brake squeal
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 6
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brake squeal
I have a 2003 coup with 31k miles that I drive everyday. When braking from highway speeds I get a terrible squeal coming from the rear passenger side. I have had it in the shop four times and they have pulled everything and cleaned and "lubed" the system three times. The mechanic took me to the back and showed me that there was no issues. He suggested I go to a ceramic pad. I'm sure this has been posted before...what are your thoughts?
Jim
Jim
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 179
Likes: 2
From: ramona california
I have a 2003 coup with 31k miles that I drive everyday. When braking from highway speeds I get a terrible squeal coming from the rear passenger side. I have had it in the shop four times and they have pulled everything and cleaned and "lubed" the system three times. The mechanic took me to the back and showed me that there was no issues. He suggested I go to a ceramic pad. I'm sure this has been posted before...what are your thoughts?
Jim
Jim
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 128
Likes: 2
From: Trenton New Jersey
My Experience With Brake Squeal
My 03 Coupe had developed an annoying brake squeal over the past few months and I intended to apply some brake grease to the guides and make sure the clips fit tight as soon as the weather was good. But last week I got a good deal on a new set of Hankook Ventus V12 EVO tires and after the shop installed them I had no brake squeal. The shop just balanced and put the new tires on, nothing else (I watched). The tire guy did clean the surface rust off the face of the rotor with a wire wheel brush so there was nothing between the wheel and the rotor but I don’t think that made the difference. The tire guy did use a digital torque wrench on the lug nuts, something I never do. Once out of the shop there was no brake squeal at all, I had a squeal on at least two wheels before.
I imagine that the brake squeal may have come from lug nuts that were not properly torqued down and somehow the slight vibration/imbalance led to a brake squeal???
Or, maybe that a couple of my old tires were so worn and out of balance that the vibration or the imbalance somehow caused a brake squeal???
I can’t say for sure how my problem squeal was resolved but if you have a persistent brake squeal that cannot be fixed with either brake lube, new pads, new rotors, or the bedding process. Then I would first suggest cleaning the surfaces between the rotor and the wheel & tightening the lug nuts to the proper torque specs, which costs nothing. If that doesn’t fix it then take it to a tire shop and have them check the offending wheel/tire for proper balance.
Again, I can’t explain it but it worked for me and I just wanted to share my experience so maybe it can help others.
Good Luck!
BTW, I have original stock GM rotors with 65000 miles and AutoZone brake pads with 10000 miles on them
I imagine that the brake squeal may have come from lug nuts that were not properly torqued down and somehow the slight vibration/imbalance led to a brake squeal???
Or, maybe that a couple of my old tires were so worn and out of balance that the vibration or the imbalance somehow caused a brake squeal???
I can’t say for sure how my problem squeal was resolved but if you have a persistent brake squeal that cannot be fixed with either brake lube, new pads, new rotors, or the bedding process. Then I would first suggest cleaning the surfaces between the rotor and the wheel & tightening the lug nuts to the proper torque specs, which costs nothing. If that doesn’t fix it then take it to a tire shop and have them check the offending wheel/tire for proper balance.
Again, I can’t explain it but it worked for me and I just wanted to share my experience so maybe it can help others.
Good Luck!
BTW, I have original stock GM rotors with 65000 miles and AutoZone brake pads with 10000 miles on them
