 
     |
| 88 Brake Caliper "Factory Style" Friction Fit Brake Pad Pins Are TRASH. (Page 1/1) |
|
Shho13
|
DEC 06, 10:50 PM
|
|
Rant time.
I put some new pads and rotors on my GT this weekend and installed them with brand new stock style friction fit "spring clip pins" that go from the caliper bridge through the pads and springs, and hammered into the caliper assembly (FWIW, these new pins came with the brake pads). Long story short, today on a 150 mile road trip today the brakes started making loud groaning noises intermittantly on my way home, which made me kinda nervous (I kinda figured it was the pads wearing into the slotted rotors I installed since I got agressive Yellowstuff pads)...
At the very last stop sign before my house I hear a loud BANG as my steering wheel jolted to the right... As I pull away, my brakes start making this god awful noise, so I limp the car into my driveway. I get out to inspect what the hell happened and I find the bottom pin in the passenger side caliper almost completely slipped out of the front of the caliper and got bent by slipping through a spoke on the rim. This could have ended REALLY badly if this happened when coming to a stop from highway speeds, which I did not even a minute before...
I really hope this incident didn't ruin my brand new pads and rotors.
The last time I did brakes, I used the pin type that use a cotter pin at the back side to secure them. I am going to order two sets of those again ASAP to swap the factory style ones out. I will NEVER use the spring style friction pressed pins again. Be warned if you decide to use these style pins on your brake pad installations!
TRASH.
I don't know why I didn't just buy and install these again to install with my new pads to begin with... Had this style installed for the last seven years with no issues...
------------------
"Discord"
Red 1988 GT under restoration!
Let's Go Mets!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)[This message has been edited by Shho13 (edited 12-06-2020).]
|
|
|
css9450
|
DEC 07, 12:58 PM
|
|
The new pins were that loose that they worked their way out of the caliper?
Were there new springs installed also (I am asking this because in Picture 1, there are no springs)?
|
|
|
|
Shho13
|
DEC 08, 04:48 AM
|
|
| quote | Originally posted by css9450:
The new pins were that loose that they worked their way out of the caliper?
Were there new springs installed also (I am asking this because in Picture 1, there are no springs)? |
|
Yeah, that's right... The pins wound up being very loose in the caliper; I dissassembled the caliper after work to inspect and found that the top pin that was still "installed" was pretty loose in the back side of the caliper and came out with minimal effort (literallty light taps) with a hammer and punch.
I re-used my old springs and used the new pins supplied with the pads. I guess the issue was that pins they gave me were too small?
------------------
"Discord"
Red 1988 GT under restoration!
Let's Go Mets!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)[This message has been edited by Shho13 (edited 12-08-2020).]
|
|
|
|
cvxjet
|
DEC 08, 12:01 PM
|
|
I have actually heard complaints about the "Safety pin" style ones.....I have both on my Fiero and have done 2 previous brake pad changes and never had an issue with the original style pins....Maybe the holes in your calipers are worn out.....
From an engineering point of view, I prefer the newer "Safety pin" style but am leery of any changes from what GM did...A lot of people make fun of GM, but some of the greatest engineering has come out of GM (But of course they have made a few mis-Stakes)
I have to say that was a scary situation you had.....Hope it didn't damage a wheel....
|
|
|
|
oneinch
|
DEC 08, 06:34 PM
|
|
|
I wound up reusing my friction pins. My fingers are double crossed now. I bought Centric pins with the cotter pins. I didn't use them because they didn't seem long enough. I couldn't get the cotter pins in. I may try again. I feel your concern. When I learned of the friction fit I was taken aback. I've only known this part to be a mechanical fastener (a screw or bolt & nut). ------------------
Stanton
'88 Formula, red on gray
|
|
|
|
css9450
|
DEC 09, 12:58 PM
|
|
|
The factory pins are a roll pin, so they're designed to be tight in the holes in the caliper. If they're too loose, I wonder if the two ends could be expanded, like with a punch or something, to make them tighter?
|
|
|
|
Shho13
|
DEC 10, 04:54 AM
|
|
| quote | Originally posted by oneinch:
I wound up reusing my friction pins. My fingers are double crossed now. I bought Centric pins with the cotter pins. I didn't use them because they didn't seem long enough. I couldn't get the cotter pins in. I may try again. I feel your concern. When I learned of the friction fit I was taken aback. I've only known this part to be a mechanical fastener (a screw or bolt & nut).
