Please Help, Rear Brake Pad Replacement Difficulty

[05 ES 330]

Today I attempted to replace my rear brake pads on my '05 ES 300 ( 50,000 miles)

From my basic internet search on the How to, I went from there.

went relativley smoothly until I went to put the caliper back on with the new pads in place.

Here's the issue: I cannot figure out how to widen the gap enough between the two new pads so the caliper slides back onto the disc into place.

I have Completely compressed the piston with a C clamp, so I beleive thats all good to go.

I the issue seems to lye in the outside pad. How do I get that to clear the disc??

Hope this is clear.

Frustrated for such an easy reapir

Thanks,

David

[gbhrps]

05 ES330,

If you have completely compressed the rear caliper piston back, the caliper with the pads in place should slide over the rotor with minimal fuss. Double check that piston. Fully seated it's face should be in line with the caliper opening.

Since the pads are chamfered on each end, I wonder if you could force the loaded caliper back in place over the rotor. Place a piece of wood on the rear side of the caliper, and since the caliper swings into place on the stationary slide pin, strike the wood with a hammer to swing the caliper to seat it. Be firm but don't overdo it. You don't want to damage the pads or jam the caliper on the rotor and not be able to get it off.

Do you have shims on the pads? Take them off to seat the caliper, and then install them say 5 000 miles down the road?

If none of this does the job, sand some material from the pads' braking surface. I've done this before to remove small grooves from slightly used pads when I installed them on new rotors. Good Luck!

[lexis lexus]

it's likely one or both of the pads aren't seated right. you could have the pads on reversed, inside on the out. they look identical but may not be. Don't ask me how I know this.

LL