Intermittent Squeaking Right Rear
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Intermittent Squeaking Right Rear
Trying to post a thread for the first time, new member, and recently
purchased my first corvette... long stroy short, an all out novice in every aspect for the time being.
I replaced all four brake calipers, new pads, and steel parking brake kit. I Noticed a squeaking from the right rear wheel most pronounced when cruising through the neihborhood at low speeds approx. 30 mph. Was told piston might be sticking and replaced right rear caliper a second time but still no luck. Occasionaly the squeal will dissappear, but soon returns. Noticed that it dissappears with moderate to heavy braking. Have not reaplced U-joints, but read several posts regarding brake pads (on backwards?), griding the edges ect...
Car is a 1980 L48, pads are organic btw, any suggestions ?
oh and though maybe not advisable, did put the rear on jacks with wheels off and in drive and tried to listen for any noise but none was evident then. (tried to post this previously hope it doesn't repeat)
purchased my first corvette... long stroy short, an all out novice in every aspect for the time being.
I replaced all four brake calipers, new pads, and steel parking brake kit. I Noticed a squeaking from the right rear wheel most pronounced when cruising through the neihborhood at low speeds approx. 30 mph. Was told piston might be sticking and replaced right rear caliper a second time but still no luck. Occasionaly the squeal will dissappear, but soon returns. Noticed that it dissappears with moderate to heavy braking. Have not reaplced U-joints, but read several posts regarding brake pads (on backwards?), griding the edges ect...
Car is a 1980 L48, pads are organic btw, any suggestions ?
oh and though maybe not advisable, did put the rear on jacks with wheels off and in drive and tried to listen for any noise but none was evident then. (tried to post this previously hope it doesn't repeat)
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Originally Posted by Jaded763
Visually clean ? cause they "appear" about as clean as they get. And on the runout is that a tool I could borrow from Auto zone or O'Reilys because I don't have one.
Rich
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Lake of the Ozarks
Brake Question
"Hit them with scotch brite and brake cleaner..."
Another newbe here......great site....
This is probably a dumb question, but what is scotch brite? The brakes on my '78 SA are chirping, but have plenty of pad left. Only 15,000 on the car. I imagine they are original. Do they get hard and glazed over time? I think I will try cleaning and re-finishing (scotch brite?) them and the rotors before I just replace the pads. Do you scotch brite the rotors, also???
Another newbe here......great site....
This is probably a dumb question, but what is scotch brite? The brakes on my '78 SA are chirping, but have plenty of pad left. Only 15,000 on the car. I imagine they are original. Do they get hard and glazed over time? I think I will try cleaning and re-finishing (scotch brite?) them and the rotors before I just replace the pads. Do you scotch brite the rotors, also???
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 344
Likes: 0
From: Washington DC
Scotch Brite is just an abrasive cleaning pad like you would use to scrub pots and pans. He is saying to spray the surface of the rotors with brake cleaner and then scrub them down with an abrasive cleaning pad to make sure there is nothing on the surface of the rotors. 
http://www.3m.com/us/home_leisure/sc.../scrubber.html
http://www.3m.com/us/home_leisure/sc.../scrubber.html
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Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Florence NJ
Originally Posted by hodgepodge
"Hit them with scotch brite and brake cleaner..."
Another newbe here......great site....
This is probably a dumb question, but what is scotch brite? The brakes on my '78 SA are chirping, but have plenty of pad left. Only 15,000 on the car. I imagine they are original. Do they get hard and glazed over time? I think I will try cleaning and re-finishing (scotch brite?) them and the rotors before I just replace the pads. Do you scotch brite the rotors, also???
Another newbe here......great site....
This is probably a dumb question, but what is scotch brite? The brakes on my '78 SA are chirping, but have plenty of pad left. Only 15,000 on the car. I imagine they are original. Do they get hard and glazed over time? I think I will try cleaning and re-finishing (scotch brite?) them and the rotors before I just replace the pads. Do you scotch brite the rotors, also???
Scotch Brite (Click Here) is a scrubing sponge.
For new rotors you should not have to scotch brite them, but you will have to spray them down with brake cleaner to get the shipping oil off of them.
Now, if you are running metalic pads, this means there are little metal flakes in the pads. Sometimes you get a big flake in there which could cause a little chirp untill it smooths out. I have always had good luck with shimming the pads when I install them. It's only a few bucks extra and worth the money IMO. The shims help against "chirping". Just ask for pads and shims at the parts counter next time.
If your rotor has been cut down in the past, it may have warped causing uneven pad wear and eventual a "chirp" (even if it seems there is a lot of meat left on the pad).
