Front brake pads not fitting

Anybody have trouble with brake pads not fitting in the caliper? I just did my first brake job on my 2018 CM with 55k miles. I bought Akebono pads from Rock Auto because I’ve had good luck with them in the past, but they would not fit in the calipers. I cleaned up the calipers with a wire brush and a file, but still no go. I even tried to squeeze them in with a clamp, but then realized they’d never move if I was successful.

The factory pads were pretty stuck as well - only 1 of the 4 came out easily. The other 3 had to be knocked with a rubber mallet and wiggled free. I ended up having to grind some material off of the pads using a dremel, then they fit in without any trouble.

Anybody else experience this? I couldn’t find any posts or information online about fitment issues. I ultimately got the job done, but it was such a pain - most difficult brake job I’ve done, and I’ve been doing my own maintenance for over 20 years.

 

Disclaimer - I'm not a mechanic, so move forward at your own risk. EVERY pair of brake pads I've installed need to be finessed to fit, move correctly. A flap disk on a grinder works well, just a bit at a time until they move smooth. Not too sloppy, and make sure to grease when done. If it's an old caliper bracket, make sure to file the slide areas clean and grease b4 putting in the stainless pieces. We're both in the salt belt unfortunately.

 

I’ll say the opposite for me ( not in the rust belt ). I’ve never had to modify any pads to fit. But they are typically very snug. Probably do they don’t rattle.

 

"Very snug" is not necessarily a good thing. But rattling isn't either. Gotta find the happy medium in between.

 

Every other brake job I’ve done with the typical stainless clip-on guide brackets has been fine. You clean up the caliper a bit, pop the clips in, lube the pads and they go right in. This was very different. Not sure how much play there should be considering the pads stay aligned via the guide pins, but I can’t see how they would be able to move at all even if I was able to wedge them into place.

 

What shape does it say on the box?

 

I’ve done quite a few brake jobs on many Toyotas (including 2.5 gen Tundra, 200 LC) and other makes - never had to make any modifications to a new pad.

 

Exactly, the need to modify would make me stop and make sure everything else is in order. Are they even the right pads?

 

Put them back to back with the old pads to verify size and shape match prior to installing.

 

They are the right pads - right size and shape, matched what I took out. Keep in mind the ones I took out were pretty snug as well, and they were the original pads. When I looked at the pads from the side, it almost looked like a trapezoid shape instead of a rectangle - where there was slightly more material on the outer edge than there was on the inner. I didn't grind much out - I basically just made it rectangular by knocking the outside corner down and then they fit right in like I've seen in videos on YT. Perhaps just a manufacturing defect with these particular Akebono pads...

 

The Akebonos are already installed and working great. I only took maybe a 32nd of an inch top and bottom to get them to fit, just off the corners.

 

I've seen this with all brands. Its frustruting, but it happens sometimes.

Did you buy the ProACT or Performance?

 

I got the ProACT - ACT1303.

 

Please stop chiming in from southern states You don't know our struggles up here. As OP stated, just a touch off and they work well.

 

Seriously . I watched one YT vid where the guy says "and the pad guide pins should slide right out"

 

Some of us choose to live where vehicles last more than a decade.

 

For some reason us New Englanders just continue to enjoy living with unpredictable weather and ridiculous cost of living....

 

Add New Yorker to that list...

 

That actually made me laugh out loud!

 

I've had that problem with junk from auto zone, stopped buying them and bought hawk pads fit perfect, yes I live in the rust belt of pa, but still only had fitment problems with cheap pads

 

Interesting... I haven't used cheap pads in years. I think I put Hawks in my '06 Taco, been using Akebonos in my wife's Honda's for the past few years. This was my first time using Akebono on a Toyota truck. I ordered a set for the rear as well, we'll see how those go in. Those look to be the more traditional stainless clip guides instead of the guide pins.