I installed my wilwood 4 piston calipers back in february....and I don't remember at what point I started to notice but these things are noisy as hell.....once the pads get even warm they start to squeal...and in bumper to bumper traffic people are literally looking at me probably wishing someone would just come and nuke my car. And I don't mean a light squeal...I mean louder than an old 18 wheeler. When I had my 350z brakes on they didn't make a noise but these things are giving me heartburn.
On my6thgen there are a ton of people having the same issue. Would changing the pads help ? There's no way I can continue driving on these.
On my6thgen there are a ton of people having the same issue. Would changing the pads help ? There's no way I can continue driving on these.
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When you installed your new brakes, did you use the shims and lub the sliders etc. And did you make sure that the metal braket that holds the pads isnt rubbing on the rotor. That happens all the time and it squeals all the time loudly...
Baring all those, what kind rotors and pads are you using?
Baring all those, what kind rotors and pads are you using?
I'm on stoptec rotors, and the pads came with the kit so I don't know what brand they are, they just came in the box in clear plastic. I don't remember any sliders or shims in the kit
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Ah I see they are like brembo's...
I am assuming that you probably have cross drilled and perhaps slotted rotors then... so yes changing your pads might solve the problem...
Where they new when you installed them??
I am assuming that you probably have cross drilled and perhaps slotted rotors then... so yes changing your pads might solve the problem...
Where they new when you installed them??
Senior Member
Something is obviously wrong. THe best thing to do is get in there and have a look. If the squeal is as loud as you say then I would think it is metal on metal and the install probably was not done right. Did the pads come with a shim kit with anti seize?
it came with neither from what I remember^^^
this is what my car sounds like
6thgen forums same issue
http://my6thgen.org/f269/wilwood-cal...e-noise-17443/
and i've seen on supra/bmw/240sx forums having the same issue
this is what my car sounds like
6thgen forums same issue
http://my6thgen.org/f269/wilwood-cal...e-noise-17443/
and i've seen on supra/bmw/240sx forums having the same issue
Senior Member
also another thing before I venture a guess, did you use brake cleaner on the rotors before you installed them? From the factory they have a coating to prevent rust and its important to remove this. Secondly, did you bed in the pads according to the manufacturers spec? Usually several low speed stops allowing the pads to cool in between or something similar.
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I looked at the 6th gen forum you linked and just.....wow. The 6th gen guys never seem to amaze me, how do you not know that you have to bed in pads and yet you installed all of this yourself and expect no problems? Im going to take a wild guess and say all of these issues are user error. Bedding in pads wrong in conjunction without removing the factory coating will result in problems
Nearly all high performance "race" brake pads are noisy. They're designed for the race track, not bumper-to-bumper commuting traffic. Hell, the high performance ceramic brake pads on my mountain bike are noisy.
As others have stated, try a more street friendly brake pad.
As others have stated, try a more street friendly brake pad.
Senior Member
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As others have stated, try a more street friendly brake pad.
Its happening with Hawk HPS pads too so I dont think that is the issue. If they were using race pads they just wouldnt have any brake torque when the pads were cold lol. Watch the video, it sounds loud as hellOriginally Posted by T_Behr904
Nearly all high performance "race" brake pads are noisy. They're designed for the race track, not bumper-to-bumper commuting traffic. Hell, the high performance ceramic brake pads on my mountain bike are noisy. As others have stated, try a more street friendly brake pad.
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I'll watch the video later. I'm listening to my Beastie Boys Ill Communication album and I don't want to interrupt it. Originally Posted by ShocknAwe
Its happening with Hawk HPS pads too so I dont think that is the issue. If they were using race pads they just wouldnt have any brake torque when the pads were cold lol. Watch the video, it sounds loud as hell

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on the Vega's? Yea certainly don't it would Sabotage the listening experienceOriginally Posted by T_Behr904
I'll watch the video later. I'm listening to my Beastie Boys Ill Communication album and I don't want to interrupt it.
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brake cleaner was used, I dont remember the pads being bedded in ( my shop did the install not me this time )...but the pads came in the box along with the calipers...they were'nt wrapped or labeled or anything so I have no idea who the manufacturer is. so that would lead me to belive that they werent bedded to any specs since we had none.Originally Posted by ShocknAwe
also another thing before I venture a guess, did you use brake cleaner on the rotors before you installed them? From the factory they have a coating to prevent rust and its important to remove this. Secondly, did you bed in the pads according to the manufacturers spec? Usually several low speed stops allowing the pads to cool in between or something similar.
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I see what you did there Originally Posted by ShocknAwe
on the Vega's? Yea certainly don't it would Sabotage the listening experience