I would start with cleaning the rotors and see if that helps first.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
I would bet your runout is not within tolerances. That is a very common problem especially in the rear. You will eat up your new caliper and could get a spongy pedal if it is not correct.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Did you do your parking brake at the same time? If the squeal is really high pitched it could be the upper parking brake spring broke and slipped down and rubbing the inside of the rotor.Oops sorry didnt read well enough,but check for the spring anyway.It should not take "heavy" braking to get the noise to go away if it is pad squeal.
Last edited by ...Roger...; Jun 2, 2006 at 03:35 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Watch the gooy stuff on the back of the pads.Read your warranty in alot of cases it voids your warranty.I used to be a cosultant to DR. Vette Brakes and Vette Sette Brakes Inc. and they would void your warranty for using it.It sticks the piston to the back of the pad and causes the piston to rock and wears the seal.It does work in the short term.
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Florence NJ
Originally Posted by dwncchs
Watch the gooy stuff on the back of the pads.Read your warranty in alot of cases it voids your warranty.I used to be a cosultant to DR. Vette Brakes and Vette Sette Brakes Inc. and they would void your warranty for using it.It sticks the piston to the back of the pad and causes the piston to rock and wears the seal.It does work in the short term.
This is why I use shims on my pads instead of the goo.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 228
Likes: 3
From: Tampa FL
If the sqeaking lessens or decreases when you turn hard, it is probably the ujoints. Mine were toast, one side squeeked when turning; this one had a frozen outer joint that visually looked OK. The other side squeeked and clunked; this one had no needle bearings left.
Could also be the bearings. These also usually make differing noises when you turn.
Could also be the bearings. These also usually make differing noises when you turn.
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Lake of the Ozarks
Thanks for the replies, guys. My situation is there is almost always a squeek, squeek, squeek, and when I hit the brakes lightly, it does not go away, in fact it may get louder. but is lower pitched, if that makes any sense (NOT). But Im gonna try the scotch brite thing, if that doesnt work, its going to the shop, as runout, shims, etc is over my head, and I dont want to mess up my brakes.....I may need them in a pinch. 
One more thing, can the pads get glazed? Do you do the scotch brite treatment on the pads, also? But without the brake clean?
One more thing, can the pads get glazed? Do you do the scotch brite treatment on the pads, also? But without the brake clean?
Intermediate
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Locust Grove GA
Shims
This is why I use shims on my pads instead of the goo.[/QUOTE]:
Are these the shims that go on the end of the pads? Corvette America has this kit.http://www.corvetteamerica.com/cf/di...ord%3A%20brake
Has anyone tried these?
Are these the shims that go on the end of the pads? Corvette America has this kit.http://www.corvetteamerica.com/cf/di...ord%3A%20brake
Has anyone tried these?
Last edited by sjngrady; Aug 2, 2006 at 02:13 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 87
From: Putnam county NY
2025 c3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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Originally Posted by Jaded763
Trying to post a thread for the first time, new member, and recently
purchased my first corvette... long stroy short, an all out novice in every aspect for the time being.
I replaced all four brake calipers, new pads, and steel parking brake kit. I Noticed a squeaking from the right rear wheel most pronounced when cruising through the neihborhood at low speeds approx. 30 mph. Was told piston might be sticking and replaced right rear caliper a second time but still no luck. Occasionaly the squeal will dissappear, but soon returns. Noticed that it dissappears with moderate to heavy braking. Have not reaplced U-joints, but read several posts regarding brake pads (on backwards?), griding the edges ect...
Car is a 1980 L48, pads are organic btw, any suggestions ?
oh and though maybe not advisable, did put the rear on jacks with wheels off and in drive and tried to listen for any noise but none was evident then. (tried to post this previously hope it doesn't repeat)
purchased my first corvette... long stroy short, an all out novice in every aspect for the time being.
I replaced all four brake calipers, new pads, and steel parking brake kit. I Noticed a squeaking from the right rear wheel most pronounced when cruising through the neihborhood at low speeds approx. 30 mph. Was told piston might be sticking and replaced right rear caliper a second time but still no luck. Occasionaly the squeal will dissappear, but soon returns. Noticed that it dissappears with moderate to heavy braking. Have not reaplced U-joints, but read several posts regarding brake pads (on backwards?), griding the edges ect...
Car is a 1980 L48, pads are organic btw, any suggestions ?
oh and though maybe not advisable, did put the rear on jacks with wheels off and in drive and tried to listen for any noise but none was evident then. (tried to post this previously hope it doesn't repeat)
