Can anyone id this disc brake setup on the front of my 65? I'm guessing its Granada as it all looks like bolt on Ford stuff, but ive never seen one so dont know. I have a couple of issues with it, and need to know what the setup is before I can order parts, your help gentlemen, will be appreciated. Thanks
What is exactly is the problem? I have seen them before but it eludes me to what they are for. However with that in mind I found this: https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/ford-disc-brake-calipers/ hope it helps It does look like light duty ford truck front discs do not trust what I said because i'm not sure
My pads are rattling like crazy, really bugs me, I guess the PO left something off, a clip or something, that stops the pads rattling, and yep,they look like the ones, thanks.
See those pads on the top ends of outer brake pads , fingers, or whatever you want to call them ? I carefully hammer them into a position that makes the brake pad fit snugly onto the caliper. Sometimes I get the fit so tight that I have to squeeze the pad onto the caliper with a "C" clamp. That design caliper uses a clip to hold the inner brake pad in position by hooking inside the caliper piston. Take care of those two things and your rattles will be gone.
I use big channel lock pliers to bend those tabs after I've installed and locked down the calipers, but realistically speaking, disc brake pads are supposed to have movement. Regardless of what people want, disc brakes have a natural resonance and can make a bit of noise, but are supposed to have a smidge of movement, for the brakes to last a long time.
Seems like they still have enough movement even with the outer pad solidly in the caliper. Runout of the disc and a smidgin of play in the wheel bearings pushes the caliper piston back in the bore a few thousands of an inch while the caliper body with the fixed pad will slide in the caliper bracket an equal amount. Haven't seen any strange or fast wear so far.
make sure to lube the slides ( the area where the caliper and bracket sits and slide against each other ) there is stuff called disc brake quiet (not sure of the real name) that is applied to the pad backs to help with dampening the resonance.
That's the problem--you do not want to dampen that resonance. And the difference here, is getting 50+ thousand miles out of a new set of pads vs. 20-30 thousand. Factory pads and rotors can last upwards of 70 thousand with good braking habits.
I do lube the sliding contact areas but I don't use that rubbery goo on the back of the pads. I think Andy is correct in not trying to stifle the resonance (vibration ) because it helps the pads retract off the rotor surface promoting longer life. I don't consider my driving style conservative by any means but my pads last so long that I have to pull the wheels every few years to check how much pad lining material is left. 80 thousand miles is common for me but then the pads get replaced anyway because it might be two more years before I look at them again. I also refuse to run calipers that have phenolic pistons (plastic) and only run metal pistons in the calipers. The plastic pistons are junk. Opening a can of worms, as soon as I get a new vehicle I get rid of the alcohol based brake fluid and use DOT 5 silicone based fluid. I get tremendously longer life out of the rubber parts, hoses, wheel cylinders, master cylinders, etc than with regular fluid. I attribute some of the longer pad life to the silicone fluid. It seems to keep the square cut "O" ring seal on the caliper piston in better shape allowing the piston to back off more with less pad drag. Seriously Andy, am I doing anything detrimental in my method ? I value your observations.
I bow to your methods. If I could make money off doing what you do on your brakes, for their cars, I'd be a rich man. Since you have such a deep background in racing, what you do on your daily drivers is the epitome of "Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday."
Hey Andy, a while back I think Test Dummy asked who Tim Wellborn was while we were talking about Ford GT's. I think the video I stuck on the last post of "Three Deuces "might explain a bit of that and give you some eye candy to look over. Enjoy !
Thanks for the input guys. I appreciate that the pads have to be able to move, but my truck sounds like stuff's falling off when I drive it! I've found anti rattle springs on Rock auto, but as I dont actually have any, I've no idea where they fit.. Theres obviously the sliders, then the long U/C clip, (dont know where that goes) and the two anti rattle springs..
The elongated 'U'-shaped springs go over the locking piece, then that assembly is inserted between the caliper and knuckle. I apply anti-seize on the two grooves in the caliper's sides to help reduce sticking (as lithium grease is somewhat water-soluble), and a tiny for of anti-seize on the threads of the holding screw to prevent rusting together.
The spindle/brake set up probably 70s Granada, a lot of Mustangs got that modification. The early Mustang dual piston caliper were always sticking and where Falcons and Mustangs suspensions are the same that's what it probably is. The long flat spring in the rock auto picture goes on the spindle bracket with the bolt on wedge where the bottom of the caliper slides on it to keep it snug not to rattle but loose enough to slide. I don't see it in your picture so that is probably where a lot of the noise is coming from.
I thought the pads were in constant (light) contact with the disc, and the disc can't move as it is sandwiched between the hub and the wheel. Joseph
No, the pads wouldn't last if they stayed touching the rotors. The rotors aren't perfectly straight where the pads contact, that wiggle bumps the pads away from the rotors ever so slightly. There will be a bit of wiggle in the wheel bearings also that adds to the amount of runout in the rotor. Combine that wiggle and you have enough rotor movement to push the pads away a few thousandths of an inch to let the friction material of the pads have breathing room. All disc brakes are designed to push the pads away from the rotors ever so slightly. The pads are really close to the rotors but not actually touching them until you put your foot on the brake pedal. You will feel them dragging on the rotor if you stop the car using the brakes then jack up the wheel to turn it. If you coast to a stop not using the brakes then jack up the car and spin the wheel it should spin freely because the wiggle built in pushed the pads away from the rotors.
Another tidbit: If your brake pedal has excessive travel when 1st braking take a look at the wheel bearings if they are too loose the disc wobble pushes the pads too far out and cause the pedal to travel more to push the pads in to contact rotor. This is more common with sealed bearings on later model vehicles.
