V8 250 brake question

[steve thomas]

Hello,
I've found that the keep plate that holds in the friction pads is secured with a pin and split pin arrangement. The workshop and parts manuals show that it should be a bolt, washer and nut. Does anyone know if this was changed during production (mine is a '69 model) or whether I just have the wrong parts fitted by a PO?
Thanks in advance,
Steve.

[Christopher Storey]

If it is a single split pin, it is unquestionably wrong, as all the split pin arrangements I have seen have always had two, one at the top and one at the bottom . The ones on my Mark 2 ( Dunlop ) certainly have the "four claw" type plate with centre nut and bolt which IIRC is 1/4" UNF ( or it might just be 3/16)

[steve thomas]

Thanks for your reply Christopher. Just to clarify, what I have is a threadless bolt with a hole thru the end, and a split pin thru the hole. It seems an OK solution and similar to other cars I've had. I wondered if in fact it was an improvement on the nut and bolt on the basis there is nothing to come undone!! But as this is safety related I want to put it right.

[theoldman]

It's a common fitment to many cars with disc brakes. The "split pin" however s not of the normal type. It is sprung and the straight side goes through the hole and the curvy side clips over the "threadless bolt".

The curves on the pad should fit snugly up to the "threadless bolt" (pad retaining pin!)

Used on Fords, Triumph, Rover etc ad nauseam.................................

[Christopher Storey]

The R type clip which the old man mentions is indeed used, but never in my experience on a single pin , but always on two pins. The arrangement you have seems very strange indeed and I would not trust it, as loosely fitting arrangements inevitably wear .

[theoldman]

That's right - two pins - on some pads there are holes in the pad for the pins to go through and on others (as I said below) a curved shoulder on the pads sits against the pins.

I hadn't realised Steve's car only had one..............................

[steve thomas]

Thanks guys,
Interestingly I checked the rear brakes today and they have the same retaining pin and R type clip as the front. I'll ask some of the parts suppliers if they are aware of any change to the documented setup, if not I'll replace with nuts and bolts.
Thanks
Steve