lately I been having a high pitch squeel from my front drivers brake and I took the caliper off and inspected the pads and found nothing unusual. I have plenty of pad left so its not the wear indicators or rivets squeeling. any help?

 

1. too much brake dust
2. shims are missing
3. lack of anti-squeal compound
4. caliper rubber is worn down

just a few ideas

 

Try anti squeal compound on the back side of the pads. You might want to use high temp lube on the brass hareward so the pads can slide better. Use the same lube on the metal sliding rods that hold the caliper to the caliper bracket.

 

When I changed pads, rotors, etc.. at 54k I found the caliper pins quite worn to the point where I replaced them on both front calipers. They cost $23.00 for all 4 at Advance Auto. I used a synthetic high temp brake grease when I replaced them.

 

What pads are you using? Are the pads and/or rotors glazed?

 

Lube up all the slides and pins with synthetic brake grease.

 

I was told that the anti squeel stuff is useless...anyone else hear this?

 

No, I used it and brakes are very quiet. Hey it is cheap to do and so easy to use when replacing pads! Why not?

 

Yep! I am a total believer of that.. It burns off in 5 minutes or just doesn't work at all.


NISMO:

I just replaced all 4 of my brake pads last night. I was having squeeling, chirping, moaning, groaning, and just about any other noise imagainable (from the brakes) and I thought they were all bad. Looking at my front pads, They looked just fine!! lots of pad left, but they still squeeled, my rear ones were like fockin shot.. really really low. IMO: Just replace all 4 of em and get on with life.. :

Oh, are they OEM pads?

 

I disagree anti-squeel works. I do not use the blue stuff...way liquidy(sp). Use CRC really thick works great.

 

Yeah. CRC et al. definitely does not "burn off"

Had quiet brakes for a year running Porterfields in all corners until about a month ago--left front squeel. When I checked it, the brake shim backing was rusted out like tattered paper now. Will be getting brake shim kit soon and definitely will uses CRC Brake Disc Quiet again.

 

I have the OEM pads and rotors which are unserveced since the car was new in 97 and they have 43k on them. pads I would say have half of the friction material left on it.

I'll try the anti squeel grease next. If that doesnt work Ill just get new pads and cut my rotors at school. thanks for the help guys

 

the high pitched stuff is usually due to glazing..
Slamming on your brakes at high speeds and cold pads is the easiest way to do it.. high speeds could be no more than 40mph, and depending on your driving style, can happen the first time you touch your brakes in the mornings.

anyway, pull the pads off, sand the surface of them with 40-60 grit sandpaper (concrete works GREAT for this), and hit the surface of the rotors with some 100 grit or so. possibly have them turned, but it's usually not necessary. just knock some of the hardened outer "crust" off them. reassemble and try everything now. bet you my lunch money the squeal will go away- at least until you glaze the pads again.

 

ok, I bought some anti squeel (I think the cheap kind) anyways im going to go out and put that on and also do the sandpaper too. I think your right about the glazing though because the pads were smooth and really shiny so is that normal? anyways thanks.

 

I am clueless about the shims.... honestly i think that's what i'm missing. Does anyone have a picture or can describe this? thanks

btw- I have semi-metallic brakes... or that's what was on em when the previous owner (my cousin) had and there is plenty pad left. According to him, he said that when I brake and the pads heat up, it actually forms a layer of glass on the rotors so that's the squeeling i'm hearing.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by nadir_s
[B]I am clueless about the shims.... honestly i think that's what i'm missing. Does anyone have a picture or can describe this? thanks

Shims are thin metal pieces that go on the back of the pads. They are normally held in place by metal fingers on the shim. I would go get the front brake parts kit at a car parts store. It will have new shims, anti rattle springs and retaining clips for both calipers. While you are at it I would check the caliper pins, clean them and grease them with a synthetic high temp grease. It is not unusual for the shims to get thrown away when pads are changed, they are usually covered with brake dust and look like they are part of the pad. So if you are not familiar with the brake set up on a car you might not even look for them. It happens!

 

Heres what I did just now. I dissasembles both front calipers and cleaned/sandpapered all the pads and also poorly attempted to put a non directional finnish on the rotors.hah

QUESTION----
I put the anti squeel inbetween the pad and shim so that it stuck onto the pad and also put some on the back of the shim so that its inbetween the caliper and shim, thats what the package told me to do. Is that the correct way?

I took a drive downtown and it didnt squeel likeit used to so I hope I fixed it but we'll see in a week or so