"Exact fit" brake pads are too thick?

It seems to be always something with the aftermarket pads. Others here have reported taking grinding wheels to the ends of the backing plate because that dimension doesn't fit.

My only experience so far has been with Toyota pads. Those come out of the box and go on the car and fit.

 

They exactly fit wrong.... take them back and get toyota pads.
The cost is about the same.... and they just work, exactly....

 

Wow that's weird I haven't had trouble with the wearever gold from advance. Or the duralast ceramic I guess they're top of the line for AutoZone none at all matter of fact just put on a set like day before yesterday one of the easiest brake jobs like the Corolla You can possibly do other than remembering to have the 12 volt system disconnected or the remote away from the car other than that same. I've even ordered really cheap pads from online from companies you would never want to even look at they seem to work fine especially in the Prius. And all the my cars even have slotted dimpled cooled rotors made by whoever with some kind of coating that makes them stay silver for a real long time and they've stayed silver for a real long time inexpensive too. And when that light bulb goes off upstairs you can just sand the pads off a little bit too Don't want to go crazy just remove a little bit of material or go back and get another set or go to Toyota and get a set All of these are options.

 

Dang, I've never heard of this problem....something else to worry about!

Is the diameter of the rotor the same as the old one? If so, swap them at the store for the right ones.

FWIW, I've done a number of brake/rotor jobs and my favorite non-Toyota rotors are Bosch at O'Reillys and non-Toyota pads are Import Direct Ceramic from O'Reillys...never had problems with them.

 

It never occurs to me, to shop anywhere other than a dealership parts department. Return the advance stuff if you can, or just eat it, and get the Toyota parts.

 

advanced, autozone, napa, whatever, they all get their parts from china now. Sadly.
cheap junk is cheap junk no matter where you get it from.

 

Although I've never used Carquest rotors/pads specifically, I have never personally used OEM rotors/pads on any car I've had my whole life (I'm going to hit 61 soon). It's mostly been a matter of either/or/and price and availability.

I have PERSONALLY never had that issue - at least THAT tight. It LOOKS like the pads were designed (dimension wise) without consideration for the shim thickness.

 

When buying aftermarket parts one should not buy the most affordable ones. This is especially true with high production volume cars, absolutely horrible stuff available out there. But the better ones cost almost same as OEM so why bother at all.

 

Pads that are too thick has happened to me a few times. What I do is put the new pad against the piston side and a old pad on the other side. Make sure the brake reservoir cap is off. Pry the caliber back again, against the old pad - but don't muscle it too much, you may warp or bend something. That'll usually gets me that extra 1/8 of an inch I need for the new pads.
If you push the caliber piston back with a brake tool or C-clamp, I don't think you'll run into this issue; unless you forget to pop the brake reservoir cap off

Hope this helps...

PS, forgot to mention; front calipers only - rear calipers are a different beast all together.

 

OP wrote the piston is pushed back all the way. In my experience that kind of goes without saying when installing new pads; it's not going back on otherwise, OEM or non-OEM.

 

I know, but since I'm not looking at it - I'm assuming KISS (keep it simple stupid).
I've never had to resort to grinding down a new pad, or using a 'fix-all-tool' (hammer) - even on cheap non-OEM pads. I do compare the outline of the new pads to the old ones, before trying to fit them. Now squeaking is another story.

 

AutoZone stock (AZO): $2571.83
Advance Auto stock (AAP): $51.26

I guess I now know why…..

 

I don't buy "the most affordable one," but I don't buy the most expensive ones either. I have usually gone for Centric (not the cheap line that I forget what the name of was), but have also gone with Raybestos, Bendix, Wagner, Power Stop, Beck Arnley, etc. depending on the car/truck and availability.

When I started going with Centric, it was primarily because MULITPLE shop owners have told me that it's the brand that causes the fewest comebacks - even compared to OEM (which is currently manufactured by Akebono as far as I know of the industry, with Centric being another big OEM supplier (just not Toyota)).

 

Yep, never take a box with greasy finger prints on it.

I had a similar issue with an O2 sensor. Correct box, but new sensor didn't look quite right. The numbers on the sensor didn't match the box it came in. The store manager tried to say, I can't return an electronic part. I had him pull another one off the shelf and showed him that someone already did refund of this sensor; because it's in the wrong box.

 

Much discussed topic. But unfortunately somebody need to breach something to make it happen. OEM’s spend significant amount of engineering to get parts and manufacturing processes perfected. It’s their IPR. They are not giving it all away voluntarely. They can give some because there will always be pirate/reverse engineered stuff. But they never give out everything.

 

Much discussed topic. But unfortunately somebody need to breach something to make it happen. OEM’s spend significant amount of engineering to get parts and manufacturing processes perfected. It’s their IPR. They are not giving it all away voluntarely. They can give some because there will always be pirate/reverse engineered stuff. But they never give out everything.

 

Don't forget to grease contact points