Rear Brakes Dragging?

[cowboybinkz71]

OK here's the deal. I had to do a last minute rear brake job on my wife's '03 Chevy this weekend. The brakes were bad off and needed to be replaced pronto. So I take the stock pads and rotors off, go to the parts store and get a replacement set. I get home and everything seems to be going back together pretty easily. Now, here's the issue. The new pads came with some shims for each pad; not real thick, only a few MM each. I figured that since they were included I'd install them. I did that and managed to get the driver's side caliper back on easily enough. The passenger side caliper was pretty tough to compress and it barely fit over the pads. But I managed to get it done. On the ride home my wife said that it seemed like the truck was slower and when you go back to the back of the truck the wheels are hotter than the front and you can smell the brakes (both sides,) leading me to think that the new brakes are now dragging for some reason. I checked the brake fluid and it was filled to the top of the reservoir so I removed some fluid from there, however the dark color is not making me feel warm and fuzzy.

 

My question is, shoudl the new pads not have those shims on them? If that's not it, are there any other things to consider...maybe I need to pull the pads and grease the grooves they slide in? Is there a way to check the calipers to see if they are shot? Maybe it's time to change the brake fluid (truck has 125k on it.)

 

HELP!!

[redvett]

Without the caliper on the rotor bracket the pads must slide freely on the slide, if not the shims and i am guessing (no picture) on the slides should not be there. If the pad slides hard then file clearance to make them fit and move slowly.

 

OK here's the deal. I had to do a last minute rear brake job on my wife's '03 Chevy this weekend. The brakes were bad off and needed to be replaced pronto. So I take the stock pads and rotors off, go to the parts store and get a replacement set. I get home and everything seems to be going back together pretty easily. Now, here's the issue. The new pads came with some shims for each pad; not real thick, only a few MM each. I figured that since they were included I'd install them. I did that and managed to get the driver's side caliper back on easily enough. The passenger side caliper was pretty tough to compress and it barely fit over the pads. But I managed to get it done. On the ride home my wife said that it seemed like the truck was slower and when you go back to the back of the truck the wheels are hotter than the front and you can smell the brakes (both sides,) leading me to think that the new brakes are now dragging for some reason. I checked the brake fluid and it was filled to the top of the reservoir so I removed some fluid from there, however the dark color is not making me feel warm and fuzzy.

 

My question is, shoudl the new pads not have those shims on them? If that's not it, are there any other things to consider...maybe I need to pull the pads and grease the grooves they slide in? Is there a way to check the calipers to see if they are shot? Maybe it's time to change the brake fluid (truck has 125k on it.)

 

HELP!!