Brake Pad Shims: Pad shims on everyday passenger cars help reduce noise by providing a barrier between the brake pad and the caliper. The shim prevents small vibrations that build up to annoying noises when the brakes are applied.

Do I need shims on my brake pads?

Not all brake pads come with shims as they aren’t required and function perfectly without needing them. … This doesn’t require the use of disc brake lube, but you can still apply a thin coating on top of the brake backing plate. Lastly, there are also titanium brake pad shims which act as an improved thermal barrier.

Do new brake pads come with shims?

A lot of newer brake pads come with the shims already attached to them. So, if you are trying to replace your brake parts, there are brake kits available which contain both the pads and shims together.

What is a rotor shim?

Description. These disc brake shims install between the rotor and centerlock disc brake hub allowing you to fine-tune the alignment of the braking surface. Shims are commonly used when swapping between different brands of wheelsets, so that you don’t have to re-align the caliper on the frame.

What does a shim look like?

A shim is a thin and often tapered or wedged piece of material, used to fill small gaps or spaces between objects. Shims are typically used in order to support, adjust for better fit, or provide a level surface. Shims may also be used as spacers to fill gaps between parts subject to wear.

What happens if you don't grease brakes?

This lack of lubrication causes a few things to happen. First, because the brakes don’t contact the rotor properly, your brake pads can wear unevenly. Second, the slide pins may stick, causing the brake pad to continually contact the rotor, resulting in a buildup of heat, which wears your brake pads down faster.

What do shims do?

Plain and simple, a shim is a tapered wedge used for making slight adjustments to home elements, such as door frames and windows, to make them plumb and level. The most common shims are wood (often cut from cedar or pine) and serve well for almost any interior adjustment.

What are the metal clips that come with brake pads?

Abutment clips

reside on the caliper bracket lands on most vehicles. They create a uniform surface for the pads to make contact with. Some abutment clips include fingers that hold the pad in place.

What happens if you don't put lube on brake pads?

Of course, you never want to put lubricants of any kind on the friction surface of the brakes. … An ordinary lubricant would actually melt in these conditions, and could then run or splatter onto other parts of the brake system, including the rotor or pads. Slippery brake rotors won’t work.

What are wheel alignment shims?

Alignment shims are used to correct misaligned components when it’s not necessary or even recommended to replace these components. If your alignment cannot be brought back to spec with alignment shims, you may need to replace other components before your vehicle drives straight and true.

Article first time published on

Is brake grease the same as regular grease?

Brake lubricants are specially-formulated products that are not the same as ordinary chassis grease or even multi-purpose grease. The kind of grease that’s used to lube tie rod ends, ball joints and U-joints is not the same as the lubricants that are required for brake system components.

How do you break off shims?

Cut Excess Shim If using wood shims, lightly score the wood with your utility knife as close as possible to the workpiece. Bend the shim at the scored line to snap it off. Alternatively, you can cut off the shim with a multi-tool. If using plastic shims, bend back the shim and snap it off.

What's the difference between shim and wedge?

is that shim is a wedge or shim can be (informal|often|derogatory) a person characterised by both male and female traits, or by ambiguous male-female traits, also called a he-she; transsexual while wedge is one of the simple machines; a piece of material, such as metal or wood, thick at one edge and tapered to a thin …

What are shim made out of?

The materials that are commonly used for precision and slotted shims are aluminium, rust-resistant stainless steel, cold-rolled steel strip, brass, and laminated plastic (PET). The materials are divided into two categories: those for solid sheet and those for laminates.

Are shims and spacers the same thing?

A shim is a component used to fill up an unwanted gap. Shims may be flat or tapered, and are often specified as “select to fit” parts, rather than as a part with a predefined thickness. A spacer or standoff is a fixed size component designed to separate two other parts by a known amount.

Should I grease brake shims?

You are correct, don’t try to separate the shims on the new pads. They don’t need any grease on them. The grease is for the pad hears. You can also use it on the piston rubber covers when you compress them back ( if needed).

Where does the grease go that comes with brake pads?

Brake Lube ensures noise-free braking and proper system operation. A thin layer of brake lubricant is that is needed. Apply lubricant on caliper pins, clips, edges of the brake pad mounting tabs, and back side of the brake pads if needed. *Do not apply lube on the friction side of the brake pads.

Should I grease caliper pins?

Greasing Brake Caliper Guide Pins You’re going to need some high-temperature grease. … Coat them in a layer of the high temperature grease. From there, you can re-insert the pins back into the caliper housing. They should slide right in if you used enough grease.

Should I use copper grease on brake pads?

Copper Grease is an excellent conductor of heat and when used on the backside of a brake pad can significantly increase heat transfer. … A good quality non-mineral grease should be used on moving parts only and never applied to the back face of a Brake Pad or mounting face of a Brake Disc.

Why does my car squeak when I brake?

If the brake pad friction surface wears down enough, you’ll eventually hear a squealing noise because the pads (or what’s left of them) and rotor are making metal-on-metal contact. Another cause of noise may be warped rotors, meaning the pads cannot evenly make contact with the rotor surface during braking.

How important are metal clips on brake pads?

The clips are designed to push the pad away from the rotor. This can keep the brakes cooler, reduce noise and extend the life of the pad. The clips fit between the pads and rotor and push the pads away from the rotor. These clips have more spring, while not preventing the movement of the caliper’s piston.

What does an anti-rattle clip do?

What is an anti-rattle clip? surface for the brake pad to move against. The clips may also have spring tension arms to keep constant pressure against the brake pad backing plate.

Can you drive without brake clips?

Driving without the anti-rattle clip is not dangerous. You may experience strange noises. Prolonged driving without the clip may also cause weird pad wear.

Do you have to bleed brakes after changing pads?

YES, the brakes should always be “bled” whenever pads and/or discs are changed. In this instance “bleeding” means the removal from the system of some old brake fluid.

What are wheel spacers?

Wheel spacers are used when the offset of the wheel is not ideal for the end package that you want. … They bolt onto the studs of an axle in place of the wheel, and have studs (themselves) for the wheels to attach to. Wheel spacers can be used to change wheel bolt patterns and to widen the offset of the wheel.

Can you spray WD 40 on brakes?

WD40 should not be put on your brakes since it can reduce friction where it is needed and even break down and damage brake components. While spraying WD40 may temporarily reduce a brake squeal or squeak, it could also cause the brakes not to function correctly when you need them most.

Can I use Vaseline instead of brake grease?

Disc Brake Bearing Grease has very high temp specification over other greases. On the farm we used to use Vaseline (which is a petro Jelly base) for everything but then the equipment wasn’t high speed which creates heat. … Brake Grease is cheap, you should always have a 14 ounz can handy.

Is Lithium grease OK for brakes?

White lithium is a low-temperature grease that can be used to lubricate drum brake hardware and backing plates, but lacks the heat-resistance for front disc brake applications. So it’s not the best choice for general brake work.