tbird caliper install - cant seat caliper in bracket

[67EB_in_619]

OK - So I dont consider myself a stupid person, but this thing is defeating me. I am new to the ford brake setup as I am swapping my knuckles and everything outboard from there. So this might just be noob question.

So I have everything mounted up and am trying to install the tbird calipers (got them loaded from BC with lines) and I cannot get the damn things to set in there. The tabs on the pads interfere with a little tab on the inside of the caliper bracket and it seems like I have about a 1/4" clearance problem. I am sure I could just grind on things and get them to fit in the normal bolt-on-bronco-upgrade-fashion, but I only want to do that if it is the right thing to do.

I can fit the caliper without pads just fine, but obviously that would hinder my stopping power! ;D

WTF am I doing wrong?

 

[golfobx]

Can you c clamp the piston in so you gain more clearance?

 

[67EB_in_619]

there isnt a clearance problem between the pads and rotors, it is between the pads and the caliper bracket.

 

[72Sport]

Not sure if this is your problem but I remember something about leaving the wheel bearings loose until you get the caliper in place. Things are a bit tight with all new stuff.

 

[DJs74]

OK - So I dont consider myself a stupid person, but this thing is defeating me. I am new to the ford brake setup as I am swapping my knuckles and everything outboard from there. So this might just be noob question.

So I have everything mounted up and am trying to install the tbird calipers (got them loaded from BC with lines) and I cannot get the damn things to set in there. The tabs on the pads interfere with a little tab on the inside of the caliper bracket and it seems like I have about a 1/4" clearance problem. I am sure I could just grind on things and get them to fit in the normal bolt-on-bronco-upgrade-fashion, but I only want to do that if it is the right thing to do.

I can fit the caliper without pads just fine, but obviously that would hinder my stopping power! ;D

WTF am I doing wrong?

Maybe they sent you the wrong brake pads? If the caliper fits w/o the pads and you don't have any caliper clearance issues, I would suspect the pads themselves. Some brake pad designs require you to slide them into the bracket and some just sit down into the bracket and rest on the lip - is it possible you have the slide in type? If yes, you install the caliper down over the pads after they are slid in from the sides.

Can you post a couple of photos

DJs74

 

[Toddml]

I did the same swap and the calipers with new pads were tight. They fit, you just have to find the angle. It has been a few years since I did mine, but I think I slid the top of the caliper on the rotor and then the bottom.

 

[67EB_in_619]

DJ had the right idea... The inside pad slides into the caliper BRACKET first, then the caliper with the outside pad clipped in slides in. I ended up having to clean up a casting seam on the caliper to get it to slide in once it had a pad in it to keep it centered, but that was minor.

Thanks all! I was wondering how that inside pad kept from moving around!!

 

[DJs74]

Good deal, glad it worked out.

DJs74