This is kind of funny.  Rockauto says the order has shipped already.  Should just be four thin parts in an envelope, USPS.  But it's expected to arrive in eleven days.  Do they still use Pony Express?  Even that would be faster.  Might be cool enough by then to try a set out.  Supposed to have a heat wave next week, so no tire removal happening then.

Apparently, creating a label is "Shipped!" to Rockauto.

Edited September 1, 20177 yr by Zed Head
picked wrong picture

It's because they're in Sugar land, Texas., Just West of Houston... Shipping into or out of these areas is gonna be slow for a while. I have found in the last couple of years every vendor says it's shipped when the label is created. I always have to wait a day or so because I can actually track a package...

Speaking of that, Has anyone heard from Stephen yet???

17 hours ago, Zed Head said:

Just ordered a set from Rockauto.  $4.46 shipped, USPS.  Noticed that it's a wholesaler closeout though, with a 3 day delay, and that they don't look anything at all like the other shims for the other cars they're supposed to fit.  Hope they're not made of cardboard.  Wagner is a reputable brand though.

haha I could make some nice cardboard shims... I'd even use that "good" cardboard.  That is a good deal.  

I do plan on making some on our plasma/laser cutter when I can get an original.  Might order one from Motorsport for the "template".  

I'm going to cruise today after work, I'll see if the shims I have (that only cover the top 1/2 of piston) squeal at all.   

Once you write the program to do the cutting on the table, knocking these things out will be a piece of cake. Good luck with the project!

Once you get to the point where you have the outline perfected, let me know and I'll pull one of my originals off and do a more thorough material analysis if you are interested.

23 minutes ago, Captain Obvious said:

Once you write the program to do the cutting on the table, knocking these things out will be a piece of cake. Good luck with the project!

Once you get to the point where you have the outline perfected, let me know and I'll pull one of my originals off and do a more thorough material analysis if you are interested.

Cool, thanks.  I'm starting to compile a mental list (should write it down) of things I could make, like emblems, shims, probably even things like bumpers and floorpans...  We literally just opened 3 new buildings, and the one with the CNCs spent hundreds of thousands on new equipment... 

It is actually the largest community college project ever in America, $100 million bucks

4 hours ago, Patcon said:

It's because they're in Sugar land, Texas., Just West of Houston... Shipping into or out of these areas is gonna be slow for a while.

Good point, I didn't make that connection.  I'll bet that i don't see them for months.  Not a big deal.

Good news, took a cruise for about an hour today at various speeds and the squeal is at least temporarily fixed!

All I did was add the 4 shims from the kit.  It was squealing horribly, amazing such a difference... The shims I have (as I said) fit over the pins and cover about half of the piston.  (So looking at the car, the left side of the piston is covered, the right is not).

So for me non-original shape shims cured my brake squeal instantly.  

Finally feeling more confident on the road with the brake issues mostly resolved.

Could you post a picture of the shims?  You said that they only cover half but you didn't say that they were the hanging style.  Got the impression that they were stick on, from your post.

I have the D161 pads on my car too.  I didn't get the hanging 1/2 shims though, I think I got full size stick on.  They must have changed something.

But, here's a thing - the ones that I replaced had full-size shims with holes for hanging, but also had glue for sticking.  IF I recall right, they were pre-stuck. I hope yours didn't have release paper over glue that was supposed to be removed.  Just saying...

It does make me thing though, that I could remove the stick on shims from the pads I didn't like, remove the glue, and cut them in half, and use them as free-hanging shims.

Anyway, hope it keeps working.  I'm going to assume that covering only a portion of the piston is a key design element, since two companies, at least, make them that way.

On 8/29/2017 at 1:56 PM, ramsesosirus said:

The autozone shims I got also only cover half the piston, but they cover the top half only as opposed to the Nissan one that covered only the left or right half.  I wonder if this makes a difference...

 

On 8/29/2017 at 6:24 AM, ramsesosirus said:

The organic pads from Autozone (Part D161, $15.99) includes 4 shims.  They're not exactly the same as the OEM ones, but similar and they fit.   For those in need of shims, this kit is pretty much worth it just the get the shims alone.  This is the only set I've gotten that included shims.

I plan to carefully pry them off and reuse them when the pads need changing.  Will probably have to "glue" them on when re using them.

I guess you made free-hanging shims from the stick-on Autozone shims.  You had to pry them off.

I'm confused about what came with your pads, and what you ended up using that worked.

On 9/1/2017 at 8:15 PM, Zed Head said:

 

I guess you made free-hanging shims from the stick-on Autozone shims.  You had to pry them off.

I'm confused about what came with your pads, and what you ended up using that worked.

Thanks, I hope the squeal stays away as well.

Those were the only set of pads I've gotten for the Z that included shims, or I wouldn't even have known it needed them (or that they can have such a profound affect on noise)

The shims do have holes for the pins at the top, (no arrow) AND have a peel away sticky backing.  They were not attached to the pads in the box.  Basically, the shim is symmetrical and has a round cutout, but is far smaller than the piston.... so it really covers about half of the piston, from the pin holes.  So they do cover a different area of the piston than the OEM ones.  (all 4 of the shims are identical).

I also ordered a set on ebay like the ones someone posted, since they are apparently very important!  

Hope this helps

On 9/1/2017 at 8:12 PM, Zed Head said:

I have the D161 pads on my car too.  I didn't get the hanging 1/2 shims though, I think I got full size stick on.  They must have changed something.

.

Zedhead my fault, the Autozone D161 pads didn't include any shims.

The Semi Metallic "BrakeBest" ones from I believe Oreilly (online) were the ones that included the non-OEM shims.   I plan to reuse them, probably will need to glue it to the pad.  I got put these pads on earlier, but didn't use the shims it had since I was unsure.  

I was confused because I used the organic Autozone ones when I put on the shims to see if that helped also with the squeal.  Some say organic is easier on the rotors, but semi metallic is better.  I have a full set of both so I can swap them back and forth, really is pretty easy on stock Z discs. 

Edited September 4, 20177 yr by ramsesosirus
added detail