Which Brake Pad Goes on the Inside?


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Brake pads are critical items in any car. These allow contact with the rotors, which slow the car down when friction occurs. Once the brake pads wear down, you will need to replace them. Finding the right place for each of these pads on a car can be tricky. Which brake pad goes on the inside? 

With brakes pads, both the right and the left pads have pieces that go inside and outside the calipers. Within each pair of left and right pads, there are left and right pads. If you follow these designations, it should be easy to figure out which item goes on the inside.

Continue reading to learn more about brake pads and their placement on the car. Once you have the hang of the positioning, changing your brake pads should be easy every single time. Knowledge is power, especially when learning how to fix up your car.

Understanding the Brake Pads

As we talked about, brake pads are critical to the operation of the car. Different brands of brake pads look different, and some of them even have varying places that they go on a vehicle. The different pads include L pads and R pads. 

Keep reading to learn about the two different sides of a brake pad. For the most part, they are interchangeable, but it is good to know about what each designation means.

L Pads

The L pads go on the left side of the car. Within each set, the brake pads can be marked right and left. Most brake pads look similar, so if they are not indicated with an L, it does not matter which side you choose.

If marked, the left goes on the outside of the car. You can install it there if the pads you invest in tell you to do so.

R Pads

The R pads go on the right side of the car. Within these pads, there should be two marked L and R. These designate the sides that each pad should go on.

If marked, the R pad should go on the inside of the car. However, most brake pads are not marked. The brake pads can be placed on either side in this case.

Which Brake Pad Goes on the Inside?

On most brake pads, there will be a label that indicates which side they should go on. This might be shown with a little L or an R.  Within this. Each is marked to show which caliper side they go on.

For the most part, any brake pad can go on the inside. This happens because:

  • Most brake pads are the same shape and size
  • Each brake pad has the same material on the surface

Because of this, it often does not matter which brake pad goes on the inside.

Some brake pads have to wear indicators on them. If you invest in brake pads that have these items, this one will go on the inside. Brake pads with a wear indicator have a specific location, but most brake pads are interchangeable with their positioning.

What Happens if You Mix Up Brake Pads?

It can be easy to mix up the brake pads, so you might wonder what would happen if you made that mistake with your installation process. After all, with many pieces of equipment, it can be disastrous to the car if some items are switched up during replacement.

This issue is not the case with the brake pads, as they are mostly interchangeable. For the most part, you can put each one anywhere without worrying about messing them up.

There are some exceptions to this. The brake pads are not interchangeable if:

  • It has a wear indicator telling the driver that the pad needs to be replaced. This tells the driver when the brake pad has worn down and needs to be replaced. 
  • The brand has a side specification. This is noted on the packaging or box when pads are purchased. 

You should check to see if your brake pads have any of these items before installation to determine if you must take extra care.

If your brake pads do not have these specifications, you do not need to worry about mixing them up. Brake pads are nice because they tend to be interchangeable. The most important thing is that they are securely attached on the inside and outside. This measure allows them to do their job and slow down your vehicle.

Are There Easier Ways to Install Brake Pads?

If you don’t want to deal with brands, there is an easier way to figure out the specifications. You can purchase a kit that guides you through every step of the process, rather than leaving you to figure out which pad goes on the inside by yourself.

Some of the best brake pad kits that you can invest in on Amazon include:

All of these are solid choices for brake pad kits.

If you feel frustrated trying to figure out the locations of the pads on your own, invest in one of these kits to find your way. You are sure to get everything installed properly in no time at all.

Conclusion

Brake pads are critical items that need to go on your car. Without the brake pads, you will have trouble generating the friction required to stop your vehicle. When the brake pads wear down, you will need to replace them. This job can be difficult for some, as many brake pads look incredibly similar to each other. It can be hard to understand what goes where.

Once you know which brake pads go where, installing the brake pads is a simple process. You should be able to have everything in the right spot without any trouble at all. If you’re stuck, you can invest in kits that lay everything out for you. Once you understand the positioning of the pads, this process will get easier.

Arwood

I'm Arwood, but the grandkids call me Big Papa. After retiring from teaching automotive classes for 30+ years I decided to create a blog about all the questions I used to get about brakes and anything automotive.

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