Sanding/Grinding Down Aftermarket Brake Pad Ears

I wouldn't be grinding on the cutout for the ears on the brake mounting equipment of the car that is all metal iron whatever none of it is ceramic or carbon fiber or any of that The backing plates of your pads are also metal You can grind them down on your regular bench grinder literally in seconds the top and the sides a wheel does this perfectly That's why the ears stand up off the pad and on the top and the bottom if you will You could use a Dremel with the wheel on it but then you have to hold it and hold the pad with the standard five or six inch grinder You just put the pad on the tool rest and flip the grinder on grind accordingly. I haven't even had to do this with the cheapest pads you can buy on eBay for $9 that you shouldn't even be putting on your car they all fit my Corollas and well other Toyota's out in the parking lot without any ado. But I don't use those pads really very much I did a few eons ago but there was really no savings pads are generally inexpensive as things go in this world anyway. But a very light sanding should have done the trick especially for Wagner they're a major name in the break industry Raybestos Wagner etc. Should not have fit problems on one of the most popular cars in the planet so maybe it was just a bad run what have you maybe run them back to the store and get a different brand just because they'll probably drop right in without any discussion actually.

 

Dremel definitely although I have never used one on metal. There are so many different “bits” you’ll need to select one that best suits the situation.

https://www.dremel.com/us/en/projects/how-to/how-to-start-grinding-and-sharpening

 

I have a cordless Milwaukee Dremel tool the 12 volt and then home Depot over where the dremels are sold there are a ton of cut off wheels metal grinding bits and the like You're grinding here basically You don't want a middle bit that's going to try and cut the metal like an end mill on a milling machine You want something that's going to grind the metal like a grinding wheel or a cut off wheel usually you're just trying to pull the little ridge off the edge of the metal plate If you look at the edge of the ear you will see the casting mark that I'm talking about It's a u shape it goes over that ear on the metal edge not on the pad material You're just cleaning up that casting mark You don't want to grind off of the mount on the car If you want to grind off the ear of the backing plate of the pad I usually use the cut off wheel to do this That's my personal favorite a grinding wheel is a little tougher to use and hold even in the Dremel.

 

Perhaps OEM pads would fit with out a problem????

 

I did something like this three years ago and no problems since.

 

Chalk up to experience and buy some OEM's? It rankles, but hey.

Fit "might" just be the start of your problems; maybe the pad material is second rate too, who knows.

 

That's what I'd be wondering, if they couldn't even be bothered to get the dimensions right.

 

I think you're gonna regret those ceramic pads unless you have upgraded the rotors made specifically for ceramics. Seen way too many warped rotors after installations of ceramic pads. Not sure if that's even an option for the Prius.

 

I think you can buy the rotors that you want for the ceramic pads for just about any car on the planet. Even a Yugo.