Putting brake pads on tight

[Nicad]

I have been through two sets of brakes on my E46 Wagon. I put the larger 330i calipers and rotors on it, but the pedal feel was a little mushy. After repeated bleeding with no improvement, I took it to a local shop to see what they could do. They put the callipers on tight and the shop owner (Who was trained at Canada's oldest BMW dealer) said this worked particularly well on E9 and Bavaria 4 piston calipers. Not sure exactly what they did (I am assuming they expand the pads, then tap the calliper on with a light hammer.

Anyway, the pedal feel is absolutely superb, firm and instant on my wagon now. Probably the best brakes of any car I have owned. The mechanic said that on new rebuilt calipers the seals sometimes retract the piston too much when you let off the brakes. I'd be curious what forum Pros like SF Don think of this.

 

[Mike Goble]

A light hammer? Something from Star Wars?

 

[sfdon]

I was taught to always use a washer and tighten with a breaker bar.
They are few things worse than a customer driving away with loose calipers.

 

[David]

Are you all referring to how the caliper mounts to the steering knuckle/rear half-axle ?

 

[kasbatts]

They put the callipers on tight and the shop owner (Who was trained at Canada's oldest BMW dealer) said this worked particularly well on E9 and Bavaria 4 piston calipers. Not sure exactly what they did (I am assuming they expand the pads, then tap the calliper on with a light hammer.

Do you mean tap the pads into the calliper? sort of wedging the pads into the calliper between the disk and the pistons?
Thus not needing to "pump up" the calliper and pushing the pads up to the disk?

 

[Nicad]

They expand the pads so that it is a very tight fit on installing them over the rotor. I usually just pump up the pads tight by pumping the pedal, but I guess when you release the pedal the piston retracts a bit more than ideal (on my E46 at least).