jacobdjenn

Hello all. Long time reader, first time poster.

I put new rotors and pads on the rear of out 2004 RX330. We were getting an intermittent squeal, especially while turning left.

As I was getting everything torn down, I noticed the old rotor doesn't clear the caliper. This is where the intermittent squeal was coming from.

I figured the new rotor would take care of this, but it was worse. The added thickness of the new rotor made it rub even more. So, I purchased a new caliper, got everything bolted up and still rubbing.

It was as if the bottom mount for the caliper mounting bracket was bent out of alignment and was causing the caliper to align crooked on the rotor.

There was a LOT of clearance between the rotor and the caliper on the inside of the rotor, so my solution was to insert two washers on the caliper mounting bracket bolts to shift the whole caliper toward the outside of the rotor.

Long post, but I only have one question: Does anyone see any problems with what I've done here?

Jacob

thomas1

I am wondering if you have a bent hub assembly? The actual piece that the caliper is mounted to.

jacobdjenn

I thought that or, originally, a warped rotor.

I can't say for sure if the hub assembly is bent or not. The car drives very smoothly with no shake or wobble. So, I'm thinking nothing is off as far as bent hubs or bad wheel bearings.

Everything is good now with the caliper alignment. I'm just wondering if anyone thinks the washers are going to cause any problems for me. It seems like a hack to me, which I'm fine with for some car fixes. Not so much on brakes.

One thing I forgot to mention, part of the reason I needed a new caliper is I could not get the bottom caliper pin out. Come to find out, whoever did the brakes last switched the pins and put the top pin in the bottom hole. It was WAY over tightened. I don't know if this could have pulled the bottom mounting point out of alignment.

jacobdjenn

After shearing a caliper pin and purchasing a new caliper, I got the rear passenger side finished up today.

My wife came home this morning and said the driver side, which I thought I finished yesterday, was burning and scraping. Turned out, the parking brake shoe was dragging on the inside of the rotor and the backing plate was rubbing.

So, while I had it taken apart again, I snapped a few photos of the washers I installed, along with the clearances between my rotor and caliper. Without washer installed, this is the clearance between the rotor and caliper. As you can see, there is none. It's completely dragging on the outside of the rotor at the top of the caliper.

These are the washers I installed. They are between the mounting point on the hub (or whatever) and the caliper bracket.
Now I have good clearance all around. The washers kicked the caliper out just enough to clear the rotor all around.
So, back to my original question. Does anyone see any problem with how I've done this?

RedGemini

Using the washers on the rear should be ok, as they shouldn't generate that much heat. I'd be nervous to try that on the front, though.