Squeaking brakes

KT2802

Hi all,

Would appreciate some suggestions/advice.

I had my brake pads and discs replaced approx 8000 miles ago. When I took the car in to the garage I was aware that I needed new brake pads but didn't know I needed discs too but I took the garages word for it.

They told me that the brakes may squeak for a while which they did. However, the squeaking continued so I took the car back to the garage. They said that I must have been braking too hard (which I don't believe that I do) and they looked at the car and said something about needing to reglaze the pads?

They did this and told me not to brake too hard. I have not been braking hard and the brakes continue to squeak. The noise is also sounding slightly different now and I am concerned.

I don't have a clue when it comes to cars so please excuse my ignorance. I know that no one can advise exactly what the problem is as they haven't seen the car but what would people guess the problem is? I also appreciate that the only way this is going to be resolved is if I take the car back to the garage....again! I just feel very frustrated by it but want it to be fixed in case it causes a problem on my upcoming MOT or in case it may in fact be dangerous.

Thanks everyone

Niowrtt

It may just be the make of pads fitted. I replaced OEM with Unipart, and the unipart pads squeak. Annoying as hell but they work fine and were half the price.

Joe_Horner

It's very unlikely to be dangerous, although squealing brakes can certainly be annoying!

The most likely causes are:

(a) poor fitting - not cleaning the calipers properly, not fitting / replacing anti-squal shims if applicable or not greasing the backs of the pads if they don't already have an anti-squeal coating.

or

(b) A hard pad material. Black cabs in London used to squeal like stuck pigs because they fitted the hardest (and so longest lasting) linings they could.

Neither will affect the working of the brakes, although hard pads may need slightly more pedal pressure (not that you're likely to notice with the level of servo assist most cars have now) and will tend to wear disks faster.

NWOIHTS

Usually found squeaking brakes caused by poor quality cheap pads and when brakes are reassembled in most garages now they rarely if ever bother cleaning and replacing anti-squeal shims and greasing the back of pads if they are missing.

Richard53

I agree with the advice above, Nothing to worry about, if your ears can stand it

The usual cause of pads glazing is overheating due to being constantly in contact with the disc, perhaps because of a seized caliper, or by the driver's habit of resting a foot lightly on the pedal. Once glazed, they won't work properly (feel very 'hard') and will often squeal. There is an easy fix - get to the top of a hill*, go down the hill at a reasonable speed, and brake hard several times. If you are normally a gentle driver, you may find this difficult, as you have to be quite brutal. The aim is to get the pads very hot for a short period and remove the glaze. Think of three full-on emergency stops from 60 mph. Don't worry, your brakes will cope with this - they are designed to be worked hard. Another way would be to remove the pads and take off the shiny surface with sandpaper or a fine file, just enough to get down to the normal pad material. If you don't feel up to this, it's a job any reasonable mechanic could do for not very much money.

*Usual caveats about other traffic, etc.

Weird_Nev

Yep. More than likely they haven't copper slipped the back of the pads or re-inserted the anti-squeal shims properly. These are thin sheets of metal that sit between the brake piston(s) and the back of the pad and act to distribute the piston load across the pad in such a way as to prevent the squeal.

I've replaced four or five sets of brakes on my own cars now, using everything from trackday compound pads to the cheapest legitimate pads I could find, and I've never yet managed to end up with squeaking brakes. I don't know how garages manage it.

Try the method above, but if they've been squealing from the outset it's likely they'll continue to.
With most brake designs it is actually trivial to pull the pads out of the calipers, put copper slip o nthe flat metal backing of them, and re-insert them. It just requires jacking up a corner of the car, taking the wheel off, and removing retaining pins. They're designed to be serviced in moments. Only some high performance brake types (and drums, but these tend not to squeal until they're shot!) are more involved. It might be worth seeing if a mechanically minded friend could help you through the process. You'll learn a bit and you might fix the problem for the price of a tub of copperslip (£10 tops).

Try a new garage next time.

Richard53

Quite right - a very simple job and do-able with only basic tools, although if you have little experience it might be as well to have a knowledgeable friend to assist you and check things over afterwards. Braking systems are a bit too critical to do all your learning on

I bought a tub of copper grease when I did a full ground-up restoration of a Series Land Rover. It was still half-full when I threw it away years later, after it had turned to watery slime. For the OP's purposes, a small tube from Halfords would be more than enough. You only want a smear of it on the back of the pads. Any excess would soften with heat and could make its way to the braking surfaces, which is not good for your health.

KT2802

Thanks everyone - you are a knowledgable lot!

Very relieved to hear it is not dangerous. The squeaking seems to be temperamental as I just drove the car home now and the brakes didn't squeak at all!

I think I will ask my friends husband to do what was suggested above as he is quite handy with cars. I def won't be going back to the same garage again - very frustrating when it sounds like something they could have done quite simply.

Richard53

For what it's worth - I had new discs and pads fitted at the rear of my car a while ago, and on the way home I noticed a noise from the brakes. It wasn't a squeal, more a groaning vibration which only happened when I was going very slowly, like in a traffic queue. I gave it a few days, and I was about to jack the car up and see what was wrong, but then it stopped and has never come back. Sometimes new pads take a while to bed in.

Kiran

8000 miles would be a hell of a bedding in period, lol.

Your advice above is more than likely spot on. The copper slip probably hasn't been applied.

KT2802, I assume you mean the car is making noise only under braking?

bridgend_girl

sorry to but in to your post but lots of expertise here which may help me too. My wheels/brakes do not squeak all the time and very rarely at the start of the journey. Later the wheels squeak constantly but the noise stops whilst i brake! Car due MOT in 6 weeks so haven't checked wheels Ttyres checked regularly though) since last year. However this squeaking has been going on for more than 1 year. Though admittedly it is worsening...thanks