I recently changed the rotors and pads on my truck. Now, I have a squeal when stopping at slower speeds. After replacing the brakes, on another weekend I replaced the shocks. While I had the tires off, I pulled the brakes off, put some stop squeal on the back of the pads, and made sure everything was seated right. Also ran some sand paper over the pads/rotors. The brakes stop nicely, certainly better than before I changed them. But, I cannot get rid of the squeal. It drives me nuts. I feel like I am driving some type of beater when I pull up next to people w/my brakes squealing.

 

Hey guys, help me out here. What should I try to make the squeal stop? You guys always some tidbit of advice for everything.

 

I had the same problem a while back and it took new rotors and pads to correct.

I replaced my front pads, oh a year or so ago, without removing the rotors. Everything was perfect until a shop replaced my lower ball joints. In doing so, they removed the front rotors and replaced upon completion of the job. Almost immediately thereafter the front brakes squealed like nothing I'd ever heard. I took the pads off and smeared some anti-rattle compound on the backs of the pads. That didn't work. I took the pads off again and sanded them and the rotors. That didn't work. I finally took pads and rotors off and replaced the whole bunch.....luckily the old pads were replaced under warranty. Now I have quiet brakes.

What had happened was the pads somehow must not have re-seated properly after the shop reassembled. They were "skipping" along the rotors. This was very evident in viewing the pads at certain angles. I've read that if the pads are even fractionally off (not flat and properly seated to the rotors) they will squeak. The whole ordeal wound up costing me a few hours labor and the price of two new rotors, ~$45 each.

Hope this helps.

 

When installing brake pads, where exactly should the stop squeel be put...only where there is contact, or alover the back of the pad?

 

The majority of the pad doesn't touch anything, thus there's no need for it to be "all over." That said, it doesn't hurt to smear over the whole back side. Be careful not to get it on the front of the pad.

 

khmorse- What brand pads are you using?
The only thing that stopped squealing brakes on my old GMC was to use the better Wagner brand (Thermo-Quiet, I think) from Oreilly's. I have used them on four other vehicles with good results- no squeaky brakes.
I replaced both front and rear pads on our Expedition about a month ago. The front pads were $54.99 and rear were $45.99.

 

BubbaP, that's the pad I've been using....Wagner Thermoquiet.

 

Thanks. Where do you buy these pads at?

 

khmorse, I got mine at O'Reilly.

 

Thanks Buzzard. Unfortunately, as per their website, there are not any O'Reilly's in Eastern VA. I went to the websites for Auto Zone, Advance Auto, Napa, Pep Boys, and CarQuest today. None of them carry these pads. Must not be that popular a brand. But, if they work, I'll keep looking.

 

If you come across Raybestos quiet stop (ceramic) get em. I can't say enough how they give a very smooth braking with negligeable dust and never squeeked once in 35,000 miles on my first set. I'm on set #2.

 

Thanks. I did see that Advance Auto and Napa both sell Raybestos pads.