, the passenger side rear, were less worn, but evenly, than the driver side rear?

Any thoughts? I'm baffled.

 

[Aragrev7]

Glad about the sway bar being back to good. Your steering must feel awesome now!

Check the two little pistons on that caliper. Move the little rubber accordion sleeves to see if they are in good shape.
Also, make sure that you are lining up the small little dimple on the pad is lined up properly with the cross groove in the large main piston.
To me sounds like you have an issue with the smaller ones, or the pad is uneven. Are they new?



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[csmaan12]

Glad about the sway bar being back to good. Your steering must feel awesome now!

Check the two little pistons on that caliper. Move the little rubber accordion sleeves to see if they are in good shape.
Also, make sure that you are lining up the small little dimple on the pad is lined up properly with the cross groove in the large main piston.
To me sounds like you have an issue with the smaller ones, or the pad is uneven. Are they new?



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Yes, my god the steering is awesome now, before I could move the steering wheel left and right a little bit with no response, now just a twitch will yield a response from the car.

Hahah it was the dimple, I checked this morning and aligned it how it should. I was searching around late last night and it seemed to appear for a lot of people being warned to "make sure you align the dimples on the pad with the cross on the piston".

The pads are new, and they got 3-4 days worth of wear on their edges, you think I should get new rear pads? Or just let them even out, since I maybe put no more than 150 miles on them since I changed them.