brakes squeek

[choklit]

so here's the problem:

whenever i press on the brake pedal the brakes squeek. it's not worn out pads because they have at least 80% left on them. i know this because i took my car to honda to replace them, but they told me that my pads are still good.

i noticed that there are louder squeeks when it is cold outside like in the mornings or evenings. a light step on the pedal on a warm day and it squeeks just a little bit and with a little more pressure it goes away.

i was told that it could be brake dust on my rotors and i just need to clean it. i haven't really took a look at it to clean it so maybe that could be the problem.

does anyone know what could be causing this? if so i need your help

[etcthorne]

If you're certain the pads are good and you don't notice pulsating when applying your breaks, the first thing you should do is re-position the brake dust shields (the large sheet metal stuff near the brake assy). Sometimes harmonics set up and sound like squeaking. This is easiest and cheapest to try - it's free and takes all of about 5 minutes for all wheels.

Next step is to go buy about 3 cans of brake cleaner (this stuff stains cement, ruins paint, and is SERIOUS trouble if you get it where it doesn't belong). Also pick up some high temp brake lube grease in the little tubes - very cheap for all of this stuff.

CAREFULLY jack the car up one side at a time, or put it on a lift if you have access to one. Remove each wheel and brake caliper assy (DO NOT APPLY ANY BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE WHILE YOU HAVE A CALIPER REMOVED OR YOU'll HAVE A HELL OF A TIME GETTING THE BRAKE PISTONS RETRACTED). Remove the retainer clips and the pads. Clean the entire assy with brake cleaner, let dry, and lubricate the hardware (NO LUBE ON BRAKE PADS). Pay specific attention to lubricating ALL hardware supporting the pads, even the little clips.

This entire process for all wheels should only take you about an hour at most. If you still have squeaking pads, you should (at the same time) have your rotors turned and purchase new OEM (or better) pads. Put the freshly turned rotors and the new pads on at the same time and CAREFULLY follow break-in instructions with the pads.


Good luck.

[dobiejoe]

I wish the only thing on my car that squeek'd was the brakes

[Duce2k]

That's some good info man, my brakes don't squeak, but if they do I'll try that

[choklit]

wow thanks! thats really detailed with step by step instructions

the only thing i'm worried about is the brake cleaner. any advice if any get on the paint?

[BigT]

Originally Posted by choklit

wow thanks! thats really detailed with step by step instructions

the only thing i'm worried about is the brake cleaner. any advice if any get on the paint?

Just wash it off. Don't let it sit on there very long.

Also, if you do everything above but the pads have a lot of life left and the rotors aren't bad (no shaking, pulsing etc.) and you don't want to give up on them and replace them just yet, there are a couple things you can try before replacing your pads and turning/replacing your rotors.

You can take some very fine grit sandpaper and go over the pads lightly in a circular motion to try to remove any glazing or contamination which may be present. You can also try this same thing on the rotors, making sure you use a circular motion (you don't want to create which the pads will try to follow which will just create more noise). This will allow the two parts (pads and rotors) to wear into each other again and hopefully eliminate any wear patterns which could be causing noise.

Another thing you can try is chamfering (beveling/making an angle) the edges of the pads with a file or grinder. Here is a picture of what I mean:

See how there is an angle at the edges. It can help stop chattering/noise in some cases.

[choklit]

one last thing...

do i need piston compressors or can i just let it sit there while i have everything off?

[BigT]

Originally Posted by choklit

one last thing...

do i need piston compressors or can i just let it sit there while i have everything off?

You can just leave everything sit while you work. But don't let the calipers hang by the brake hoses. Use a piece of wire or something to tie them up to keep the weight off the hoses. Once you are done everything should slide back together without a piston compressor. Just don't push the brakes while it is apart (like etcthorne said).

However, if you replace the pads the new ones will be thicker and you will need a way to push the pistons back in. A huge channel lock pliers (really huge, mine is 16" I think) can sometimes work. A big "C" clamp will sometimes work. However, a cheap piston compressor is probably less than $10 at a parts store and can make things a lot easier.

Push one side in at a time and fully assemble it before doing the other side to avoid having the piston come back out when you compress the other side. Make sure you remove the cap on the brake master cylinder when you are doing this because the brake fluid level will rise. Usually it isn't a problem, but I have seen master cylinder caps pop off.

[choklit]

alrighty thanks a lot guys for the information. now i just gotta get some brake cleaner and some lube. i'll let you guys know the results when i finish

[sonitex]

How many miles should brake pads lasts for mostly highway driving?

[av911]

Originally Posted by sonitex

How many miles should brake pads lasts for mostly highway driving?

Mine are at 58K miles with 60/40 hwy/city. I don't hear any sqeeks, but I can feel it doesn't brake as good. I did check the pads and it looks like it still has a lot of life left.

[choklit]

forgot about this thread...

anyway, did everything except for sanding the rotors and brake pads. it worked! no noises at all. thanks guys!