I have a 1970 98LS with front disc brakes and no matter how I position the vice grips or channel lock pliers to clinch the outboard pad ears it doesn't work. I tried the way the shop manual says but they won't bend and every time I test drive the car the outboard pads rattle. When I'm parked I can push them with a screwdriver through the wheel and they move. The car stops fine, but I'm pretty sure that's not right. Does anyone know an easier way?

Thanks,
Steve

 

Does it have anit-rattle clips? If not, try them and see if they help.

 

Can't remember how they are on a 70 full size, but back in the eighties we did lots of brake jobs on cars at a shop, we used to drive a old screwdriver between the inner ears ( or metal backing plate of pad) and rotor hat. This would hold the pad outward, giving slack between the caliper and the outer ear. While the screwdriver was wedged we would put a punch against the outer ear and hit punch with a hammer. This would "smash" the ears against the pad. Also as mentioned, make sure you have any brackets needed installed. Also there used to me a membrane type goop you would put on the back of pads between the caliper and pad. Yeah the early disc brakes would squeak alot if the pads weren't tight against the caliper.

 

Fun71, it has anti-rattle clips for the inboards to hold tight to the piston. the outboards use dog ears.

 

The OP is talking about these tabs that are supposed to be squeezed against the caliper at installation.

I've given up trying to squeeze those ears in place. I even have an 18" long set of Channellocks and they don't do it. Maybe I need more spinach.
In any case, I "adjust" the ears with hammer before I put the pads into the caliper. Yeah, this is a trial-and-error thing, but I bend them to the point that the pad has to be tapped into place, and that seems to solve the problem.

 

That has to be the worst CSM pic I've ever seen! It doesn't even make any sense to me. I attack them several ways, I've got a huge pair of Channelocks. I've also jammed a chisel or something under the pad and wacked them, I've done them from the side like Greg said, too. Two thing's for sure, you're not going to learn how to do it from that pic, and you're not going to do it with any kind of vice grips at all.

 

Yes that picture sucks! I'll have to take them back off this weekend and try the hammer/punch way. A buddy also said he bends his in a vice in small increments until they basically snap in place. Thanks for the help, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

That's essentially what I do, but with a hammer before I install them.

 

You can access the ears without disassembling the caliper. Is possible to bend the ears with it in place?

 

Yes it is, we did at least hundreds of them as described above, try it....