My '89 factory service manual calls for front brake pads to be installed with the brake pad wear indicators mounted to the inboard or piston facing side of each caliper.

This would appear to be correct as the pads that have the wear indicators on them also have an anti noise/rattle stick on material applied to them where they would be contacting the caliper pistons.

My question is should the pads with the wear indicators be placed on the outboard side as per the OE manufacturer (PBR Austrailia) recommendation? When I removed my pads to replace them with Hawk HPS pads I saw that the outboard side pads on both sides were worn down significantly more than the inboard (piston side) pads, and they had been installed with the wear indicators placed in the outboard postion as recommended by PBR, but not what the FSM calls for??

The dilemma is that if I install the pads as called for in the FSM the wear indicators would be on the inboard pads that also have the added anti rattle/squeel material contacting the caliper pistons as it appears they should be, but the pads appear to wear more on the outboard side where the wear indicators would actually let me known when my pads are shot.......... if I install them as PBR suggests with the wear indicators on the outboard side the anti rattle/squeel material would not be on the caliper pistons but on the outer caliper block.

So what do you all recommend? Wear indicators on the outboard side where it appears the pads are eaten up more quickly and the wear indicators could actually warn me when I about to start eating my rotors, (The PBR recommended way)

OR

The wear indicators on the inboard side with the anti rattle/squeel pad material contacting the caliper pistons? (The FSM recommended way)

 

I think it matters not. When you do your periodic inspection of the pads, the wear indicators are superfluous.

 

True, but shouldn't the anti rattle/squeel material be placed on the inboard side contacting the caliper pistons?

 

That's odd. Usually the driven pad wears more, not the fixed pad. That's why you put the wear indicator inboard.

 

That's been my experience too. I install the pads with the wear indicators on the inside position as per the FSM also.

 

Yes I agree, that is my dilemma. The inboard caliper piston driven pads should wear more but on my fronts I'm seeing the opposite!

Could I have a problem with my calipers? Why would PBR the OE caliper manufacturer install the pads the opposite way??

 

Does the 89 have floating calipers? If so the main bracket should move freely on the guide pins. Guide pins get greased.

 

Yes the caliper floats, but there is only one pin that holds everything together. It's on the bottom of the caliper, and it doesn't get greased. The caliper mounting bracket is hard mounted to the spindle.

 

Anyone else have an opinion, or have anything more to add??