Breaks make harsh noise, only in reverse

[z1ggy]

...And it seems to only come from the passenger back side. I changed all my brakes about 6 months ago (which was a HUGE pain in the ass... Thanks Mazda) and for maybe the past 5.9 months, have been dealing with the squealing noise. I figure it's just the pads breaking in a bit and it would go away. Well obviously it hasn't and it's getting worse now that it's starting to get a little colder out.

I've been hesitating to take the pads off again because it was the most annoying brake change I've ever done. Anybody who's done mazda or ford brakes in the past 10 years probably know the annoying brake and caliper design that's in place on this car. I needed like 5 hands to do this, luckily my dad and his buddy helped. Now, it's just me and my useless g/f to try and do any work on the car. I really don't want to pay Midas or some derp at a body shop to take my wheel off and tell me what I probably already know; that my caliper is frozen in some form and it needs lubing, and oh btw you now need new rotors because you facked them all up.

Is there anything I can do here with out taking the pads out? Honestly, don't really care a ton about uneven rotor wear, etc, I just want this annoying noise to stop. Planned on doing a full rotor/pad replacement next summer once I'm at 100k miles.

 

[boomerang]

Is there anything I can do here with out taking the pads out?

Turn up the radio.

 

[z1ggy]

Yeah, but other ppl hear it when Im backing out and they are like, OH SHIZ DAWG!!! YOUR CAR BE MAKING SOME NOISES AND WHATNOT!!

But otherwise it doesn't happen when I'm going forward, and seems to only be when the rotors/pads are cold. Once warmed up it doesnt happen.

Also, the inner 1/8'' or so of the rotor is all rusty and obviously isn't getting contacted by the pad.

 

[boomerang]

Did you change the steel shims when you put the pads on? Did you use cheap pads? Both can contribute to the noise you're hearing. As far as the rust ridge, if the pads aren't contacting that portion of the rotor, you will get rust. In other words, it's normal. Cheap pads may not contact the full surface of the rotor. They can make them cheaper because their isn't as much friction material. It's very common to have a rust ridge both extreme inboard and extreme outboard on a rotor.

A lot of pads today have the leading and trailing edges beveled off to help with brake squeal. The trailing edge is what is important in this case because the problem occurs when you go in reverse.

Sometimes trying to save a few bucks bites you on the ass. I can't tell from here whether you spent the extra for good quality brake components and replaced the hardware or not.

 

[z1ggy]

Did you change the steel shims when you put the pads on? Did you use cheap pads? Both can contribute to the noise you're hearing. As far as the rust ridge, if the pads aren't contacting that portion of the rotor, you will get rust. In other words, it's normal. Cheap pads may not contact the full surface of the rotor. They can make them cheaper because their isn't as much friction material. It's very common to have a rust ridge both extreme inboard and extreme outboard on a rotor.

A lot of pads today have the leading and trailing edges beveled off to help with brake squeal. The trailing edge is what is important in this case because the problem occurs when you go in reverse.

Sometimes trying to save a few bucks bites you on the ass. I can't tell from here whether you spent the extra for good quality brake components and replaced the hardware or not.

I didn't change the shims... Didn't know they were replaceable?

Cheap pads, F yes I did... it's a 2011 mazda 3 that I DD to work and back. I babied the sh!t out of my old Impreza and Gene Coupe, and I drove them hard... I put Hawk or EBC in the Gene but I'm 99% sure I used whatever the cheapest pads on Amazon were at the time. I figured it didn't make much of a difference, I wasn't going 100-40 as fast as I could in the Mazda.

I was also getting insanely pissed at how annoying taking the brakes apart and put back together, so I probably didn't lube things up as well as I did on the Gene. Plus, the Gene had painted Brembo's which were super easy to clean and lube. These calipers look like trash at this point, I almost wonder if they need replacing, too.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

If it is damp outside a bit of rust accumulates on the rotors overnight. Backing out of the driveway/parking space can create some noise. If it goes away when you are driving around normally I would say ignore it.

 

[boomerang]

If it is damp outside a bit of rust accumulates on the rotors overnight. Backing out of the driveway/parking space can create some noise. If it goes away when you are driving around normally I would say ignore it.

Agree fully on this. Easy to test. Do a slow speed stop in reverse after driving around for a while.

 

[z1ggy]

Only reason I want to do something is now it's loud as hell. Before it was just mildly annoying, but in the morning it's pretty loud, and even after sitting 8-9 hours during the work day, it can be noisey.

I'll do a reverse drive and stop after my 40 minute commute home today, see what happens. Normally, the noise goes away, but maybe it's because I mentally block it out....

I miss my old cars :'(

 

[MixMasterTang]

Solution = start backing into parking spots, that way when you leave you'll be going forward!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Break: verb (used with object), broke; broken; breaking.
1. To smash, split, or divide into parts violently; reduce to pieces or fragments:

Brake: noun
1. A device for slowing or stopping a vehicle or other moving mechanism by the absorption or transfer of the energy of momentum, usually by means of friction.

 

[z1ggy]

^ lol I made this post early ok.... I dIDN'T HAVE MY COFFEEEEEE.

Anyway, after a 40 min drive home, even in reverse the noise was gone. It's basically just an ear shattering high pitched squeal at 6:30am. Guess I'll just deal with it until they need replacing again?