How Far Would You Go To Stop Brake Squeal?

[Ornery]

When we purchased my wife's used car last September, it had a squeal when braking. I told her not to worry, I'd handle it. Picked up brake pads for the front and back. Installed the fronts and all was well... for about 5 days. Cold weather was setting in, so I told her I'd put the rear pads on when I got a chance... fast forward to yesterday. I put the rear pads on, and it squealed before I even got out of the driveway, so I assumed it was the fronts.

I searched all over the web for causes and remedies to this problem. That lead me to this discussion about using high temperature, synthetic lube behind the pads and other areas of the caliper. I picked up some of that, slathered it on all four pad backs, sliding pins and spring retainers. Put it all back together and it still squealed!

The first item on one list to prevent squeal was to turn the rotors and sand or "cross hatch" the surface. I took the front rotors and had them turned and sanded. That did it! Shouldn't have been so damn lazy in the first place!

• $21.90 Rear Pads
  $20.49 Front Pads
  $13.69 Synthetic Brake Lube
  $18.00 Turn Front Rotors
  ______
  $74.08 Total Brake Squeal Resolution

That doesn't even account for the time spent. I had those pads out of each caliper no less than 2 times and 3 times for the fronts!

 

[notfred]

you should have had the rotors turned to begin with.

 

[Ornery]

I believe I mentioned that fact!

 

[m2kewl]

well in the end you solved the problem, learn from experience

 

[MaxDSP]

I spent around $100 total but the brakes still squeal like a herd of greased pigs. Its been like that for more two years since the problem started, but every time we look at the brakes, there seems to be nothing wrong

 

[Moonbeam]

I would probably go so far as to drive to a brake shop.

Are you actually sure it's the brake pads and not some ancillary contact. Could something be squealing from some other form of contact when you apply the brakes. If you think the problem is one thing and it's another, it can get hard to fix.

Edit: If I wasn't so damn lazy I'd have read more carefully.

 

[Soybomb]

I'd oil them.

Nah I just turn up the stereo

 

Ornery, next time this happens, use Disc brake Quiet, I do hundreds of brake jobs a year, I always use this on the back of the pads whether they have anti squeal shims or not.

Not once ever have I had a return or complaint about squealing brakes


Edit;

Brake squeal is nothing more than the pads vibrating in thier mounts at a high frequency.
Caliper grease is not meant for the pads, it's meant for the pins and retainers on the caliper.

 

[Ornery]

After doing that research on the web, I've found that this is a huge problem for brake shops all over. Ever since asbestos pads were replaced. Soft pads are less likely to squeal, but they wear out quicker, and cause dust problems on fancy rims. Hard pads are more likely to squeal, but have higher heat ratings and less dust problem. Big trucks have very hard pads and squealing brakes are just a fact of life.

Stupid me, I figured I could just slap in one set of $20.00 pads and be done with it. Skip the hassle and cost of turning the rotors. The pads I pulled off were in great condition. The car only had 30K on it. Rotors didn't look bad either. Next time, I do the whole job right off the bat!

 

[Ornery]

"...the pads vibrating in their mounts at a high frequency."

This is the first car I've ever had to struggle with this on. I've only ever just replaced the minimal amount of parts necessary on my brake jobs. Only turned the drums or rotors if there were grooves. This squealing is merely a cosmetic problem, so it kind of bugged me to put that much time and money into brakes that obviously had many miles left on them.

My research uncovered the fact that squealing could come from either, "The rotor to pad contact surfaces, or the pad to caliper contact surfaces." The author said studies proved it was better to use grease over glue. I figured, since the grease didn't help me out, it must be the rotor to pad surface causing the trouble. Does that mean the rotor itself is singing? Should I spray this treatment on before the pads get broke in? Do you allow that disc brake quiet to dry before assembling and driving?

Edit: "...all European and now most every American brake manufacture (Raybestos, Wagner, Bendix, Autospecialty, Qualitee, Performance Friction, etc, etc, etc) frown on a glue type product for pad backs. What they do specify is moly based synthetic lubricant that allow the pad to move freely, wear evenly and also dissipate heat and energy properly."

As Spock would say, "Facinating!"

 

Do you allow that disc brake quiet to dry before assembling and driving?

Frown or not Ornery, Disc Brake Quiet works fantastic, I prefer to allow the Disc Brake Quiet to get sticky, then assemble the brakes, remember, only spray the backside of the pads, DO NOT allow the spray to come into contact with either the friction surface or guide tangs.

My research uncovered the fact that squealing could come from either, "The rotor to pad contact surfaces, or the pad to caliper contact surfaces."

