Whenever you're putting new pads on a floating caliper you need to take the stationary bracket or torque member, whatever you want to call it off, and wire brush both the friction surface (clips), and underneath that. I find it's easier to wire brush the clips while they're still on the bracket, the bracket holds them in for you to get in there well and clean them up good. Then pry those off with a screwdriver (or sometimes your fingers if they're not seized up) and clean well on the base metal until it's good and flat. Think of those metal clips as you would a main bearing for an engine, they provide a nice smooth surface for the pads to slide on, but if the base surface underneath it is full of rust, it's going to put some resistance on the pads to moving.
Floating calipers need to float very easily so they don't drag, and you get good pad/rotor wear, take the pins out along with the boots, take the boots off and inspect them. What type of lube was on there before, commonly i see the previous brake job had used a general grease, which then cakes up and causes them to seize or not return easily. Make sure the boots aren't torn, once water gets in there and the pins start to rust (usually they rust on the top ridge where the boot seals against, where there is less lubricant to protect them, and where it is most exposed to the elements) they seize up.
If you do find rust on any of the pins, wire brush or wire wheel it off so you have a nice clean sealing surface for the boot, then thoroughly coat the pin top to bottom in a thick long fiber grease recommended for brakes. There is some high performance ceramic brake lube i think it's called, it's purple and nice and thick.
If you put the caliper on, tighten everything back up and try to slide the caliper back and forth along the clips, it should slide along those clips with little force it won't be much movement, but if there is a good amount of play then you will be good to go. If you haven't cleaned them very well it's going to eat up the pads and rotors faster.
Floating calipers need to float very easily so they don't drag, and you get good pad/rotor wear, take the pins out along with the boots, take the boots off and inspect them. What type of lube was on there before, commonly i see the previous brake job had used a general grease, which then cakes up and causes them to seize or not return easily. Make sure the boots aren't torn, once water gets in there and the pins start to rust (usually they rust on the top ridge where the boot seals against, where there is less lubricant to protect them, and where it is most exposed to the elements) they seize up.
If you do find rust on any of the pins, wire brush or wire wheel it off so you have a nice clean sealing surface for the boot, then thoroughly coat the pin top to bottom in a thick long fiber grease recommended for brakes. There is some high performance ceramic brake lube i think it's called, it's purple and nice and thick.
If you put the caliper on, tighten everything back up and try to slide the caliper back and forth along the clips, it should slide along those clips with little force it won't be much movement, but if there is a good amount of play then you will be good to go. If you haven't cleaned them very well it's going to eat up the pads and rotors faster.
