98 Cavalier RS, 2200 SFI, blah blah.
According to parts places, front brake pads should interchange between all models, engines, trim levels, and even years. The guy even check between different generations and said he got the same part number. I can't believe this is wrong or these companies would have corrected it by now, right?
Well, I can't find front brake pads that fit, and mine are worn so thin that they're risking catastrophic failure. They seem a little small, but the main problem is that the "bow" clamp on the outer pads is too small, so the dimples are too close together to fit the holes in the calipers.
It doesn't look like the calipers or brackets have been modified, and the few numbers that are on the calipers are short and turn up no results on part searches or Google.
What other calipers might be on this car? Are there any calipers that directly interchange? Thanks!
there are no other calipers for the J's, unless you go full aftermarket, which, i'm guessing you have stock?
not really sure how to help unless the pads were put in the wrong box or something, take them back to the place you got them and see if you get the same thing with another set. . ..
Yeah, they're crappy single piston cast iron calipers. I couldn't imagine they'd be aftermarket, or any reason someone would go through the trouble of swapping that crap ONTO a car, so the must be stock but... the pads don't clip on correctly!
They tried an identical box of pads, as well as 2 different sets of more expensive pads. All had the exact same size of bow spring on the outer pad. According to AutoZone and O'Reilly, all 80-something through 2002 Cavs use the same front brake pads regardless of anything.
Already returned them, but the pads are soooo thin that I'm expecting them to delaminate from the backing soon, or start grinding the edge into my rotors.
The "bow" doesnt go into the holes in the caliper.
Okay, well I guess I was misinformed on the terminology by the parts guy...? Sorry..
The problem is with the springy bar thing on the outboard pad, upon which there are dimpled ends that fit into holes in the caliper. Theis part is not long enough, so the dimples are not far enough from each other, and they don't reach to the holes in the caliper.
The problem isn't the pads, it's you. As soon as you said "holes", I already knew what the problem was. The bow DOES NOT clip into the holes. Now go find yourself a new set of pads
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- Sold my beloved J in April 2010 -
I included a pic so you could see that it doesnt go in the holes.
IIRC, (I currently don't have the stock Jbody brakes anymore), the back of the pads has two raised "dimples", that fit into those holes in the caliper.
So again, the back of the pad's dimples fits into those holes from the other side, not the spring clip/bow's dimples.
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- Sold my beloved J in April 2010 -
Correct, its more of a straight line than a dimple from what I recall (its been a while since I have done mine).
Ok, my fault then. I'm used to cars where that's exactly how it is... dimples into the holes to better secure the pad. Not just on Fieros either.
(Example, not mine) Makes me a bit uneasy, but ok. Thanks
If you look at the pad you will notice 2 raised portions on the pad itself that go into the holes in the caliper.
Again, as I and mitdr stated, the purpose for the holes is not the clip, it's the back of the pad's dimples. Nothing to be "uneasy" about. Look at your pads again and you'll see.
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- Sold my beloved J in April 2010 -
lol did you not look at which ones went on which side when you took the old ones off?