Nah wearing my earbuds this time around. It's late and my neighbor downstairs would complain, again, so I save the Vega's for daytime use.
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Good idea.Originally Posted by cjandura
Get softer pads and bed them
What about removing the pads already on the car and taking a file to them to clean em up and trying to re-bed those and see what happens?
^ I dont really want to do all the work just to end up in the same position.....in rain or snow these are great since they stay cool....but once they get warm on a nice day.....****

Senior Member
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Well even if they weren't bedded in properly it should make this loud of a noise. I was just wondering what process you went through. I am guessing it is a shim kit that need to be installed. I have Z32 calipers and the kit that you get to install new pads comes with a few shims and anti seize. The anti seize is important to put on the back of the pads metal corners. Without the shims the pads on your car are likely moving slightly and in the absence of anti-seize a loud noise is the result. The shims are likely not completely necessary but go to the auto parts store and get anti seize and do a google search of where to put it on your specific pads but it just goes on any contact surfaceOriginally Posted by Maxterror
brake cleaner was used, I dont remember the pads being bedded in ( my shop did the install not me this time )...but the pads came in the box along with the calipers...they were'nt wrapped or labeled or anything so I have no idea who the manufacturer is. so that would lead me to belive that they werent bedded to any specs since we had none.
Senior Member
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you are going to have to do something to fix it. Anti-seize is the cheapest solution and it will surely lessen the noise if you know it is not on there. Call the shop that did it and ask them if they used it. Better yet take it back and have them put the anti-zeize onOriginally Posted by Maxterror
^ I dont really want to do all the work just to end up in the same position.....in rain or snow these are great since they stay cool....but once they get warm on a nice day.....****
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these pads dont sit like that, they just sit in the grooves of the caliper bars....pretend you have a ruler in each hand holding them straight out...and someone drops a shoelace across both rulers....the pads just sit in there like that...no shims no antisieze necessary really.Originally Posted by ShocknAwe
Well even if they weren't bedded in properly it should make this loud of a noise. I was just wondering what process you went through. I am guessing it is a shim kit that need to be installed. I have Z32 calipers and the kit that you get to install new pads comes with a few shims and anti seize. The anti seize is important to put on the back of the pads metal corners. Without the shims the pads on your car are likely moving slightly and in the absence of anti-seize a loud noise is the result. The shims are likely not completely necessary but go to the auto parts store and get anti seize and do a google search of where to put it on your specific pads but it just goes on any contact surface
Im going to take the wheels off tomorrow if I wake up early enough...what should I look for ?
Senior Member
Anti-seize is always necessary in between the caliper piston and the brake pad back plate. Look for scoring on the rotors or any sort of grooves that should not be there indicating some type of metal on metal contact. Also, check the pads for uneven wear. I am familiar with many of Wilwoods set-ups and how the pads sit being secured by 3 pins or the u shaped pin. I would just go ahead and get anti-seize and after inspecting your system just go ahead and put it on the pads and see if it helps
Senior Member
yes where ever the caliper piston will contact the back of the pad. Also, before you take the pads off, check from above the caliper that it is centered over the rotor. If one pad contacts the rotor first or they contact unevenly it will cause noise. Aftermarket brakes make noise and thats just the way it is but that squealing is absurd. You can PM me some pics and let me know how it goes tomorrow or whenever you get to it. I guarantee you that either the caliper is not centered due to a crappy bracket, pads are loose in the absence of shims, or anti-seize will fix it. All easy fixes so dont worry too much
Senior Member
there should be shims too, the pads either came with them factory installed or loose in the box. I cant imagine any shop would leave the shims off, but who knows. Unless you bought the kit used in which case its possible there were no shims
I pulled them today, no shims...it wasnt dry back there but there was'nt much moisture ie: grease/anti sieze....so I dabbed some back there and sprayed brake cleaner and went for a drive.
The noise didnt come until I drove around for like 15 minutes, and even then it was not THAT loud..and it seemed to be more on the passenger side now...much longer than it usually takes, there are 3 stop signs on my street and they usually start to make noise before I hit the third one.
I got an email from the supplier saying that the pads were probably Hawk DTC05...he gave me the option to purchase shims for 20$/4 so Ill order those tomorrow
Im going downtown in an hour so the stop and go traffic + highway will definately tell me more.
The noise didnt come until I drove around for like 15 minutes, and even then it was not THAT loud..and it seemed to be more on the passenger side now...much longer than it usually takes, there are 3 stop signs on my street and they usually start to make noise before I hit the third one.
I got an email from the supplier saying that the pads were probably Hawk DTC05...he gave me the option to purchase shims for 20$/4 so Ill order those tomorrow
Im going downtown in an hour so the stop and go traffic + highway will definately tell me more.
Senior Member
the shims will almost 100% guaranteed fix that problem. This is why a lot of new pads come with shims already fixed onto them. Anytime shims are left off it seems like they dont start to squeal until you throw the shims away.
Almost a year later, still the same issue.
Shims are installed and did nothing.
Over the year of driving these are patterns that I noticed though
In summer when the car is at outside temperature and I move off- no noise
warming up in after a few lights and stop signs- noise
driving the car home and parking and driving the morning after rain - noise ( maybe the dirt and water residue )
In the winter
after sitting in outside temperatures and moving off with cold rotors and pads- OH lawd noise x1000
warming up after a few lights- still noise
as I said before the only way I dont get noise is when I really press hard on the brakes....
.......so because I pretty much forgot whatever I was told last year via text messages the pads that I have need to be changed.....problem is I dont know which pads to get which will be "softer"......its the 4 piston wilwood kit so I need pads that mate up
Shims are installed and did nothing.
Over the year of driving these are patterns that I noticed though
In summer when the car is at outside temperature and I move off- no noise
warming up in after a few lights and stop signs- noise
driving the car home and parking and driving the morning after rain - noise ( maybe the dirt and water residue )
In the winter
after sitting in outside temperatures and moving off with cold rotors and pads- OH lawd noise x1000
warming up after a few lights- still noise
as I said before the only way I dont get noise is when I really press hard on the brakes....
.......so because I pretty much forgot whatever I was told last year via text messages the pads that I have need to be changed.....problem is I dont know which pads to get which will be "softer"......its the 4 piston wilwood kit so I need pads that mate up
Senior Member
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Shims are installed and did nothing.
Over the year of driving these are patterns that I noticed though
In summer when the car is at outside temperature and I move off- no noise
warming up in after a few lights and stop signs- noise
driving the car home and parking and driving the morning after rain - noise ( maybe the dirt and water residue )
In the winter
after sitting in outside temperatures and moving off with cold rotors and pads- OH lawd noise x1000
warming up after a few lights- still noise
as I said before the only way I dont get noise is when I really press hard on the brakes....
.......so because I pretty much forgot whatever I was told last year via text messages the pads that I have need to be changed.....problem is I dont know which pads to get which will be "softer"......its the 4 piston wilwood kit so I need pads that mate up
Originally Posted by Maxterror
Almost a year later, still the same issue. Shims are installed and did nothing.
Over the year of driving these are patterns that I noticed though
In summer when the car is at outside temperature and I move off- no noise
warming up in after a few lights and stop signs- noise
driving the car home and parking and driving the morning after rain - noise ( maybe the dirt and water residue )
In the winter
after sitting in outside temperatures and moving off with cold rotors and pads- OH lawd noise x1000
warming up after a few lights- still noise
as I said before the only way I dont get noise is when I really press hard on the brakes....
.......so because I pretty much forgot whatever I was told last year via text messages the pads that I have need to be changed.....problem is I dont know which pads to get which will be "softer"......its the 4 piston wilwood kit so I need pads that mate up
Sell me them bud................. Im not going to offer advice buddy. Ill buy the calipers and solve the issue myself
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Originally Posted by ShippedOut
Sell me them bud................. Im not going to offer advice buddy. Ill buy the calipers and solve the issue myself

