Last february, I replaced my rear brake pads with some Albany/Duralast (D564) pads from Autozone. It appeared that the steel backing on the pad wasn't to spec because the ears were too long by a small amount so I couldn't get the pads to fit (as-is) into the springs on the calipers. So, rather than taking a trip back to the store to get another set, I took the angle grinder to them and shaved off a little bit from each ear to get them to work. I thought that maybe the slightly wrong size was just some kind of fluke.

Well, a few weeks ago, I hear the unmistakeable sound of the squealer pin on one of my rear rotors again. One of the pads was worn down to the squealer already. It was just the one pad that was overly worn, the rest looked normal. I'm guessing that after my little modification, I was able to get this pad back in but the fit was still too tight so when the piston released the pressure on the pad, it was still rubbing slightly and wore down quickly.

So, I take the pads off and get a new set (they are lifetime pads so replacements were free). Again I get them home and same thing - they don't fit right - too tight. So being the stubborn guy that I am, I get the angle grinder out again and lop off a bit of each ear. This time, I made sure that they fit in easily and could retract without any problems. In hindsight, I should have just taken the credit for these pads and applied it to some from a different manufacturer. I'll try to think of that next time. Hopefully it will be a while before I need a new set. BTW, Autozone's warranty policy is great - everything you buy that carries a warranty is in their system and you don't need any reciepts - just have them look you up.

Is it just me or has anyone else had this sort of problem with the Albany pads?