denf221

I have a 72 cutlass supreme, I just swapped out my first frake caliper, everything went well. When I was done my buddy mentioned that the inside brake pad is supposed to have two clips,mine only has one, which is correct and does it matter?

MDchanic

Don't know about others, but I'd need a picture to be sure of what you mean.

In general, pads are retained by sitting in deep grooves in the calipers, and any clips that might be present serve mostly to hold the pad in position when you're not using the brakes, to prevent squeaks and rattles.

Also... Are you saying that you had the caliper off and didn't put on nice, new pads ?

- Eric

1968Cutlassfallbrook

If you're talking about a tab on the pads there is normally I believe one metal plate that has two tabs if that's what you're talking about. If there is only one tab it might be correct for that year of caliper did the one you take off look the same?

jerseyjoe

I believe this is what you are speaking of. One per side, goes on back of inner pad and locks into piston housing.

denf221

thanks

69442C

Just another comment: Front calipers should be replaced on both sides to avoid the possibility of the car pulling to one side or the other under braking, which can happen if only one is replaced. Same thing with front wheel cylinders if the car has drum brakes.

MDchanic

Aw, c'mon...

I'm willing to go along with changing the pads on both sides, even if they're not worn out, because the new ones may have different friction characteristics, and I'll entertain the idea of changing both rotors if you've got one bad one, because you'll be changing pads as well, and they'll need longer to bed in on the used rotor than in the new one, but both calipers?

If one is bad, and it either leaks or binds, then it should be changed. There should be no difference in operation or performance between a used but functional caliper and a new one.

Do you work for one of those tire companies that tells you you need to change all four tires when one goes bad ?

- Eric

69442C

I've personally experienced a problem related to only changing one caliper many years ago when I worked as a licensed mechanic in PA. We had a car with one leaky caliper and we replaced just that one. At first, things were fine but then the car came back with a customer complaint about it pulling. After looking it over, we replaced the other caliper and the problem was solved. In the end, the second caliper we changed was functional but it just didn't operate as smoothly as the new one. Hence the difference in braking. The owner of that shop, following that problem, always required front brake calipers or wheel cylinder be replaced in sets to avoid future customer complaints. And from what I saw, many shops also had the same practice. So that has stayed with me over the years.
Oh, and yes, I always buy 4 tires at a time. My dad would alwys do the 2 tire thing but I have always been one for getting 4. Besides, the car looks better with 4 new ones instead of 2 new and 2 old.

MDchanic

You worked for years replacing single calipers without a problem, then had ONE person come back with a specific, non-dangerous symptom, which was easily diagnosed and cured by changing the opposite caliper.

To me that would be an argument for changing only one, and changing the other only if the car behaved badly. Occasional unlikely events are no reason to make blanket policy decisions. If 2% of patients had a side effect with a certain medicine, and it could be alleviated by giving a second medicine, you wouldn't give the second medicine to everybody who got the first medicine - you'd advise them of the side effect and ask them to call for a second medicine if they experienced it. If you gave both, you'd be accused of driving up the cost of medical care and of subjecting people to unnecessary risks (the risk of side effects from the second medicine, similar to the risk of a mechanical problem with the caliper that had been good, but was changed anyway, which could be more serious than the original problem).

But I guess it's a good way for a shop owner to make more money...



- Eric

Rickman48

I also was taught both sides at a time - mostly for age of components, I thought.
Recently had a wheel cylinder go bad on my S-10 w/110k. After disassembly, found them both bad - did they both 'blow-out' at the same time?? They were original.
Replaced drums, shoes and hardware, both cylinders and brake lines [rusted + broke]
$150 and about 2 hrs - good to go!!
Calipers I'd also do in pairs - clean slides and hardware and possibly an oversized piston could make more trouble than it's worth - especially when lives are concerned!

oldsguybry

Mr. Money Bags

69442C

No, worked many years ago doing this work when I was in my late teens. Probably ran into this issue on my second caliper problem so after that it was in pairs only. Like was pointed out, when lives are at stake, when my driver's license was tied to my state inspection license and if one gets taken away they both do, then things were done in pairs from that point on. Heck, back then PA required cars to be inspected every 6 months. Total rip off! Business' have to deal with liability issues and this country is litigation happy and courts tend to be very generous. In business, doing only one caliper just invites problems and causes undu risk. When a problem was experienced, the owner was not willing to risk his business over another small amount of money. If someone can find a way to make nonsense litigation go away, life would be so much simpler. And other industires are not immune to this type of litigation pressure, especially the medical industry.

MDchanic

I always check the other side, and, yes, especially with drum slave cylinders, if one's leaking, the other usually looks like it's about to leak.
At $10.00 a cylinder, it's no big deal to change 'em, but, as you say, by the time it's out, you've usually got to go for some brake lines as well - last year I needed to change a couple of brake lines on my pickup - by the time I had the lines off, I had to change all three hoses, both rear cylinders, and one caliper.

I've changed calipers individually as needed for 30 years, and never had a problem or felt any unevenness in braking because of it. If the "good" caliper was good before the other side went bad, it should still be good afterward. If it was bad already, even though it showed no signs of being bad, then you should have figured it out and changed it already, right? And as far as questions about size differences between cylinders, how do you know that the cylinders of two rebuilt calipers bought at the same time are the same size? There is a tolerance range for cylinder sizes, and a rebuilt cylinder must be within this range or be rejected. Considering the liability climate in the US, I sincerely doubt the rebuilders are intentionally going out of spec. with their rebuilds.

- Eric