Bosch QuieCast pads can't stop an annoying squeal.

[BigD1]

Recently, I installed Bosch QuietCast front brake pads on my 92 Toyota pickup 2wd along with new rotors. Did install new hardware, and lubed it all up properly.

Have an annoying very loud low speed squeal that happens randomly from the driver side front, and maybe once or twice over a 35 mile trip. I have used Sylglyde brake grease under the shim, on both sides of the shim, and then bought a bottle of CRC Disc brake Quiet to see if that would work, and nothing I have done will stop it.

I have decided to just get rid of the pads, and go buy something else locally. The truck has drums on the back, so I am leaning toward semi-metallic, but I think I might be better off with organic pads because semi-metallic do tend to be more noisy. Not sure what to think about front ceramic pads on an old pickup with rear drum brakes.

Have numerous auto part stores around here locally, so could anybody recommend an organic brake house brand or what ever, or are they just cheap junk? Have less than a 1,000 miles on these new pads and rotors, so I am just going to do a quick pad slap with new brake grease, and then hope for the best.

 

[SZR48207]

Did you follow proper rotor bedding procedure after the install?

https://www.zeckhausen.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=6446_6443

 

[Trav]

With almost 1K on them bedding isn't going to do much and on these pads may make them squeal even more but as you are ready to bin them anyway go ahead a try it. I checked the local stuff, its all garbage house brands go to rock auto there are some real sleepers there for next to nothing.

MINTEX MDB1440, BECK/ARNLEY 0881270M AXXIS Metal Master should be the ones but check the numbers and description of your truck, SR5, etc.
The Metal Masters are very good and quiet pads with good bite but they changed the name to Axxis XBG so they blow them out for $6.55 The Mintex is part of Pagid which are excellent. On both of these you will want to use a thin full film of the CRC on the pad that goes against the piston(s) and a thin line down the middle lengthwise on the outer pad as they are usually only metal backed.

The CRC when used properly is superior to grease types, its a membrane that is waterproof and when dry does not attract dirt but people abuse it and lather it on all over the place like some sort of sauce.
Do not bed in with either of these, they don't need it just drive the truck normally.

Edit: Don't do the full bedding program as written by Zeckhausen this is for performance pads and not the proper bedding procedure for inexpensive street pads. One guy on this forum did it with some Bendix CT-3 pads and they made so much noise he wanted to toss them, it took quite a few hundred miles of use before they went quiet. Take that info and cut it in half IMO.

 

[nwjones18]

I'd shop for some Wagner Thermoquiets on Amazon or Rockauto. I've never had any make noise and I install them dry.

 

[nthach]

That CRC stuff is intended for pads without shims. Wagners are hit and miss on Japanese applications, they do stop well but the pad fit can cause clicking/knocking when the brakes are applied.

I've always liked Axxis/PBR/Repco on imports - no shim, but the CRC red stuff is intended for those pads. A lot of parts stores will stock a "economy" pad for those trucks, I'd spend a little more and get a middle-of-the-road one. I've personally used Monroe and Akebono on a car of that era I had, and they worked fine.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: nthach
That CRC stuff is intended for pads without shims.

Exactly. The Axxis and Mintex usually have no shims, for $6.55 a set you cant go wrong IMO.

 

[The Critic]

Throw away the Bosch Quietcast pads and install new pads from the dealer with new OE shim kits. It will be pricey, but this is probably your best option for noise issues.

 

[RevelationLion]

I had some squeaking on my new rear drum brakes when coming to a stop. Took a chance with Lubegard squeak relief brake treatment, and it worked. IIRC, it's been over two months now.

 

[meep]

I just threw away akebono pads from my tundra -low dust, no noise, but no grip. Used Hawk LTS pads and am very pleased. raybestos AT rotors.

 

[BigD1]

Trav, the Metal Masters you listed are the wrong ones for my truck, and I am not sure about the Mintex. Three different brake pad configurations for these trucks that I know about for sure, so I have to be careful on which ones to buy.

Anyway, I trashed the Bosch ScreechCast, and went down to NAPA, and bought the NAPA house brand Proformer organic for $15 out the door, and they did come with shims installed. Did a quick pad slap with just a tad of Sylglyde on the abutments, and it's quiet now.

The Bosch QuietCast were semi-metallic rated FF, and I can tell that the NAPA organic pads FE rated do not have the grab that the Bosch pads had. It's a trade off I reckon for less noise.

One thing I did notice on the Bosch pads was that the sides of the pads were not chamfered. Looked at the Toyota factory pads, and those were chamfered on the sides, and the NAPA pads I bought were chamfered on the sides too. From past experience with my vehicles, and others I have worked on over the years I have had more noise problems with pads that did not have chamfered sides. Don't know why, but it does have me thinking about it.

 

[nthach]

The chamfering is to keep the pads from "catching an edge" on the rotor and chattering, or so I think. Wagner uses some fancy laser "shaping" to achieve the same effect.

Think of it like catching an edge on a ski or snowboard.

 

[Trav]

I saw they had a few models. Are the ones from Napa quiet at least?

 

[BigD1]

Yes the Proformer organic are very quite. It's is their cheapest line. Looked at the next step up premium organic that comes with hardware, and it looked exactly like the same pads as the Proformer, and had the exact same shim. I reckon the premium means paying the extra for the hardware.

If the Proformer don't last long, I think I will buy the Ultra Premium organic next time that are made by TRW. Overall, I am very happy with the new pads, and very surprised at just how much quieter these pads are than the Bosch semi-metallic even when the the Bosch pads were not screeching.

I did a little bit of research about the chamfer on pads, and yes it's to help keep the noise down. The Toyota factory pads look very similar to the NAPA pads, so Bosch is not matching OE style by not chamfering the pads. Cost cutting I guess, and I will pay more attention to the details next round before I waste money again.

 

[Trav]

Performance may improve after a couple of hundred miles but it sounds like your happy enough with them. Yep it suck to feel like you threw money out the window.

 

[Sam_Julier]

Originally Posted By: BigD1
Yes the Proformer organic are very quite. It's is their cheapest line. Looked at the next step up premium organic that comes with hardware, and it looked exactly like the same pads as the Proformer, and had the exact same shim. I reckon the premium means paying the extra for the hardware.

If the Proformer don't last long, I think I will buy the Ultra Premium organic next time that are made by TRW. Overall, I am very happy with the new pads, and very surprised at just how much quieter these pads are than the Bosch semi-metallic even when the the Bosch pads were not screeching.

I did a little bit of research about the chamfer on pads, and yes it's to help keep the noise down. The Toyota factory pads look very similar to the NAPA pads, so Bosch is not matching OE style by not chamfering the pads. Cost cutting I guess, and I will pay more attention to the details next round before I waste money again.



Replaced Bosch Quiet Cast with PBR on the Volvo 240 wagon for same reasons. Will not use Bosch again.