Question for the grease monkeys

[Lee]

Are brake pad shims needed?

Just changed the pads on my grand vitara, gave it a quick run to bed them in and you can cook an egg an the off side front wheel

The pad were also very tight to fit, had to use a rubber mallet to tease the calliper on

Gave it a boot full on a local bypass and a snail on Viagra would pick up speed faster  

[Deleted]

Did you compress the pistons before putting the new pads back in as you should be able to just drop the new pads in once they are fully retracted. If your not able to get the pistons to fully retract it can be caused by a ring of corrosion thats built up.

[striker42]

Sounds like you could have a sticking brake caliper Lee

[Lee]

We had the pistons flat as you could get them
Used the old pad over the piston, then eased it back with a clamp

The shims (I think that's what they are call, the bit that clips on the back of the pad) don't add much extra width, but without them the piston goes on easier

None of the four pads we took off, had them

[Deleted]

I would say a sticking calliper is your problem mate i normally pump the piston until it is all but out and then use very fine wet n dry
to clean up any crap on them, then loads of penetrating oil and push them back in and then pump back out a few times.
Until they are nice and free and smooth moving then dry/clean all the oil off and a smear of copper slip on the back of the new pads.

[Deleted]

They would be the anti squeal shims that were left off lee

[striker42]

If you only have excessive heat on one hub then I don't think that shims are the problem or all hubs you changed would be hotter than normal. It's more likely to be a caliper/piston problem on the affected hub.

[Deleted]

May 28, 2016 16:51:33 GMT striker42 said:

If you only have excessive heat on one hub then I don't think that shims are the problem or all hubs you changed would be hotter than normal. It's more likely to be a caliper/piston problem on the affected hub.

This ^^^^^^^

[Lee]

Near side wheel was warm as well
Off side was cooking

If we can get away with taking the anti squeal shims off, it adds extra room there

Without them in place, the callipers go back on easy
With them and it a rubber mallet to get the callipers into place

If all the shims do is stop a squeal, I can put them back in 1000 miles

[thebishman]

Is there just one wheel thats very hot?

Are the pads genuine?

Did both sides require knocking in or just one side?

[Lee]

Non genuine Suzuki parts

Both sides needed the gentle persuasion treatment

[thebishman]

Sounds like you had a build up of some rust on the carrier or the pistons wernt fully "home"

Actually...did the brake disc have a "lip" on the outter edge?

[striker42]

It sounds like your lack of acceleration and excessive heat is due to the off side brake dragging. If both were dragging then both hubs would be cooking. As it is only one then I would tend to look first at what @broadblaster suggested and clean up the piston and caliper. If that is the problem then cleaning and lubricating it might solve the problem indefinitely. But in my experience it doesn't normally take long for the same problem to rear it's ugly head.

[Deleted]

I personally would listen to thebishman lee as he pushes spanners for a living i'm only going on what i do myself mate.

[Deleted]

You could try leaving the shims out, just slap a load of copper slip on the back of the pads.