extra clip from brake pad DIY
 

so my friends and I replaced my font brake pads today and we had an extra part left over :eek: .

It's a little clip thing and it was only on the passenger side front brake pad assembly but not on the driver's side. It was on the inside side of the caliper but we couldn't figure out where it was suppossed to go. The new OEM pads came with one of the same clips (for both sides).

Brakes work fine without it but I was wondering if anyone knew what this clip was for. don't want any surprises as I might be tracking the car soon.


I tried to search but DIY thread doesn't mention. Also brake assembly picture doesn't show the clip in question.


any help much appreciated.


here is a pic. The clip is about 1 cm long.

http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/36955clip.jpg

There are clips that fit at the top and bottom of both the inner and outer pads where they slip into the calipers. So you have 4 clips per caliper--two top, two bottom. As I recall in the OEM assembly, one of the clips on the passenger side, front and rear wheels, has an extra tab that I believe is intended to rub against the rotor when the pads wear to a certain thickness. That generates an alerting noise indicating that it is time to replace the pads.

Not sure why you would have one of these clips left over, though, unless you left one of them off. :confused:

Thanks. I think we left off the extra tab that is intended rub on the rotor.

We used 2 clips for each brake pad (total of 8 clips) and just had the one piece left over.

I'll post a pic later.

Actually, my memory didn't serve me well. There are only 2 clips per caliper on the rear wheels. See the attachment.

Here is the photo of the clip. It is about 1cm long.

Is this somthing that clips on the pad to make noise when the pad is low?

Is this a critical part?

I also posted this is the main forum to get more people to look at it.


http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/36955clip.jpg

In the interest of RX-8 community spirit I just removed both right-side wheels on my car and checked for something that looks like your clip. [Actually it was mainly to satisfy my own curiosity. :)]. Results: There ain't no such thing on the pads, calipers or anything in between. Closest thing to it was a little noise-making alarm twanger that is riveted to the inner pad on the rear wheel, and it doesn't really look much like your clip. If this is not a US-spec car, maybe the brake components are different from mine?

Also, could it be that this clip is from some other assembly and it got mixed in with the RX-8 pieces during your project? I'm outta ideas so maybe someone else can identify the part.

Thanks for going to extra distance to check it out.

I opened up my box of rear parts and didn't find such a thing but I did find the riveted metal thing you mentioned.

It's definitely part of the brake assembly some how because there was one in the box of the new front pads.

In the other post that I made, someone said it was something that attached to the shims that back the pads in an effort to reduce brake squeal or rattle.

At any rate, it doesn't appear too important.

It'sa shim to prevent brake squeal.

It's not a Mazda part. You can't order it in a shim kit or new brake pad kit. I tried.

I even tried with experts in the after market. Looks similiar to a Toyota part.
But we couldn't find it.

Please keep the extra pc. You might need it some day

Just did my FRONT brakes, which I've reported in the other DIY brake thread. I have the exact same clip in the exact same location as Rotary Brother: only on the passenger side and only on the inside pad (on the bottom of the pad).

I do not believe it's to prevent squeal because why would there be one only on the passenger side? I believe it's the wear indicator that causes squeal as the pad wears down too low.

Extra Clip
 

The extra clip is a brake wear indicator.

After you install it, you can see that the clip has a piece of metal that sticks out and contacts the caliper when the pads get low.

^^your first post here is replying to a 6 year old thread?

At least he searched.

just to repeat the answer that was already given

Hey, Thanks for the warm welcome.

If you look at the last post...it says "I believe"
My addition was to let people know that once you install the extra clip it and see the length of the tab, it corresponds to the height of the brake pad when it is in time of replacement. Therefor it will clear up any doubt to future people who may look at this 6 year old thread.
In that regard: although YOUR thread is 6 years old, I just had the problem yesterday and Googled it and investigated the first response. I did find it helpful and yesterday I joined RX8 Club and was trying to add my 2 cents to help the community. Sorry if it bothered you.

This is a wide community of people made up of individuals of various personalities. As you have just discovered, some of those lack tolerance of certain things posted here. Especially when the chance that you will have to meet another is a remote possibility. You happened to just ran into one.

I just replaced my front pads and noticed the same clip only on the inside passenger side (also had two that came in OEM box with the pads - did not re-install). Thanks for clearing this up, I can sleep tonight knowing this is not crucial.