The Lotus Grand Tourers

Have replaced the pads and disks all round, however hit a slight snag on the rear. The new pads appear to be too thick, ie they only just sit on the carrier shims and the piston in the caliper has to be fully retracted in order to clear them. End result is that they rub constantly and then don't work properly as the piston is too far back.

Have had to put the old pads back on. Any one else come accross this or recommend a different manufacturer.
(btw EBC standard pads)

Cheers

I think I've only put one set of rear pads on my Excel in 85k miles ... and they are still less than half worn!

Have you got a picture? I can't visualise what you mean.

Sorry, no picture because I was getting, er frustrated by this point.

How do I word this?

If you hold the pads against the disk and measure the combined thickness it is actually greater than the width of the carrier, so the metal seats are only half on the shims, the other half hanging over.
To close the caliper down it has to be retracted as far as it'll go and its still tight.
This means the piston is as far in as it can be pushed and still the pads can't retract off of the disk so they rub.

With it being an 83 car has it got toyota brakes maybe uv been given toyota pads, and ur exel is on earlier eclat rear brakes

Either that or the pads uv been sold are Copy *rap!!

Must admit though i also dont qiute understand i get what u say when total thickness is greater than carrier,but whats this about shims , do u mean anti sqeel shims?.If so try pads without them lots of modern pads allready have the shims built on the pad back have a look.Also are the disk the right thickness

Hi Colin

I understand what you are saying about the shims. Why not just rub down the friction faces an some coarse "wet & dry" on a flat surface (dust mask needed!) to get the extra bit of clearance. Or send them back!

Pete

interesting... hope i dont have the same problems when i fit my EBCs...

incidently when i fitted them to my Smart i had to file them down by a few mill to stop constant rubbing... and that was EBCs Green stuffs with EBCs own groved and spotted disk!