When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
It looks like an anti-rattle clip popped out on one of my front brakes. I luckily spotted the piece on my driveway. It looks like if I take the wheel off I could slide it right back in. Do any of you DIYers know if that's possible, or do you have to take the pads and/or caliper off?
LOL. You will have to take the wheel and brake caliper off to the properly replace the clip. Heck, I am not sure that the clips can just fall out since the brake calipers hold them in place . Most likely the clip was not installed when the pads were installed,
Brake pads may be worn to nothing and rattling around which caused the clip to fall out.
Do you mean the wear sensor piece that clips to the edge of the brake pad? I can see how those could get loose and fall out. You do not need them.
If it fell out because you have little or no brake pad left, then you need new pads. You need to pull a wheel and inspect your brake pads.
Do you mean the metal clip that slides into the brake caliper onto which the brake pads are inserted? I cannot see how that could fall out.
You should post a photo of the part.
Here is a photo of some Akebono brake pad clips. The 8 clips are the ones that hold the pads to the caliper. The 4small ones are the wear indicator clips that attach to the top or bottom of a brake pad and squeel when the pads wear down. The 4 springs are the pad separators that keep the pads away from the rotors when not braking.
Thanks for the responses. I believe it is one of the clips as seen on the video posted above starting at 16:15. I think the clip did pop out and I was very lucky to find it on my driveway. I had a professional shop change pads and rotors all the way around about 3 months and 700 miles ago. Here are the pics;
Two pics of the clip, one of the same pad with the clip still in place on top, and a pic of the spot where this one popped out. I tried sliding it back in but I don't think it'll work without taking it all apart. Thanks
You cannot slide it back in, and it is damaged. The caliper has to be unbolted, the pad removed and either a new clip or this one used, after they straighten out the tab that is bent out of position.
You can see in the first and final photos that the retaining ear the slips over the side of the caliper was bent flat against the bottom of the clip and that is why it was able to slide out.
Take it back to the shop and complain. The shop should replace it with a new one or bend that tab back, hope it does not break and reinstall it on your brake caliper. It probably got bent during installation by someone not paying attention or in a hurry. It would have reduced space for the pads and made it more difficult to slip them into the caliper.
Your brake pad may even be damaged from sliding on the rough caliper surface.
You were lucky to find it. You could have gone for years not knowing it was missing while driving with a front pad that would not slide properly.
You cannot slide it back in, and it is damaged. The caliper has to be unbolted, the pad removed and either a new tab or this one used, after they straighten out the tab that is bent out of position.
You can see in the first and final photos that the retaining ear the slips over the side of the caliper was bent flat against the bottom of the clip and that is why it was able to slide out.
Take it back to the shop and complain. The shop should replace it with a new one or bend that tab back, hope it does not break and reinstall it on your brake caliper. It probably got bent during installation by someone not paying attention or in a hurry. It would have reduced space for the pads and made it more difficult to slip them into the caliper.
Your brake pad may even be damaged from sliding on the rough caliper surface.
You were lucky to find it. You could have gone for years not knowing it was missing while driving with a front pad that would not slide properly.
Thanks for the responses. I believe it is one of the clips as seen on the video posted above starting at 16:15. I think the clip did pop out and I was very lucky to find it on my driveway. I had a professional shop change pads and rotors all the way around about 3 months and 700 miles ago. Here are the pics;
Two pics of the clip, one of the same pad with the clip still in place on top, and a pic of the spot where this one popped out. I tried sliding it back in but I don't think it'll work without taking it all apart. Thanks
Do not try to slide that clip back in. It came out because one of the support tabs was bent/folded in during installation it seems which allowed the clip to slide out. Even if you can force it back in; the clip will just slide back out unless you bend back the folded in tab and properly reinstall it by removing the brake pad so that both tabs are touching either side of the brake pad in the caliper.