Brake Pad Squeal

[Steve P]

Just changed my front pads to EBC greenstuff, and they are squealing like hell. It's deafening. Is this just the new pads bedding in, or should I have put in some anti squeal shims (or whatever they're called)?

 

When I took the old ones off it looked like there were some on the back, but they were fixed on to or part of the pads, which seems to defeat the point?

[Ladders]

Did you put anti seize on the back of the pads?

 

Fitted my greenstuff a few weeks ago and they don't squeal, although they do knock just as I apply the brakes?

 

I might refit the shims you were on about to see if they stop the knocking?

[Dixie]

You do have steel rotars and not the MMC ones don't you???

 

Sorry to ask a daft question if you do.

[Steve P]

No I don't have MMC disks - fair question though - always worth checking you've got the basics right!

 

Ladders, I put coppersil on the back of the pads and that's it. The squealing is now becoming erratic - it'll be non existent for 15 minutes, and then suddenly come back with a vengance for 15 minuters. I guess the shims would help the knocking as well as the squealing, but I don't think I'll be able to get them off the old pads - they seem to have welded themselves togethor. Think I'll give it a week to see if it stops and then get some new ones if needs be.

 

Did you find that the pads are larger then the originals and so come further in towards the centre of the disk over the unworn area? The disk seems to have worn away quickly though so I think the pads are sitting on the disk properly now.

[Mark H]

First time I fitted Pagids to mine the noise was so bad I found myself trying not to brake as it almost burst your ear drums, did eventually quieten down though and was fine afterwards.

[Ladders]

Steve, yes the Greenstuff do seem to be a tad bigger. Might be worth fitting the backing pads from the old brakes then?

[enxrjm]

I put the backing plates on from the old pads and haven't noticed any noise from them

[Steve P]

Right, I'll give em till the weekend, and if there's no change I'll get the shims on too.

 

I'll be doing the rears in the next week or two. They look a bit trickier.

 

I'm going to get myself the special tool for winding the piston back in. Any other tips or things I should be aware of?

 

Cheers guys

[Zircon450]

I'll be doing the rears in the next week or two.  They look a bit trickier.

 

 

Pop round to mine to do them if you like, we must be nearly neighbours.

 

Amington Fields for me.

 

Drop in for a cuppa anyway.

[chorton_1]

I'm going to get myself the special tool for winding the piston back in. Any other tips or things I should be aware of?

The only tip I have is to make sure the pad sits square on the disk. I fitted Greenstuffs all round, with new disks on the front. The rear disks were the old ones which had a small wear ridge (well within wear limits) which the EBC pads (which are slightly wider on the rear too) sat up on. Having read on the forums that you could get away with this, I just fitted the pads. However, after 500miles the pedal still felt crap. I turns out that the pad was bedding in on the slant, and I presume this meant that the piston was pushing in the unsupported centre of the pad and causing it to bend slightly, which was giving a soft pedal. Anyway, having modified the pad the pedal immediately felt better.

 

For the rear brake tool, I bought and modified my own. People advocate all sorts of things, from just using long nose pliers (which was too much like hard work, although other people have found it easy), to the one I bought which compressed the piston AND rotates it in one action. Very very easy once you have it. For ref (if you're searching for a tool or are going to make one), you need a tool with two 3mm (or you may get away with 4mm) pins spaced 20mm apart.

[ally]

My green stuff squeeled for the first few hundred miles then seemed to settle. They still get a bit noisey if they have been given a thrashing but generally it sorted its self out.

Ally

[Steve P]

Cheers for all the info guys. I've only just replied cos I've had my access to the MLOC website taken away from me at work , just because it's a forum - gits! What else am I supposed to do? Work?!

 

The sqealing is still there, but erratic. I'll be getting all the bits this weekend to sort out the fronts and rears. Thanks for the offer of help Mr Tango190 - I'm hoping I'll be ok but if I get stuck I'll get in touch. Def take you up on the offer of a cuppa some time though. Surprised I haven't been tangoed yet!

[Scott_Mac]

Do you know what work use to block websites?

 

We may be able to get around that

[Steve P]

Now that I like the sound of!

 

I'll try and find out and let you know.....

[Scott_Mac]