How do i stop my brakes from squealing?

Question

I recently put new brake pads on my crysler sebring and had the rotors turned also and now they are squealing.How do i stop them?I've tried everything at autozone and advanced nothing they have will stop them.(WHY)

First i didn't use cheap pads the rotors were turn and cleaned even tried the sand paper and the adhesive no go.NEXT

Answer 1

John S.:
Brake noise, not performance, is the Number One (1) reason for 'come backs' from shop brake repairs. So don't be too hard on yourself for encountering this issue -- you are in good company.

I gather you did this work by yourself. I think that is a good assumption from the problem description. If yes, Nightmare's comments can be dismissed.

Nicky can also be sent packing - no value added. (I wish the Maintenance and Repair section had a filter that allowed girls to only post questions, but not answer them! Really, I have seen about one gal that knew what she was talking about (auto school grad) but the rest of them just quote their husbands!)

Jeff S has an interesting approach to life. Breaking the tabs off is a reference to wear indicators that come into contact with the rotor when the lining gets thin. I guess there is no real harm in this, but has nothing to do with the stated problem. His no squeak on the back of the pads is a valid recommendation.

Edward S (Jeff's little brother) is still learning his A, B, C's, so we have no idea of what he is trying to say.

Dodge Man is right, cheap pads are a big cause of brake squeal, but with 36 years of wrenching, I was really hoping that he would shed more light on this problem, as I will below.

I cannot disagree with tonydread, dealer OEM pads work really well but are super expensive. There are other options that work just as well.

Garacaius is repeating what Jeff S already said about putting stuff on the back of pads. He mixes it up a little with his mention of ceramic brakes.

Now that I have had my fun, on to resolution:

First, brake squeal is (almost) never a problem by itself. It is annoying, but if the brakes are stopping true, without pulling, grabbing, or pulsation, the noise has no ill effect.

There are a number of causes for brake noise, which makes it hard to eliminate.

Turning rotors is something of an art form. Some manufacturers even have a specification for how this machining must be done. The process can involve up to three passes (cuts) of the lathe head. The first is very shallow and hits the high spots, the second cuts off a few mils, and the the third is a finish cut that puts a machine finish on the surface. Following this, some shops (such as the one that does my rotors) has a buffing pass that polishes the surface.

The majority of shops do not work this way. They cut as fast and as deep as possible to get the work out. Most of the time this is 'good enough.' But doing it right the first time prevents brake noise.

The mating surface of the hub to rotor, must be cleaned with a wire brush or power rotary tool (there are special brushes made for this purpose). This is to control rotor run out, that is, to make the rotor turn true on the hub without oscillation. A dial meter indicator is used to make this measurement. This is similar to, but not the same as, wheel bearing run out.

Right before installing the rotors, I use an aerosol solvent called 'Brake Clean'. Removes any grease/dirt/metal particles from the machined surface.

There has been plenty of discussion about pad quality. My favorite are Raybestos Blue Box (not the Red Box or Raymolds). The Blue Box are about twice the price of Autozone Valuecraft, but they usually don't squeak.

A film (or membrane) should be applied, as stated by Jeff S, to the back of the pads. This helps to prevent a harmonic vibration from occurring during braking. There are many products available for this purpose.

All metal to metal contact areas should be given a light coating of 'anti-seize' (some folks use grease but this picks up dirt over time). This allows the movable part of the caliper to 'float' and allows the brake pads to move without binding when pushed by the piston.

The brake pins should be lubricated so that the entire caliper assembly can move when the brakes are applied. These have rubber boots that must be replaced if torn or rotted.

There are many more items that could be mentioned. But this should begin to give you an appreciation of the complexity of doing a proper brake job. Most shops/folks don't work this way, and just hope for the best. However, I put this level of effort into my own car's brakes and they don't squeal.
Marc

Answer 2

The problem is that brake pads are not made of asbestos anymore. Now they are semi-metallic, that until broke in will sometimes squeal. They are also notorious for warping the rotors when the get too hot from city driving. many car manufactures purposely "under size" brake pads as well in order to get you to cough up big money down the road for new rotors. Car manufactures engineer many components in a car to break at specific intervals, keeping you coming back to the dealer for $$$ repairs.

Answer 3

Make sure they are shamferred brake pads (excuse my spelling), but they are angled at the ends. Also if you're into sand paper--rough up the discs, blow off the dust. Problem solved. Don't let them take ya for some fancy new rotors.

Answer 4

It depends on the braking system on the vehicle. I you have disc brakes all round then it will be that the pads need changing either front or rear. If you have discs on the front and drums on the rear you need to check the brake pad thickness on the front brakes through the inspection hole or slot. If the front are okay then either the rear brake shoes need changing or it could be dust accumulating as they can squeal when damp or wet. You just need to brush out the dust when the drums are removed, you can inspect the brake shoes then.

Answer 5

i own a shop,and it may just be the type of brake pads your buying,,the cheaper ones do squeal a lot ,,i throw-ed some away over this,,i went with a better pad ,and it stopped that from happening,some brands of pads will do this,you might wind up having to get a different set of pads for it,,good luck hope this help,s.

Answer 6

There are coatings and adhesive pieces to apply to the back of the pads to cut out vibrations that cause squealing. Did you replace with OEM pads or did you go ceramic ?? That could cause problems.

Answer 7

I always break the little metal tabs off. You can put some No-Squeak on the back of the pads. Good luck.

Answer 8

Take it back to where you got the work done and tell them your story and they will look at it and repair it if necessary, for free.

Answer 9

put dealer parts on the car

Answer 10

Brakes? We don't need no stinking brakes!