Hey guys, a quick few questions over here. Did a brake job by myself 5 months ago. Today while driving over some rough snow heard a noise coming from the front of the car. Took of front left wheel to see what is going on and saw these “covers” that supposed to sit on the outside of a brake pad, but they were dislodged and inner side of it(circled in the picture) was rubbing on the brake rotor. The same thing is happening on the right side. So here is the question - are these important? What is there function? Is it ok if I will take them off?(they wont fit back on anyway tbh😓)
I’ve never used those outer pieces; they’ve come off nearly every car I’ve owned. Just take them off, apply a smear of high-temp grease on the back of the pad where it contacts the caliper or piston, reassemble, and you’ll be good to go.
I’d suggest not using those shields. They came undone once when I did a friend’s brakes, and we freaked out because his car was making a sound when it moved. Like u/Spirited_Movie5238 said, just throw some grease on the backside, and you’re good to go.
I think thats what i am going to do, thank you!
Those are thin shims designed to help absorb frequencies (like brake squeak/squeal), but they work best when combined with a little brake grease (on the shim, not the friction material). The shims have small bent tabs that hold them to the pad, but sometimes they’re not bent tightly enough and can fall off. I usually check if they’re loose before installing the pads, and if needed, I bend the tabs a little more and slip them back on. It won’t affect braking performance, though you might hear more chirps and squeaks.
Bring it to my garage
Take it to your mechanic