|
|
I got the new hardware today, and I am running into the same problem... frustratedly, I immediately ran to a local machine shop to try and have them drill new holes into the pins so they will work. I will call Centric and Rock Auto and tell them about the part being made incorrectly. Come to think of it, I had the same exact issue with this hardware years ago; back when I first did the brakes on this car...
| quote | Originally posted by css9450:
The factory pins are a roll pin, so they're designed to be tight in the holes in the caliper. If they're too loose, I wonder if the two ends could be expanded, like with a punch or something, to make them tighter? |
|
Reluctantly, this may be the only option left if the machine shop can't drill the new holes in the new Centric pins, since they said if they go to drill 'em and find out it's hardened steel and it tears through a bunch of 1/16 drill bits (that's how big the cotter pins are that slide through it are) they will call me and see how I wanted to proceed.
What a nightmare. So far a simple brake job has turned into the worst I've been screwed yet by the "1988 tax" on my Fiero at this point. One unobtainable bad rear caliper wound up turning into both of the rears being faulty, the driver side front caliper wound up having the slider pins seized solid in it so I wound up destroying the pins and boots while hammering them out from the caliper, then the issue with the factory style hardware sliding out on the road and locking up my wheel, and now the Centric hardware probably having to get modified at a machine shop to work since the cotter pin holes are drilled off by millimeters...
It's also December 10th, It's cold, it snowed yesterday, and don't have the luxury of working in the shelter of a garage, but on jackstands sitting on plywood in my back-yard. I'm ranting again, oops!
Ah the joys of working on cars lol... It's fun, but sometimes it's just *too much fun*! 😉------------------
"Discord"
Red 1988 GT under restoration!
Let's Go Mets!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
|
|
|
|
olejoedad
|
DEC 10, 07:49 AM
|
|
| quote | Originally posted by css9450:
The factory pins are a roll pin, so they're designed to be tight in the holes in the caliper. If they're too loose, I wonder if the two ends could be expanded, like with a punch or something, to make them tighter? |
|
If the pin worked out, the mechanic didn't check the fit of the pin.
The pin must be driven into place and fit securely.
(Securely as in it must be driven out)
Resizing is a simple matter of expanding the end of the pin with a tapered punch.
The GM design is just fine.
This is a clear case of error on the part of the installer.[This message has been edited by olejoedad (edited 12-10-2020).]
|
|
|
|
Shho13
|
DEC 10, 10:55 AM
|
|
| quote | Originally posted by olejoedad:
If the pin worked out, the mechanic didn't check the fit of the pin.
The pin must be driven into place and fit securely.
(Securely as in it must be driven out)
Resizing is a simple matter of expanding the end of the pin with a tapered punch.
The GM design is just fine.
This is a clear case of error on the part of the installer.
|
|
I vehemently disagree. This malfunction was in no way an error with my installation. The pin snugly seated in both the caliper body hole and the bridge, and required a hammer and punch to install, Joe.
I firmly believe that if anything it was an issue with either the one new pin that was supplied with the pads, or the caliper pin hole being worn out. Upon re-removal, the other three remaining, still secured "new" pins in both the front calipers had to be removed in the conventional (and IMO very annoying) way with a correctly sized punch and hammer from behind, obviously not as stubborn now as if they were installed years ago, however. Like what was mentioned before; these calipers are 33 years old and after countless brake jobs, and the pins being removed and installed over and over again it's very possible that the pin holes are worn on the aluminum body of the caliper and vibrations caused the friction fit of the factory style pins to slip out. In fact, looking at the hole, I could see it does appear kinda beat up. With that in mind and with the age of these components in our cars, in my opinion the solid pin Centric design is far more secure; the pin installs and removes far easier than the factory style and is retained with friction as well as a cotter pin (if only the cotter pin holes on these new pins where drilled in the correct place lol)
------------------
"Discord"
Red 1988 GT under restoration!
Let's Go Mets!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)[This message has been edited by Shho13 (edited 12-10-2020).]
|
|
|
|
Shho13
|
DEC 16, 10:09 AM
|
|
Just to wrap up the fiasco, the Centric hardware is installed after going to the machine shop to be modified. They charged 20$ to re-drill new holes to make them work. The holes are 1/16 to fit the included retainer pins
Before
After
 ------------------
"Discord"
Red 1988 GT under restoration!
Let's Go Mets!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
|
|
|
|