Broke off a brake pad!?!

[Axoure Dragonkin]

Here is the background. I was just driving home from work and press the brakes to stop at a stop sign, when what do I hear coming from the back of my car? A really really gut wrenching metallic pop. Then the pedal depresses to the floor. My head spins for a second and I gather my wits. I gently release the pedal and realize that I still have pressure. At least I didn't have explosive brake failure (almost had an explosive BM though). But every time I step on the brakes (even the slightest pressure), there is this horribly loud grinding-popping noise. So I drove it at 10 mph for the rest of the way home (short trip at least), and barely got it in the driveway without waking the whole neighborhood. Pulled off the tire and found the inner brake pad of the right rear brake had actually come off and was sitting between the rotor and the dust shield (that at least explained the awful noise). I haven't removed the caliper yet because it was too dark. Thus my questions are this...

1. Why did it break off like that?

2. Is the caliper going to be damaged by pressing on the rotor without it (I took it really easy on the way home) or the rotor for that matter?

3. Does it breaking off mean that a portion of the caliper came with it?

4. Is this a symtom of some pre-existing caliper condition?

5. Recommendations?

[p00t]

If it was just the material seperating from its metal backing it is the pad manufacturers fault. The pad is usually bonded to that surface with a very strong glue. If it has some sort of warrenty, take it back and get the whole rear set replaced! Your rotor is fine, and your caliper is fine. If you cant get a free replacement under the manufacturers warrenty i would strongly consider going with a different brand and replace the whole rear set.

If it was the entire brake pad that came off (complete pad with metal backing), then whoever did the brakes last installed them improperly! They didnt line up the peg on the back of the pad with the holes on the piston caliper.

Your going to have to remove the caliper from the knuckle, then using something (preferably pliers) you screw the piston back in by turning it clockwise. Make it retract all the way in and set the holes to 12 and 6 oclock positions. When installing the pads make sure the pin on the back of the pad seats into the top 12 oclock hole.

Check the other side to see if that one is installed improperly as well. If the pads are worn on an angle you will need to replace them.

[Axoure Dragonkin]

Ok, I fixed it. Bought new pads for the back. 30 bucks, at least I now know what was causing the grinding noise. Somehow the inner shim had bent and pulled off the pad. No noise anymore, at all. One thing I did notice was that the piston on the one that fell off was freshly mangled by the bare contact with the rotor. Not too bad but on the part with the four notches on it, one of the elevated parts was ground down just a bit. Is that going to cause problems in the future? Can I replace just the piston, or am I going to have to buy a new caliper? Not a big deal since there are plenty of junkyards around dallas. Oh, well, it was fun at least. Now I want to put fresh pad on the front.