Some people are running pads with no springs, I feel better about things now. When I did my rear pads there was a spring I bent trying to install them and I was worried that the spring would be bad even though I bent it back into place. I called the dealer to see if extra clips could be purchased and they told me $21 for a bag. I told them they were nuts and figured I would monitor for uneven wear. So far so good

 

I just did front pads and rotors on my 00, and the pads+hardware kit were $57, and no, they're not Ford either. I don't understand why people don't spend a few extra dollars to get it complete.

 

old thread but.. do you guys remember if the bottom of the V shaped spring sticks out of the caliper or does it go completely under the caliper ?

 

Under the caliper.

 

I am the only person to do the brakes on my truck since buying it new back in 2000. It never had the V springs from the get go. I've since replaced the brakes multiple times and those springs never came with my new pads until recently. So I asked around and found out where they go and how to apply them. I'm hoping my pads will last longer now. My last set of front pads only lasted two months! I'm concerned that the reason is that my pressure distributor thingy (whatever you call it) may be going bad.
Also, someone mentioned that they thought that the springs acted as a sensor for when the pads get low. They don't. Not sure what exactly does, but I'm pretty sure its the clips that hold the pads in place at both ends of each pad.
When doing my brakes, I always clean and lube the slides and spray off the pads and disk with brake cleaner before completing the assembly. One thing I have found helps control brake squeal is to apply a smidgeon of brake lube to the back of the pads where they contact the calipers. Works like a charm so far

 

Every set of pads I bought for my 2001 had them included in the box. And I know most NAPA stores carry them.

 

The springs were a design change around 2003, added to try to keep the pads off the rotors as much as possible when the brakes were not applied. They were not as effective as the design change in '05 with the change in brake manufacturers. There were a number of changes early on to do this, including pads with an adhesive an the back to stick to the Pistons and caliper fingers.

Noise generating squeal wear indicators went away a long time ago, instead the brake fluid level sensor is now the indicator.

And to the new guy, you don't have a pressure distributor thingy.

 

I think they are there to keep the pads off the rotors. I hope you did clean/lube up the slide pins. They tend to stick and need to be cleaned and lubed when doing the brakes. Made a big difference on my truck.
The V springs point inward to each other.

 

They are springs to help prevent squeal from the pads dragging. I buy a hardware kit every time I do brakes and it comes with new springs. Using the brake quiet spray on the back of the pads will also help to prevent drag because the pads stick to the piston and bracket.

 

So what is the trick to installing these V springs?

Application: 2000 F-550, no springs OEM, different calipers than 250/350.

I just bought a set of V springs, because it appears that the pads are riding on the rotor when the brakes are not applied. I'm reinstalling the original pads, as there is 10mm of material left, and replace spec is 1mm. Rotors are still greater than 36mm.

The V springs I bought from Ford... using the only part number I could find for the 99-04 era. The tails to the springs do not correspond to the backing plate rivet hole detents at the top and bottom of each pad. Rather, the tails appear to simply rest anywhere along the exposed plate of the pad, supported only be tension of the spring.

I'm unable to figure out how to install the pads under outward tension without the caliper in place to restrain how far the pads are pushed away from each other from the springs. But once the caliper is positioned, there is no longer any access to fit the V spring.

There is a lack of available instruction, especially since the spring is being retrofitted into a design that did not initially include a spring. I'm currently stymied on what to do. Obviously, the spring needs to be secure enough not to get jostled out of place only to be ground away by the rotor.

There must be a trick to this, or perhaps it isn't even a good idea to add the type of V spring I have. I did notice that the later design F-550 brake pad springs have modified caliper design that clearly accommodates and secures a W spring anchored above the caliper. I really would like to find a way to fit some type of pad spring in my current calipers, to prevent brake drag.

 

It's been a while since I did this but I seem to recall the ends of the v springs are bent and fit in tiny holes in the brake pads or backing plate (pads I believe)

 

Thanks az r2d1.

Trouble is, my pads don't have any holes on the edges of the their backing plates oriented where the right angle tail bends of the F81Z-2B164-EA "Anti Rattle Clips" aka V springs would fit into place.

The only holes on the backing pad are on the friction face of the backing plate, where the hollow end of the rivet that holds the stainless steel slipper on the outboard sides of the backing plates is located.

I wanted to rotate the tails of the V springs with pliers 90 degrees, so that the tails would fit into those holes on the friction face of the backing pad... but thought before messing up the spring clips, let me make a mockup with a wire coat hangar first.

I made a coat hanger mockup what I thought would be an adequate design clip that could be installed after the caliper was positioned (even with both anchor plate bolts installed) and that would keel over the upper and lower ends of the anchor plate. But just as I was thinking about how much spring tension would be lost by changing the shape of the factory V spring... another installation idea with the original V spring as shipped unmolested occurred to me.

