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I've been using an old pad as a shim for a long time. I run it to the inside next to the pistons. There's no need to grind off all the material is it's straight -- which mine are as I swap them side-to-side and front-edge to back edge. These are XP-10s.
I've been using an old pad as a shim for a long time. I run it to the inside next to the pistons. There's no need to grind off all the material is it's straight -- which mine are as I swap them side-to-side and front-edge to back edge. These are XP-10s.
--Dan
Thanks Dan, that's what I figured. Inside best on slider calipers. Friggin pads are $$$, may as well use all of them. I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but pads on say, a Camry, not nearly so $$$. Corvette TAX sucks.
It's unclear to me how a flat shim will improve a long pedal?
My Wilwood SL6R calipers cause both radial and circumferential taper. The circumferential taper can be addressed by swapping side-to-side.
For the radial taper I took a bunch of backing plates to a local machine shop and had them make me some sets of tapered shims: 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 degrees. These compensate for the taper and they work OK. Once the 1.2 degree shims stop being effective it's time to reflatten the pads, which I do on a belt sander with a Zirconia belt.
It's unclear to me how a flat shim will improve a long pedal?
My Wilwood SL6R calipers cause both radial and circumferential taper. The circumferential taper can be addressed by swapping side-to-side.
For the radial taper I took a bunch of backing plates to a local machine shop and had them make me some sets of tapered shims: 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 degrees. These compensate for the taper and they work OK. Once the 1.2 degree shims stop being effective it's time to reflatten the pads, which I do on a belt sander with a Zirconia belt.
Wow, I'm surprised those sl6r still taper the pads, I had thought one of the benefits of BBK was not having to deal with pad taper any longer.
As for "long pedal" reduced knock back was what I had in mind. But it's really just my theory at this point as I have not tried the shims yet.
I'll make the other rear today & stick them in. I really don't have any taper issue on the rears anyway, just fronts. These are to push the piston back where it started and get some "heat insulation" between rotor & caliper & not spend $$$ for ti or such.
I didn't think shims helped with knockback. But they do help with keeping the pistons clean and from letting excess heat reach the pistons/fluid when the insulation from the pad material is at a minimum.
I didn't think shims helped with knockback. But they do help with keeping the pistons clean and from letting excess heat reach the pistons/fluid when the insulation from the pad material is at a minimum.
Wow, I'm surprised those sl6r still taper the pads, I had thought one of the benefits of BBK was not having to deal with pad taper any longer.
I dunno, other people don't seem to have this problem. It seems I'm special
It's an e36, not a vette.
I'm particularly sensitive to pad taper because I have no brake booster. The pedal ratio and piston sizing have been altered so I have 3x the mechanical gain of the stock system, so I have 3x less piston travel per pedal push hence I'm 3x more sensitive to taper issues.
That being said, the outboard pads do suffer pretty bad radial taper - the wear rate on the outer edge is 10% higher than the rate on the inner edge.
I once borrowed a friend's older SL6R calipers - no difference.
lots of people do this, more so with calipers that allow wider pads. not much room for it on the stock brakes. With a 20 or 25mm pad there is lots of opportunity to add more spacer to isolate heat.
I have heard it can help pedal feel, but imo its a heat issue.
lots of people do this, more so with calipers that allow wider pads. not much room for it on the stock brakes. With a 20 or 25mm pad there is lots of opportunity to add more spacer to isolate heat.
I have heard it can help pedal feel, but imo its a heat issue.
I think it does help with heat to the pistons but I added the shim to make changing between race and street pads easier when the street pads were fairly new and the race pads were worn. The difference in thickness always meant adding or removing brake fluid to make the change. Now I can run my race pads really thin for autocross without a mess as the shim takes up the difference in wear.
I dunno, other people don't seem to have this problem. It seems I'm special
It's an e36, not a vette.
I'm particularly sensitive to pad taper because I have no brake booster. The pedal ratio and piston sizing have been altered so I have 3x the mechanical gain of the stock system, so I have 3x less piston travel per pedal push hence I'm 3x more sensitive to taper issues.
That being said, the outboard pads do suffer pretty bad radial taper - the wear rate on the outer edge is 10% higher than the rate on the inner edge.
I once borrowed a friend's older SL6R calipers - no difference.
In that case, it's probably the hub/knuckle flexing.
I still have the original calipers on my C5Z (with DRM pistons, SKF Race hubs) and don't have any major issue with pad taper. But maybe I'm just slow.
05-23-2015, 12:07 AM
