Brake Pad Shims???

[Ross365]

It's not that often that brake pads need changing, and in my dotage, I had assumed the new pads (Mintex off eBay) would come with new shims, but no!
eBay offers all kinds of fixing clips to use with pads but few shims, except for universal "cut your own (from thin sheet metal) and glue them on. I always though that shims needed to be free to move a little to prevent squeal. I guess the old ones are just about re-usable.

Can anyone enlighten me as to whether or not any makes of pads come with new shims or are we expected to re-use them for ever? Maybe should have gone to Brake Parts?

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Do you mean shims like where they fit between carrier and pads where the pad slides, or shims between pad and piston?

 

[colnerov]

Hi, Mostly pads come with a plastic coating on the back which does the same job.

Colin

 

[Ross365]

between pad and piston. these Mintex have hard black paint on the back

 

[Moose McAlpine]

It varies between manufacturers, some use shims, some don't, some use a kind of textured material in its place.

Personally i wouldn't worry about it. If they intended you to use shims they'd include them.

 

[Ross365]

But I'm a really old man, and we always used shims in my day

 

[colnerov]

Ahh yes, nostalgia is not what it was.

 

[gordon stephenson]

Use the old ones? Or cut some from thin tin etc, smear of copper slip on the shims

 

[Munkul]

Done brakes with, brakes without, shims don't seem to make any difference. Biggest thing for me is coppaslip on the slides and a bit on the back (where the shim would go), keeps things quiet and moving nicely.

edit: a quick google suggests they are only there for helping with noise. Same as that thick material on the back of some pads.

Bottom line - if you needed them, they'd come with them.

 

[Morrisman]

Use the old ones? Or cut some from thin tin etc, smear of copper slip on the shims

I bought some stick on 'shim' that is designed to stop brakes squealing. I first used it on my old Morris hot rod with Sherpa brakes, they emitted an ear piercing shriek every time I stopped, and nothing would stop it. Until I discovered this magic film.

I also had to use it on my BM bike, as the front brakes had the awful squeal. It comes in self adhesive 4" squares and you cut to size. I can try and find the packet with the name on if anybody is in need.

 

[Ross365]

I'll try use the old ones, but at least one of them is mostly rust. As a backup, ordered some plastic shim from Brake Parts https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231589276066.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

edit: a quick google suggests they are only there for helping with noise. Same as that thick material on the back of some pads.

Yes, the shim is there to prevent rattle when they brakes aren't applied. Realistically, they don't really do anything and most brake systems don't use them.

 

[armalites]

This is often the difference when buying pads, some pads come with new bolts if needed, some come with new stainless clip/sliders but there is no guarantee they will be the same as the ones you already have some come with nothing at all. I've had Volvo main dealer pads where the stainless clips were different to the ones on my car.

I use this instead of copper slip these days, the beauty is that it works on slider pins too. Cheap as chip and goes a long way. The picture shows a blue tube but they've been yellow for a long time

Pagid CeraTec Brake Lube 75ml (GREASE) | Euro Car Parts

Pagid CeraTec Brake Lube 75ml (GREASE) at the lowest UK prices from Euro Car Parts UK’s No.1 for Car Accessories, Car Styling & Car Care. Buy today Online, In store or by Phone + Branches Nationwide – Next Day UK Free Delivery.

www.eurocarparts.com

 

[Ross365]

Yes, I've used that ceramic grease on sliders, but there's a large tin of copper slip on the shelf, so that will do the pads. Caring about how to do things properly....is a pain in the bum.

 

[tigdlo]

I fitted mintex pads with no shims and discs I bought off ebay last week, the old pads had shims, too crusty to remove so fitted without, no noise as yet, I don't grease the pads only where they fit the slider.

 

[zzr1200]

A thin smear of copperslip on the back of the pad and the pad location/slider areas, forget the shims not used these days.

 

[bricol]

Copper ease/grease will attack and swell/rot modern thing caliper dust seals . . . I never thought about it until someone told me .. . and I spotted it on one of my cars.

I used to design and we used to make the location jigs for BBA friction to stick the shims to the backs of pads - it decouples pad and piston so when the pad vibrates at at pretty high frequency as the disc tries to drag it round and it bounces back, it doesn't squeal.

If it doesn't come with them, either it has a shim stuck on, or its coated, or it doesn't need one. Jamming something in there that's not needed, isn't needed, and may well close up the required pad to disc gap required on initial assembly/use.