Carquest Standard Front Brake Pads: Semi-metallic, Long Life and Quiet - Front

I wish these came with new carriers. Even after i cleaned my old ones with brake cleaner and a wire brush, it was quite hard to get these pads to slip into place. It seems the edges that slip into the carrier are just a tad bit bigger than they should be. After i finally got them in, even when greased they didn't slide in the carriers very well. I actually managed to bend my carriers trying to get these to go in, which i had to bend back into place. But my brakes work fine so whatever...it's just kind of a hassle to install them. 2005 Pontiac Vibe.

At first attempt, the outboard pad wouldn't fit at all; the inboard pad only if tapped in with a hammer. they need to be snug, but loose enough to move to compensate for wear. I cleaned up rust on the brackets as I thought it might be decreasing clearances. Next I bought new guides. While in store, compared my pads with another set off the shelf: no difference. Made sure the guides were snugly installed without a gap or rust underneath. Tried a very light bit of silicone lube in the guides. Still no go on assembly. I finally got a good fit by filing down the tabs , top, bottom, and sides, to a good fit: that is, snug but able to move easily in and out on the guide. Most work I've ever had to do to install a set of pads. Next time I will probably spring for better pads and see if I am going to save any time.