Senior Member
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LMAO ... Originally Posted by The_Fixer
Nothing can fix your car except taking it away from you

Senior Member
^
Ghost, ShippedOut, MaxTerror... We should invite more people
On another note, I had to pass a truck today and ended up jamming the gas pedal all the way to the floor due to heavy work shoes (should have changed ><). First time I ever saw the rpm go past 4,500 in the Maxima and it was pretty shaky :S. Car was in D
Ghost, ShippedOut, MaxTerror... We should invite more people
On another note, I had to pass a truck today and ended up jamming the gas pedal all the way to the floor due to heavy work shoes (should have changed ><). First time I ever saw the rpm go past 4,500 in the Maxima and it was pretty shaky :S. Car was in D
Senior Member
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Originally Posted by george__
^ Ghost, ShippedOut, MaxTerror... We should invite more people On another note, I had to pass a truck today and ended up jamming the gas pedal all the way to the floor due to heavy work shoes (should have changed ><). First time I ever saw the rpm go past 4,500 in the Maxima and it was pretty shaky :S. Car was in D
Once again another Driver caused issue found!i wonder what gear this guy drives around in if this is the first time he passed someone in D and the rpm went past 4500?could our canadian buddy here be driving around in some other Canadian SPECIALGear like J or Maby he drives around in R but its more likely most of his pedal time is stuck in P because his car is BROKEN.once again george_ you have showed us you are not worthy of owning anything that has a wheel!
Senior Member
The squeal is actually your shims vibrating and rubbing together at a really high frequency.....Screw the shim lube crap....Buy some spray on Brake Squeal...apply it to the rear of the pads and the shims and your good to go!
