This weekend I installed new rotors and pads on my 2k2 max. The pads were the green stuff brand - ceramic I believe. I've done this same brake job on many other cars of mine with no problems. After getting the new pads/rotors on, I noticed a high pitch hideous skreeching/squeaking noise whenever the car is moving. The only thing that I can think of is that it was tight fitting the new pads onto the rotor and that they are constantly rubbing a little bit.

Any thoughts/advice?

 

brake grease/lube?
i've done a ton of brake jobs myself and catch myself getting lazy from time to time. this past time, i didn't put any grease, even though it was just swapping out rotors. but just the fact that i had to remove my pads, that was enough to loosen up any old grease, and by the end of that day, i was taking it apart, trying to find that hideous noise.

 

Excuse my ignorance, but what are you supposed to grease/lube? What kind of grease would you use?

 

ding ding ding. looks like we found our problem.
any auto store will have brake grease or brake lube for like any price ranging from $0.59 to $1.99....it's very cheap, very small, and the idea is that it allows the shims to stick onto the pads. how this mechanically stops your pads from squealing, i have NO idea, but simple point of the matter.........it works. if you look up squealing and brake pads on google, over 90% of the answers are due to brake lube. even on the packet itself, it'll say "stops brake squeal".

there are no special brands. some are at the actual counter, hanging in little packets. prolly right next to the same packets of antiseize compound.

 

Hmmm....another problem. The directions for my green stuff pads said NOT to reinstall the original shims because they would make the pads too thick to fit back over the rotors... Does it still make sense to apply the grease to the backs of the pads???

 

My dust shield (debris shield?) got bent in my installation process and the metal edge of the shield was rubbing against the rotor. It was a constant screaching/scraping noise. You could check this by poking your head under the car and checking the clearance of the shield from the backside, paying particular attention to the corners.

 

This may be it...cause I hear the hideous noise even when rolling along at 1mph.

 

Yes, apply anti-squeal grease to the back of the brake pads, and I apply it to the caliper's mating surfaces too just to be sure (I put a ring of it around the caliper piston, and a layer of it on the claw-like part that mounts to the back of the outboard pad.

I use the CRC anti-squeal brake grease (red stuff, comes in a little container) and it works great.

I also do not use the stock shims (they won't fit with the 2004 Maxima rotors with the BlehmCo BBK)

 

This turned out to be the problem - don't think I belt the dust shield though - just much less tolerance between the shields and the new rotors. Definitely something to watch for when you're installing new rotors in the future.

thanks for everyone's help

 

I am assuming you bought the EBC pads correct? What resolved your problem? Taking out the shim or the grease? The noise is very annoying. I get it as well.

 

Bending the dust shield so that it didn't rub (metal on metal) against the rotor solved the problem. EBC suggested not using the shims, so I did not. I now hear just a bit of noise from the pads, but I believe this is normal with new pads until broken in.

 

I just had this same problem with mine when I installed brembo slotted rotors and PBR Ultimate ceramic pads. t was a high pitch noise. I haven't heard it in a few days, so I'm hoping it doesn't come back. I checked to see if anything was rubbing and it wasn't. But I didn't lube mine either, but until it comes back I'm not messing with it.