Disc Brake Squeal

[Wingman]

I recently replaced the front brake pads on my S-10 pickup. Now I have a lot of brake squeal on my left front brake when I apply the brakes. What do I do to stop the squeal? Thanks.

 

[Char Baby]

Did you apply lube to the sliders and the backs of the new pads? Now that you have new pads on the front, take a look at the rotor for rust buildup. Maybe you can remove that buildup. I can explain further if needed!

 

[Wingman]

I have replaced pads many times and have never applied lube to the back of the pads. I guess I have been lucky up to now. Do I use some kind of special lube on the pads? Thanks for your answer.

 

[Char Baby]

I like Permatex Green or Black which I use on the slider too! There is a Permatex Purple lube also but, it's really costly. Lots of guys use grease or never-seize on the sliders. I don't like either of those products for the sliders. I guess, any brake anti-squeel will cut down on the noise. Let me link the Permatex brake lube. http://www.permatex.com/products-2/produ...ubricant-detail There is this specific picture on the site showing it being brushed on to the backs or the pads. Scroll down to the "Specialty Lubes" and this is how I use it! http://www.permatex.com/products/product-categories/lubricants And these directions: http://www.permatex.com/component/docume...ns&id=24125

 

[rshaw125]

Brand? Type of pads.

 

[Char Baby]

Originally Posted By: rshaw125

Brand? Type of pads.

Right! I have gotten rid of alot of different brake noise(s) just by going to Ceramic Pads! Although, most of the time, semi-metalic were OK, they were different on every application. Ceramic Pads has helped me to enjoy my braking now on every vehicle without any loss of brake bite in any weather condition or mountainous area And of course, I got the most noise out of Organic Pads, less with Semi-Mets and no noise with Ceramic

 

[Wingman]

Thank you for the very complete reply, Char Baby, I am off to the store!

 

[KenO]

Have you tried re-bedding the pads yet? Did you bed them in in the first place? I know about 5% of people actually do this, but it SHOULD be done with most sets of brake pads.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: KenO

Have you tried re-bedding the pads yet? Did you bed them in in the first place? I know about 5% of people actually do this, but it SHOULD be done with most sets of brake pads.

Permatex green & a thorough bedding is what I do and never a peep out of the brakes. I bed in by doing at minimum 30 stops from 30mph to 5 mph with cooling time in between. Bedding gives me 60-70,000 miles out of a set of Toyota factory pads.

 

[Wingman]

I applied the caliper grease to the pins and the back of the pads and the squeal is gone. This is something I have never done when I replaced my brake pads, but I will from now on. I will also "bed" the pads from now on also. Thanks for all the great advice. Problem solved!!!

 

[EdwardC]

I use anti-seize on the pad sliding contact points (the "ears"), silicone paste on the slide pins, then Permatex Green Caliper Lube on the pad backs. I was turned off of using the Permatex Green on the slide pins after reading stories of it destroying the rubber boots on the caliper pins. Check out these reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-24110-Ultra-Brake-Caliper/dp/B000HBNV6W Edit: Oops, just saw that you already fixed your squealing, congrats!

 

[meep]

there have been a couple of times where grease and goo have not solved the problem for me, and the solution was to scuff both sides of the rotors with a belt sander, allowing the rotor to spin by the friction of the belt while applying consistent pressure. it leaves a nice cross-hatch pattern and probably takes 3 minutes per rotor, about a minute per side.

 

[Ken2]

The squeal is caused by the accumulated pad material on the rotor, in a layer too thin to see, grabbing, releasing, grabbing the pad very quickly. The pad steel backing plate rubs against the piston at a very high frequency, and we have the squeal. Either a lubricant or rubber-like damping layer on the pad back can stop the squeal. Physically abrading the rotor surface to remove the layer is always a good bet. Just a good hand sanding with emery cloth works. Proper break in helps.

 

[salv]

Cheap metallic pads will squeal all day long. I hate the regular Duralast pads. I replaced pads and rotors on the front of my Trailblazer with them. Still squealing over a year later. I put Duralast Golds on the back. No noise from them. We have the same issue with many of the used cars we sell with inexpensive metallic brakes on them. We usually end up upgrading the pads in the interest of customer satisfaction.

 

[KenO]

OTOH, I prefer brakes that squeal. Thats why I daily on pads like Hawk HP+ or PBR Axxis Ultimates

 

[Char Baby]

I know there are two schools of thought on bedding in brakes. I'm not one for bedding in the pad with 10-30 stops! I just drive normaly and all is GOOD! Has been for over 40 years. When I have bedded in brakes by doing the many stops, I also had rotor problems sooner...like in 2-3 months! Just my .02cents

 

[KenO]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby

I know there are two schools of thought on bedding in brakes. I'm not one for bedding in the pad with 10-30 stops! I just drive normaly and all is GOOD! Has been for over 40 years. When I have bedded in brakes by doing the many stops, I also had rotor problems sooner...like in 2-3 months! Just my .02cents

10-30 stops seems excessive, bed-in procedure varies by pad manufacturer. Here's a link from Tirerack with a variety of pad manufacturers bed-in procedures. Also, fwiw, the entire process is to transfer a layer of brake pad friction material, at a molecular level, to the surface of the brake rotor. No offense, but if you bedded in pads and had rotor issues, then you did something wrong. http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=85

 

[SteveSRT8]

Most folks never get that bedding must be gauged to the type of car and brakes. Small econoboxes with tiny little brakes don't need much, faster cars with bigger brakes and more swept area, etc., need a lot more stops from higher speeds. Then there's the pad material, which must be taken in to account also. There's a ton of variables, and most cars never need the procedure anyway, just for us road course nuts...

 

[KenO]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8

Most folks never get that bedding must be gauged to the type of car and brakes. Small econoboxes with tiny little brakes don't need much, faster cars with bigger brakes and more swept area, etc., need a lot more stops from higher speeds. Then there's the pad material, which must be taken in to account also. There's a ton of variables, and most cars never need the procedure anyway, just for us road course nuts...

True, but it's certainly nice when you 'fix' somebody's noisy brakes by 'beating on them', and they look at you very confused like.

 

[Char Baby]

Originally Posted By: KenO

Originally Posted By: Char Baby

I know there are two schools of thought on bedding in brakes. I'm not one for bedding in the pad with 10-30 stops! I just drive normaly and all is GOOD! Has been for over 40 years. When I have bedded in brakes by doing the many stops, I also had rotor problems sooner...like in 2-3 months! Just my .02cents

10-30 stops seems excessive, bed-in procedure varies by pad manufacturer. Here's a link from Tirerack with a variety of pad manufacturers bed-in procedures. Also, fwiw, the entire process is to transfer a layer of brake pad friction material, at a molecular level, to the surface of the brake rotor. No offense, but if you bedded in pads and had rotor issues, then you did something wrong. http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=85

Yep, probably did something wrong! That's why I just drive my vehicles normaly after a pad change and get at least 4 years out of my rotors before having to change them out due to all of the rust from road salt in my area/winters. And this rotor issue usually happened with the smaller vehicles, not the full size of SUV's.