So I'm putting all new pads, rotors, calipers, and stainless lines on my 1985 IROC. Fronts posed no problems, rears were a bit of a pain getting apart, now I'm trying to put it back together and no matter how I try I can't get the calipers with pads back over the new rotor. It's my understanding the pads are same front and rear yet the pads I got have the tab for clipping into the piston on them. I snapped off the clip and still no joy. I've tried resetting the piston and it stays out maybe a quarter inch which is about the space I need. Any thoughts, are the pads wrong, rotors, or am I missing something on install?

 

How did the exercise of screwing the piston back together go?

 

Where did you buy your brake pads?? I ran into this with a set of pads I purchased from Autozone. I ended up, stopping by an O'reillys store. We measured the pads.. The autozone pads were definately thicker. I put the O'reillys pads on.. Problem fixed. I haven't been back to autozone since (except for my refund).

 

I have a ratchet tool for screwing the pistons back in . Don't understand what the little clip is for that clips over the piston.

 

I bought all the parts at my local auto parts store. They are usually quite reliable. Headed back there today with old pads and rotor plus new pads and see what they say.

 

May seem silly but make sure the pads are flat. I had a set of parts store pads that I could not get to go on a vehicle once and when I laid them on the garage floor I noticed that one of them was bowed.

 

Good idea

 

I assume these are rear discs? I have the Delco Moraine calipers and had the same problem. The caliper piston screws in. Now as I say that, I have heard some say it screws in easily. Mine did not and I was afraid of damaging my new calipers but finely decided to go for broke and got the channel locks out and made it happen. Then and only then did I gain clearance to get the calipers over the rotors. I thought my pads were too thick and ended buying two different versions before adjusting the caliper piston in.

The clip shown in the picture goes in the caliper piston groove the hook go over the metal backplate of the pads to hold it against the caliper piston.

I did all the same (new caliper, rotors and pads) and these brakes design suck. @Reddragon88gta put a Wilwood proportioning valve on and he stated it makes a huge difference. I am opting for a PBR conversion as mine sounded like a small dinosaur was being dragged down the road while stopping.

 

You have to screw the piston in and make sure the 'button' on the back of the pad falls into a groove/low spot in the piston. It has to be pretty far down, sometimes farther than you think is 'fully in' but the pad needs to have that button fall into a notch in the piston. Vitally important.

 

Excellent information, where in f is this kinda information on line!?
ill try and squeeze a bit more out of the ratchet tool.
Thank you!