I searched the forum and and was unable to find anyone who has experienced the issue I have following a front par replacement I recently completed.

Let me state up front that I have done dozens of replacements to various vehicles over the years and haven't come across disk brakes set up exactly like those on the V36. Specifically, I've never done a replacement involving pad return springs. Of course, that was such a simple different, I didn't stop working.

I completed the pad replacement and reinstalled the springs as they appeared to be originally installed. When I drove off to bed the brakes, these was a loud squeal the occurred whenever moving regardless of if the brakes were pressed.

I disassembled the calipers and rechecked my work. Everything seemed right. I did note that the pad return springs looked awfully close to contacting the outside diameter of the rotors because they were being pressed in between the caliper and the rotor. I decided to drive on it a while and re-inspect.

The squeal continued, so I disassembled the brakes yesterday to inspect. As I suspected, wear was apparent on the pad return springs where they had been in contact with the rotors. i readjusted the springs and bent them away from the rotors and re-installed. Same squeal.

I looked for the rest of the weekend for either a DIY for this specific model to look for any differences in my reassembly and a correct assembly or a least an actual photo of the assembly with the caliper puller back, but I've had no luck. All I have found were a couple of diagrams of the assembly that did not provide enough information to help.

Although I've never done a brake job with pad return springs, logically, it seems that they would be simply used to relieve a bit of force on the rotors when the brakes are not engaged...probably to cut down on heat when driving hard. The truth is though, it is much more common to find them not used. I'm leaning towards simply removing them if no one can come up with a solution here.

Anyone have any ideas? Heck, maybe I've had a major brain-fart and have them installed completely different.

Thanks.

 

I haven't heard of this issue before. Did you reinstall the existing pad hardware, or was it all replaced along with the pads? (wondering if the hardware is wrong) OR, is there any possibility that you swapped right side for left, or inside for outside?

 

The only thing I swapped was the pads themselves and the shims. The return springs were the same ones.

 

Nissan used a similar spring on the 4th generation Maxima. Nissan has discontinued the availability of the springs. Tells me they are not necessarily required, just included to eliminate some noise or vibration concerns. Anyway, removed them and no more noise. The brakes feel the same...just no noise. I will come back and update this thread at a later date to either confirm that the removal did not effect the performance or warn others off removal if they experience a similar issue.

 

I just did my front pads without issue. I did find it odd they used the return springs (which are weak) on the front, but not that back - that, and pretty uneven pad wear.