I tried the idea, and it fit. I jiggled it vigorously, and it stayed. I mounted a naked wheel on the hub, and it cleared wheel rotation by a large measure. It seems to work, but it looks absolutely nothing like the way v springs are supposed to be installed under the caliper. Left to my own devices... it is all too easy for me to get into trouble, so I'm going to post some photos in an hour or so of what I came up with, and anyone please feel free to find or ferret out any faults or faux pas. Better to find out from you, then from some thrashing sound coming from the wheels.

 

You probably could have drilled tiny holes in the friction material on the top (facing UP).
The v springs sit under the caliper cover/slide (whatever its called, the big metal clump that slides in and out) and they narrow part of the V's point at each other.

 

Caliper is right. That's what the hunk of metal is called. Still no photos, I'm chasing twilight here, but rummaging around the shop for a droplight, I found a set of Excursion pads, same as 250/350. They indeed have the pin holes on the edge of the backing plates (like Toyota pads) that my 550 pads do not have. But like I said, I came up with another way to mount the same anti rattle clips, without modifying them, and without need for those holes. We shall if I start shredding metal...

 

We've probably all searched for information through the archives, and then land upon a thread where the exact same problem we were searching for is described and experienced by others... and yet, the OP disappears into the night and the issue remains unresolved and unanswered. I try to avoid doing that, and always try to send reps to others purely for following up.

While I'm just the grave digger, not the OP to this thread, I'm going to follow up on the issues I presented with a few photos, as previously promised. Many thanks to AZ R2D1 for your participation and attempts to help me out yesterday... reps sent!

First, a diagram from Ford on how 99-04 anti rattle clips (aka V springs) are supposed to be mounted in the F-250/350/Excursion front brake system.





In the Workshop Manual, Ford is neither consistent, nor very clear, in distinguishing caliper and pad service between the F-250/350/Excursion versus the F-450/550 chassis cab. As typical of the factory service manuals, instructions are brief, and diagrams are often carryover from prior years, or interchanged between similar, but not exactly the same models.

The diagram below looks more like how my disc brakes appear. Notice the different style of stainless slippers on the rails of the anchor plate, and the lack of V springs. Still, this diagram was used as an illustration for F-250/350/EX service, even though the brakes to those lighter duty models look more like the previous diagram above.





Ford's brevity in text can be just as cryptic as Ford's interchangeable recycling of the same diagrams across similar but still idiosyncratic applications. The text says "If necessary, install the V springs." Is "necessity" determined by functional need? Or by previous presence? The part number for the V springs applied to the F-550 just as much as it applied to the F-250, yet the V springs were not present in my F-550, although it appeared to me from the lack of pad return that V springs were needed. Thus necessary. I placed the order.

However, my pads did not have the holes on the edges that would enable the V springs to be installed under the caliper as shown in the first diagram. This is what created my conundrum.

F-550 brake pad edges: (Note that the pads are back to back in this photo instead of friction face to face ... only because I had already pre applied synthetic brake grease to the pad backings, and wanted to keep the grease away from my hands, so as not to finger track traces of it on the pads):





By contrast, here are some Excursion pads, displayed in the same point of view:





Got Holes? Yes, they do. But mine didn't. What to do?

The F-250/350/Excursion pads differ in many other respects also, so it isn't like I got a bum set of pads without the holes drilled. In fact, mine are the original OEM pads from when the truck was built. So they are the right stuff. Here is a comparison shot of the pad design differences.


Excursion on top, F-550 on bottom:





The 550 pads are ramped on the leading and trailing edges, giving the friction material a much smaller swept area when the pads are new. These pads have 63,000 miles on them, but I try and avoid using the brakes as much as possible, so the pads have remained quite thick, thus the smaller appearance at a higher slice of the "pyramid" fillet. The two holes I was referring to in earlier posts are on the face of the backing plates on either end of the pad (concealed by grease in the photo), but no holes on the edges.

I bent up a couple of coat hangers as ideal V spring mock ups that would utilize those holes on the backing plate face, but as a last resort effort to avoid bending and potentially ruining the stock V springs, I instead tried installing them like this:








Surprisingly, they appear to actually apply pad repelling pressure in this position. The bent tails of the V springs push laterally against the exposed corners of the backing plate above and below the friction material. The slots in the stainless steel slippers capture the V spring from rocking backward, and cradle the V spring as the caliper shifts laterally. The Anchor plate keeps the V springs from rocking forward, which keeps the tails from flicking off the pad backing plates, where they can't even contact the caliper housing, let alone the rotor.

Quite a bit of shaking, rocking, and rolling has been applied to the springs, the caliper, and the entire rotating assembly in vain attempts to unseat the springs in this position, yet they remain secure. It appears as if these springs were intended to be installed this way on the 450/550, yet I find no printed or photographed evidence as confirmation. I might be on to something... but I'm definitely on my own here.

I've already tested wheel clearance, plenty of space. I intend to dynamically test actual brake apply and release cycles with all four corners off the ground on jack stands before taking it out on the road.