So, after reading about how easy it was to change brake pads on this site, I decided I'd do my next set myself.

It came upon my wife's 03 CR-v, I went down to Advance and bought a new set of pads, and got the brake grease, etc, and everything went pretty easily. Like easier than an oil change easy.

Here's my question: I took the old pads off, and my new set of Wearever's had different looking shims included with them. The new shims both looked like the shim on the outside pad on the old set. The inside pad on the old set was smaller, and had pattern on the shim where the cylinder piston hit it. After some thought, I greased the old shim up and stuck it on the new pad, so I had two new pads with a new shim on the outside and an old shim on the inside. So, was that the right move or the wrong move? Did I screw something up?

9/17/2011 10:59:07 PM

Does it make noise when you hit the brakes? If not, you're fine.

don't be surprised that something isn't quite right when you buy aftermarket parts from a regular parts store. If you go to the dealer there is a much better chance of them giving you exactly what you already had on there.

9/17/2011 11:37:32 PM

Should be fine. Just IMHO, wearever silvers and sometimes golds can eventually crack and slightly squeak during braking. Seeing as how its an 03 CRV I wouldn't really worry about it but its just an FYI for the future; pony up a little more for the good stuff or get the OEM parts. Good brakes can save your life.

9/18/2011 1:50:18 AM

ive been using aftermarket replacement brakes for as long as i can remember. both high performance applications and street driving.

i see no difference. parts stores are just as good as OEM IMO

9/18/2011 11:16:09 AM

(but maybe not so much on a CR-V, haha)

[Edited on September 18, 2011 at 12:19 PM. Reason : i'd prob put crappy wearevers on a CR-V and not worry about it.]

9/18/2011 12:15:58 PM

carbotech... sounds like new diet fad... or maybe an exercise program competing with p90x.

9/19/2011 12:30:38 AM

9/19/2011 1:02:52 AM

EBC makes some darn good brake components.

9/19/2011 1:05:05 AM

Thanks for all the info.

9/19/2011 1:04:31 PM

I <3 my XP10s

9/19/2011 1:39:10 PM

Quote :

"Does it make noise when you hit the brakes? If not, you're fine."

Hmmm...I put on new rotors and pads ~2 months ago. Greased up the back of the pad proper.

At low speeds, when applying the brakes, I hear high pitched squealing. Has bothered me since, but I did everything right, and stopping power is fine so I've continued on my way.

Theory?

9/21/2011 11:30:33 AM

^ how expensive were the pads that you got? I had some crappy ones that were like $20-$25 and they squealed like crazy when lightly braking but yea like you said the stopping power was fine just real annoying. I switched to some more expensive ones 2 weeks ago and they were ceramic and that got rid of the squeal.

I just got these front pads from O'Reillys http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/WAG1/QC619.oap?year=2001&make=Lexus&model=IS300&vi=1363520&ck=Search_C0068_1363520_2259&pt=C0068&ppt=C0009

They got a rebate for them for $15 off front or back or $30 for both
http://www.tqfallblitzrebate.com/

[Edited on September 21, 2011 at 1:13 PM. Reason : .]

9/21/2011 12:56:32 PM

These:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Gold-Brake-Pads-Front/2005-Lexus-IS300/_/N-jmxglZ8ko29?counter=1&filterByKeyWord=brake+pads&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=887719_0_6961_

9/21/2011 3:59:06 PM

Could be the semi metallic material? I tried ignoring the squeal from the previous pads i put on for about a year but finally couldnt take it anymore especially when the windows were rolled down. I think they were also the organic ones but were like around $20 so I probably should have known they weren't going to be good. Once I switched to the ceramic ones from the links from my post I didn't hear a thing out of them. Prob worth trying to switch them out if the squeal is really annoying you

[Edited on September 21, 2011 at 7:59 PM. Reason : .]

9/21/2011 7:55:04 PM

did you do anything to the rotor? like replace or resurface?

9/23/2011 8:24:18 AM

^What Kevin asked.

9/23/2011 8:29:37 AM

I changed my pads and rotors today, and got down the road, when I started hearing metal on metal. The fucking firewall screws had backed out and were rubbing against the new thicker rotors...

9/23/2011 7:22:59 PM

^^^ Yes, replaced.

9/27/2011 10:45:38 AM