Rear brakes question
 

I was putting new rear pads on my car yesterday but I ran into an issue. My manual says that the pad with the squealer tab (wear indicator) is the outer pad, but that pad wouldn't fit on the outside of the caliper. The tab actually won't clear the caliper itself. There is also a little nub on the back of that pad that keeps it from seating flush against the caliper if I try to put it in the outside position. The pad with the tab was the thinner of the two pads which would make sense if it is the outer pad. Are these brakes backwards for some reason? If I switch the pads everything goes together fine. And the pads I took out had the pads with the tabs on the inside as well. What gives?

i would just put it back together the way it came apart...it worked then it should work now lol

Pretty much what he said lol. I assume they weren't factory gm pads? Aftermarket parts aren't always known for their correctness ;)

If ti doesn't hit anything it doesn't make a difference which side it is on

Hawk HPS pads. Am I right in saying that the thicker pad would typically be the inner pad?

Yes and i remember on my lt1 the inside pad had a metal piece that went into the caliper piston area

These don't have the ears that hold the inner pad in the piston.

I had HPS pads on my bird, went in no problem, what do they look like compared to your old set? have a pic?

I didn't get a pic but they look pretty much the same.

Why don't you just take the old clip off your old pads and put it on the hawks? Or is that already whats happening?