My wife's car (14 Mazda 3) seems to go through brake like there is no tomorrow.  It seems prone to the calipers seizing up, and then I loose the pads and rotors. The answer is likely a semi frequent service.  So, every time I switch the tires (mount winters in Nov, and summers in April) I pull the brakes apart, clean everything up, lube the slide pins and clips and such and put it all back together.

My question  is this:  How damned 'tight' are pads in most clips???  Even after cleaning everything up, and applying a dab of brake lube, I can barely get the damned pads in the clips.  It shouldn't be rocket science, but damn, these are tight...  Isn't the whole purpose of the clips to limit movement and keep things quiet?

When installing new pads, has anyone ever found the new replacement pads to be 'over sized'?

Thanks

Fro

Recently changed front brakes in my 2011 4runner. 65k miles..very easy swap but w/factory pads i could not install anti squeal plates. Replacement pads seemed oversized...will install antisqual plates in 5K miles.   PS.  No squealing on braking yet

If they are too tight they wont release properly from the rotor.  Maybe that's why shes eating brakes. maybe you can grind a little off the ear on the pad?

Many times house brands are oversized, what brand are you using?  Buy a good quality pad and rotor and see how they do.  Might replace calipers and grease the pins.

Do you remove the caliper bracket and clean the channel that the tabs on the brake pads ride in? You want that rust free so the pads don't get hung up. I also use very very little anti seize in that channel after cleaning. That way there is a trace amount of lubrication. I am talking a small amount. Just enough to give it a grey color, no globs so it doesn't happen to contaminate the new pads or rotor surface. I use a small flat flux brush a Q tip would also work.

I also use Napa Adaptive One pads. They have a special compound for the inner and outer pads.

http://www.napabrakes.com/magnoliaPublic/home/products/brake-pads/adaptive-one.html