brake pad shims

[sammcgee]

brake pad shims
Is it the end of the world if I don't get these in?

thanks.
sam

[mechanicaldj]

usally not necessary unless you have a squealing problem in the first place

i use a synthetic high temp disc brake grease on the backing plates of the pads

[skeeters_keeper]

nah, don't need 'em. i don't have them on my aspire breaks, don't think they were on my stiva breaks. never had a problem with squealing, and didn't use any type of grease.

i guess if they start to squeal you'd want to do something but don't fix what aint broke...

[sammcgee]

thanks guys.......I thought I could probably get by without them.
I took my back brakes apart recently(88 Festiva).....absolutely inoperable.
Everything wore out and grimey....but surprisingly the pistons were good. The parking brake mechanism, which should pivot on a pin was totally froze up. Headed to the bone yard tomorrow for better parts and treasures!

[mechanicaldj]

with some good penatrating oil , a vise and a hammer , you can free up your rear parking brake lever. then take to the wire wheel clean it up and grease it good

[mattswabb]

I'll 2nd that. I've saved a few of them that way and they worked fine after.

[sammcgee]

yes.......all works great now. Soaked in diesel and greased good. Have about 8 Festivas to pick from at my local junkyard. I'll soon have a 93' Festiva to play with. Traded my old LeSabre for it. I want to make a little Festiva truck out of it. Paint it up like zebra stripes. Call it the Safaristiva. :wink:

[CharlieZ]

My shims were missing. Searching before posting answered my question. Now what about those small rectangle metal gizmos called anti-squeak clips. All but one fell to the floor. The shop manual shows them but isn't specific on exact location. I have an idea how they go on, but why. Any problem leaving them out?

[MONSOON]

Sorry it had to be done.

[JPT]

Sorry it had to be done.

^That's funny!

Seriously though, I'd like to know too.

[WmWatt]

The pins on the emergency brake lever are called "clevis" pins. They should be greased and checked, oh say once a year, especially if you don't use the parking break which I never did. I had to take them off and put them in a vice and work on them with penetranting oil and a hammer but they are fine now. I replaced the rusted clevis pins with bolts through which I drilled holes for cotter pins. That was years ago. Sill work fine.