Brake pad wear indicator position

[pmbrunelle]

Is there a "best practice" regarding the position of the wear indicators?

Should they be on the trailing or leading end of a brake pad? Does it make any difference?

I don't need an answer right away. I'm going to wait at least a week (plus some time baking in the oven) for my boy-racer red caliper paint to harden enough to handle without fear.

[ericjon262]

IIRC, they go on the leading edge, in this position they tend to be more "nails on chalkboard" but I don't remember for sure. I usually just put them back the way the old ones came out, which is hardly scientific, but I've never noticed a problem either.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Are those FIero calipers?

RockAuto carries PowerStop reman calipers that are available already powder coated Boy Racer Red for common apps (like 3rd & 4th Gen F-bodies)

I dunno about wear indicators. How often do you go through brake pads?

[pmbrunelle]

IIRC, they go on the leading edge, in this position they tend to be more "nails on chalkboard" but I don't remember for sure.

I took a pad in my hand, and I pushed/pulled the indicator on the disc (with the pad at an angle). I think the sound was a bit louder in the leading direction, but that was a really non-representative low (zero) budget test.

Are those FIero calipers?

Yes, they are stock 84-87 Fiero calipers. I bought them rebuilt, so they arrived sandblasted, pretty much ready to accept paint.

RockAuto carries PowerStop reman calipers that are available already powder coated Boy Racer Red for common apps (like 3rd & 4th Gen F-bodies)

I just checked Rockauto, and you're right! They could be a big time-saver (for the common apps, none available for Fiero).

I'd say an advantage of the DIY approach is that you can grind smooth any text or parting lines for a sleeker appearance. I did this to my Fiero calipers prior to paint. PowerStop didn't do this on the red F-body caliper I looked at.

I dunno about wear indicators. How often do you go through brake pads?

Technically, these brakes are a "temporary" stopgap measure to get the car driveable. I am planning do to a big-brake mod, so hopefully I can do that before wearing through this set of pads, rendering the wear indicators useless.

However, as we know, temporary can easily turn into tempo-permanent... so I might as well get these stock brakes sorted out for the long haul (including appearance, and wear indicators).

I'm also using these stock brakes to test the Dupli-Color caliper paint I used; if the paint lasts on the stock calipers, I'll know I can use the same paint with my eventual big brakes.

My question about the wear indicators is not so much a practical one, but it's more about knowing why I'm doing something, rather than choosing at random.

[The Dark Side of Will]

My question about the wear indicators is not so much a practical one, but it's more about knowing why I'm doing something, rather than choosing at random.

Sooo.... With the indicator on the trailing edge, the moment from friction with the rotor will tend to pull the indicator away from the rotor surface. With the indicator on the leading edge, the moment from friction with the rotor will tend to push the edge of the indicator into the brake rotor. Maybe the leading edge would result in louder sound because of the greater force applied?

The above advice has the potential to be worth exactly what you paid for it.

[pmbrunelle]

From the weak group consensus, I put the indicators on the leading side.

When I go to the auto show, at least they will be consistent... either uniformly correct, or uniformly wrong!