Pad replacement and rotor questions

[Qgrappler]

Time for a remark and a question (to show my ignorance).

1. The service manual indicates that in changing the pads on my 94 q45 you just have to take out the lower bolt and pivot the assembly upwardst to get the pads in and out. On my front wheels, there was not enough slack in the brakelne to allow that pivot to go far enough, and I had to take the whole assembly off. Back assemblies pivoted as documented in manual. [not a big deal in any case]

2. Looking at the way the rotor is secured to the wheel bolts, it is completely different from my Toyota LC, (where the rotors are firmly bolted to the inner axle independently of having the wheel on to hold the whole assembly in place). ------the Q45's front rotors simply "float" between the inner part of the wheel and the outer part of the axle. It seems to me that as the brakes are applied, since the pistons are active only from the inside, and the outside pads are "passive" and act only as backstop, that the inside pads and the inside of the rotor sould wear much faster than the outside. Also, it seems that any dirt or other debris contaminating the wheel area during wheel removal or pad changes could lead to an out or alignment rotor?

Is this the standard set up for all front brake systems?? Any comments on this----------I hope I described what I'm thinking about accurately

[DAEDALUS]

The rotors don't float once you bolt the wheel on and clamp the entire stack-up to the hub assembly. Each nut is applying perhaps 5000 pounds of force to both the wheel and the rotor. The calipers are what float, helping to ensure even pressure on both pads.

[Q45tech]

Yet things are not perfect, and the inside pads and rotors do wear slighty faster or warp slightly faster and more.......really a function of how clean and how lubricated the slide pins are.

Since the oem pads were very soft and wore quickly, the factory expected you would redo brakes/rotor when you replaced the tires every 15-17,000 miles.

[Q451990]

On my front wheels, there was not enough slack in the brakelne to allow that pivot to go far enough, and I had to take the whole assembly off.

You probably need to turn the steering wheel to the lock or close to it in the appropriate direction to free up some slack in the flex lines...

Strangely enough I helped a friend replace rotors, calipers, and pads on his wife's POS 1991 Chevrolet Corsica this weekend. Amazing how quickly the job went after the car was in the air. 20 minutes max after getting it up in the air. Very simple set-up (none of the shims and fun little parts like the Q).

He got it to me not a minute too soon... right front outer pad was well through the friction material and only about a milimeter or two of backing left! I prayed everytime we came to a stop while we were taking it over to my parents house (with the garage full of tools) Saturday morning!

I almost cried when I realized that he spent about $75 for parts at AutoZone for remaned calipers, pads, and rotors! I pay more than that for one rotor! Performance is expensive, but well worth it!

Heath