In either case, it's the brake pads that are vibrating at high frequencies, Disc Brake Quiet[/b] sticks the back of the pads to the piston face and caliper preventing the pads from vibrating[/b], I have been using this product for close to 18 years now and I have never had a customer complaint or comeback

 

[Greyd]

Originally posted by: Roger
Ornery, next time this happens, use Disc brake Quiet, I do hundreds of brake jobs a year, I always use this on the back of the pads whether they have anti squeal shims or not.

Not once ever have I had a return or complaint about squealing brakes


Edit;

Brake squeal is nothing more than the pads vibrating in thier mounts at a high frequency.
Caliper grease is not meant for the pads, it's meant for the pins and retainers on the caliper.

Roger how long does one application of this stuff last?

 

[GermyBoy]

I'd kill a man to have my brakes stop squealing.

 

[Ornery]

This is the dilemma I told my wife about. The brake manufacturers all say to use the lube on the backs of the pads, but the guys who do the brake repairs prefer to stick the pads to the caliper. I asked, "Who would you listen to?" She said, "The guys that do the repairs!" I said, "Yeah, but I already spent $14.00 for the lube, and they're already assembled (for the third time)!"

If the damn things ever start squealing again, I'll glue the SOBs!


I'd kill a man to have my brakes stop squealing.

Here's what I've gleaned:

• Buy soft pads
• Resurface the rotors and sand them
• Use "Disc Brake Quiet" on the backs of the pads
• NO contamination on the rotors

A little less drastic than murder, eh?

 

[Moonbeam]

I just took mine to the shop for front brake pads. It's there now.

 

[Ornery]

• That's cheating!

Hey, I just washed mine today. It runs much better after I wash it, and polish up the chrome!

 

[Moonbeam]

That's cheating.

I wait for rain.

 

[StageLeft]

Hmm I don't know because I've never had it bad, but I could see spending a lot on the maxima. On the sentra I'd let it squeel away.

 

[JC]

One more thing. Are the pads chamfered on the ends? Often the 'high frequency squeal' occurs at the end of the pad where it meets the rotor perpendicularly. Grinding off some of the pad material
(if they aren't like that out of the box) reduces the angle of contact, and hence, may reduce the resultant noise.

Roger's a lucky guy to NEVER have a problem with brake squeal. I've done all the things he does, and occasionally still had a problem child car.


JC

 

[Ornery]

The OEM pads I pulled off were tapered on the ends, with a groove cut perpendicular down the center. The replacement pads had no taper, but did have the groove. Both squealed before resurfacing the rotor. Both had thin plates on the back that are supposed to also stop squealing.

Moonbeam, ask your mechanic what brand and type of goop they use on the back of the pads, please.

 

[Balthazar]

Originally posted by: Ornery
When we purchased my wife's used car last September, it had a squeal when braking. I told her not to worry, I'd handle it. Picked up brake pads for the front and back. Installed the fronts and all was well... for about 5 days. Cold weather was setting in, so I told her I'd put the rear pads on when I got a chance... fast forward to yesterday. I put the rear pads on, and it squealed before I even got out of the driveway, so I assumed it was the fronts.

I searched all over the web for causes and remedies to this problem. That lead me to this discussion about using high temperature, synthetic lube behind the pads and other areas of the caliper. I picked up some of that, slathered it on all four pad backs, sliding pins and spring retainers. Put it all back together and it still squealed!

The first item on one list to prevent squeal was to turn the rotors and sand or "cross hatch" the surface. I took the front rotors and had them turned and sanded. That did it! Shouldn't have been so damn lazy in the first place!

• $21.90 Rear Pads
  $20.49 Front Pads
  $13.69 Synthetic Brake Lube
  $18.00 Turn Front Rotors
  ______
  $74.08 Total Brake Squeal Resolution

That doesn't even account for the time spent. I had those pads out of each caliper no less than 2 times and 3 times for the fronts!

Good lord nowhere near that much!

 

[Moonbeam]

Will do, Ornery

 

Roger's a lucky guy to NEVER have a problem with brake squeal. I've done all the things he does, and occasionally still had a problem child car.

Luck has nothing to do with it, if the rotors are in good shape, the caliper bolts and pins are not worn (This allows the caliper to move laterally, the pads must be held firmly in place) and you use Disc Brake Quiet, the brakes will never squeal.

Roger, how long does Disc Brake Quiet last ?

For the life of the pads unless you remove them for some reason, then the Disc Brake Quiet will have to be reapplied.

 

[FrontlineWarrior]

wow i'm just glad that there is a solution to this problem. every time my sister's POS car went in for this problem everyone said there was nothing wrong. stupid people they were.

 

[Renob]

How Far Would You Go To Stop Brake Squeal


to the brake shop down the street.