I just did the brakes on my Max this last weekend and the front
pads give off a loud squeal just coming to a stop in heavy stop
and go traffic.

I used all Bendix parts, had the rotors turned, all new hardware,
and used heavy duty brake lube for all the caliper guide pins as
well.

I drove the car for a few minutes after I was done doing only
light 30MPH stops to seat the new pads, but this problem turned
up the following day.

The only thing that I didn't replace were the brake pad shims,
the new pads didn't have provisions (read; little indents for the
bumps on the shims) for the shims.

I used anti-squeal compound on the back of the pads instead.

It's mainly the passenger side front brake that's the problem,
but the driver's side front will be a problem after quite some
time.

If it's one stop, then go for a while, there's no squeal...

I checked the calipers and they're not hanging up at all...

Question is, are the shims really that important for these cars?

I was only able to find a shim kit through the dealer for $40,
which I have on order and should be here Friday, but was just
wondering...

Thanks!
Scott

 

sounds like you covered every thing....I did not do all of that and I am just using the cheapest wherever (sp?) pads I could get at advanced....they dont squeek at all but the do dust A LOT....I guess the only other thing you could try is replacing the shims.....but disc breaks are easy to change so it may be worth it just to switch to something you know will not squeel

 

Did you install shims on your car?

I had the Wearever on the rear of the car and thought that
they were what was causing the squeal, so I replaced them
last night with Bendix pads, but it's the fronts that are the
problem.

Both the Wearever and Bendix pads on the rear are organic,
the Bendix pads on the front are semi-metallic, where your
Wearevers semi-metallic as well?

Scott

 

got no shims on mine, no squeal...

pads used were napa premium pads

I used Sta-Lube (by CRC) brake caliper synthetic grease

 

Don't the new pads usually come with shims?

S

 

no not really it depends what brand they r and what company makes them, cuzz aome of them tend to cheap out, like auto zone. that wear i get my brake pads and they dont come with them. i get them the for the kick *** lifetime woranty

 

Ya'd think they would, but... oh well, we'll see after this weekend!

Scott

 

I just reused the shims that were already on there...about 2000k ago one of the rear ones was working its way off so I just pulled it out and still I get no squeel. Also I am using all organic pads both front and back.

 

lol, 2000k ago! I have some occasional squeal from my brakes, but I also have some warped front rotors that are attributed to that (hence why you should always always have the rotor's turned or replaced when you do brakes or 5 lug conversions!).

S

 

2k......................happy

 

Very!

S

 

Man! I just picked up the brake shim kit from the dealer...

There is a bunch of shims for the front brakes!

There is, of course, the hardware that goes on the caliper
hanger that the pads themselves fit into...

Then there's the inner and outer pad shims (two per side)...

Plus there's a shim that goes over the caliper piston (one per side)!
I assume basically to keep debris out of the piston.

The parts man had a good idea towards my brake squealing...

He asked if the pads that I put on had a groove cut in the
center of the pad... which they don't! He suggested taking
a hacksaw and cutting the groove in the pads. Should help
in dissipating the brake dust.

I'll report more on Monday... I also have to replace the EGR
valve gaskets, when the dealer did the timing belt/water pump,
they made a note that the gaskets are leaking... unknown if
it's the engine or exhaust side, but I'm going to replace both
while I'm there.

Scott

 

Well, I installed the new factory shim kit and cut a "relief" groove into the
pads and installed everything dry (no anti-squeal compound).

The brakes are now quiet as a church mouse... no squeal whatsoever!


On a side note, when I had the car in to the dealer to replace the water
pump and timing belt, they noted that I had a bad EGR gasket.

Well, I finally got to that this weekend... mine was missing one!

There's supposed to be a gasket, then the EGR pipe, then another
gasket, then the EGR valve.

Mine was missing the second gasket...

While I had the EGR pipe out, I let it soak in the solvent tank till it
was fully clean and reinstalled it with the new gaskets.

I didn't notice the car driving any different until I had to slow down
to go around a corner, then step back on the gas... the car used
to be sluggish trying to pick up speed again.

I always thought that this was because of the auto tranny... well there's
much improvement in this area after replacing the EGR gaskets!

So if your car is an auto tranny, and it feels a little sluggish after going
around a corner and trying to get back to speed, the EGR gaskets may
be the answer!

Scott

 

since we're on the subject of brakes, has anyone tried ceramic brakes? supposedly, they don't leave brake dust and they don't squeal. my brakes like to squeal when the car is cold, for the first few stops, but as they warm up or whatever, the squealing goes away. I have whatever brakes were on the car when I got it. they're not in too bad of a condition, but I don't know what kind or how cheap they are.

Dan

 

I have them on my 98 and there is very little dust, and they do not squeel...though they are not stoping me as fast as my previous pads...I dont know if I need to slam down on them one good time to break them in or what. But I was under the impression that they would have better stoping power as well. It could be that I went to bigger wheels as the same time I did the pads so they are having a problem slowing down bigger wheels (just a guess, I dont know)....I was just tired of my rims always being dirty...these pads really helped that.

 

I usually stick to semi-metallics myself....and since my wheels are easy to clean now, I'm not as worried about brake dust as I use to. My stock rims and the I30 rims are a pita to clean!

S

 

tell me about the 86 SE wheels... I never wash mine...

 

I can vouch for that.....Ben...your wheels are so dirty, you'd have to buy new ones to clean them!

S

 

Raybestos makes a ceramic pad called "Quiet Stop". I've installed them on several cars (none of them Maximas however) recently and the owners have been happy with them. They are very quiet and make a LOT less dust than semi-metallics. The only bad thing is, I don't think they make them for our 2nd gen Maximas. NAPA sells a similar pad called "Ceramix" which I've used once and they seem to work well too. I think you can get them for the 2nd gens.

 

I think they do for 3rd gen's though.....which only benefits me considering I have 3rd gen calipers in my car. 5-lug conversions for everyone! My treat! j/k

S