Brake squeal

[Flash]

My Limited has always had this ear splitting brake squeal.
I took the near new pads and rotors off my XLT parts car and put them on, it shut it up for a while but the squeal is back now as bad as ever.

I noticed that there was some thick, gooey stuff on the back of the pads but didn't really look at it.

I did a search for squealing brakes and I see people using adhesive or anti seize or grease on the back of the pads.
What's the right thing to use?
Or are all acceptable when used by themselves?

 

[koda2000]

I always put Permatex Brake Quiet on the backs of my brake pads and I never have brake squeal. Using high quality brake pads (like Wagner Thermal Quiet) also helps. Lately I'm been using AutoZone C-Max ceramic pads on my trucks and I'm very happy with them. No noise, no brake dust, good stopping.

 

[ZWilson07]

Pretty much any type of anti seize would work but like above, I just use brake caliper grease.

Make sure the slide pins are greased, the metal clips for the corner/sides of the pads are greased, and you can even put a tiny bit on the outside of the caliper piston if you think you need it.

 

[SoNic67]

Pretty much any type of anti seize would work but like above, I just use brake caliper grease.

Brake system components get HOT. Regular grease will bake and solidify leading later to problems, definitely you cannot use "any type" of grease.
Caliper grease is rated for high temperature, that's the only thing that needs to go on brake system.
Personally I use "ceramic caliper grease" just because... my braking is extreme .

 

[Flash]

I always put Permatex Brake Quiet on the backs of my brake pads and I never have brake squeal. Using high quality brake pads (like Wagner Thermal Quiet) also helps. Lately I'm been using AutoZone C-Max ceramic pads on my trucks and I'm very happy with them. No noise, no brake dust, good stopping.

I think I can get Permatex Brake Quiet here, won't be as cheap as you can get it.
The website says it's "an elastomeric polymer" which means it's rubbery.
So it's basically a soft adhesive.

ZWilson07 says use anti seize.

SoNic67 says use (hi temp) grease.

I can get this stuff called DYNAGRIP DISC BRAKE SQUEAL FREE, the ads say it's an elastomer so if i can't find the Permatex I'll get that.

 

[Flash]

Pretty much any type of anti seize would work but like above, I just use brake caliper grease.

Make sure the slide pins are greased, the metal clips for the corner/sides of the pads are greased, and you can even put a tiny bit on the outside of the caliper piston if you think you need it.

So it seems that any of the solutions will work.
I think I'll try elastomer on the pads and anti seize anywhere it needs lube.

 

[Flash]

Brake system components get HOT. Regular grease will bake and solidify leading later to problems, definitely you cannot use "any type" of grease.
Caliper grease is rated for high temperature, that's the only thing that needs to go on brake system.
Personally I use "ceramic caliper grease" just because... my braking is extreme .

At the very least I know regular grease would liquify and get everywhere.
I have some moly grease on hand but I'll get some metallic anti seize.

In 35 years of working on cars I've never had a brake squeal problem.

 

[koda2000]

I'm sure there are products like the Permatex Brake Quiet sold where you live. The suggestions for hi-temp brake grease on the slides is valid and important, but has nothing to do with brake squeal. Squeal occurs because the pads are vibrating on the rotors. That's why a gooey product on the backs of the pads greatly reduces/eliminates the noise. The better quality pads have a similar coating under the brake shims. The only place I put anti-seize is on the rotors so they don't get stuck on the axles/hubs. It might also help to use some Emory cloth on the rotors in a circular motion to remove any glaze. You should also replace the brake hardware (AKA anti-rattle clips) when you do a proper brake job.

BTW, If brand new rotors are installed, they must be cleaned with acetone or brake-clean to remove the protective coating the manufacturer puts on them to prevent rust during shipping/storage (cosmoline). If this is not done the cosmoline will contaminate your pads.

 

[my98nnj]

I use Anti-Seize too, never had a problem.

 

[swshawaii]

Sonic and Koda are correct. Do NOT use regular anti seize. This is what happens when you use it on brake hardware. A gummy, sticky mess guaranteed to cause binding and noise. Use only high temp silicone grease made specifically for brakes. Most higher quality pads have molded in shims so brake quiet compound is not needed. My98 I'm very surprised, I've always taken your advice.

Wagner Brake Noise Solutions (Two Pages)
http://www.wagnerbrake.com/public/pdfs/TechTips-BrakeNoiseSolutions-081114.pdf

 

[koda2000]

Oh, and flush the brake fluid every 2 years or so. Nothing to do with noise, but it absorbs moister out of the air, which lowers the fluid's boiling point and promotes rust. When flushing, be careful not to allow air to get into the ABS pump as it's a beeach to bleed.

When pushing the caliper pistons in, open the caliper bleeder valves so as to not push rust and crap into the ABS system.

After I replace brake pads, I take the vehicle for a ride and get the new pads pretty hot by doing a few fairly hard stops from around 40-50 MPH. Doing this transfers some of the pad material to the rotor, which is an important step to maximize braking performance and prevent glazing.

That about covers all I know about doing a "proper" brake job (not that I always follow all the steps all the time... LOL).

 

[Flash]

Oh, and flush the brake fluid every 2 years or so. Nothing to do with noise, but it absorbs moister out of the air, which lowers the fluid's boiling point and promotes rust.

That's one of the things I tell people.

I had a 1968 Valiant with power drum brakes all around overheat the brakes on a mountain road once. Once.

 

[ZWilson07]

ZWilson07 says use anti seize.

To be fair I did say just about any kind of anti seize product will in fact work. Does that mean that it is the best to use? No but it's better than nothing if your in a pinch. I also said I do in fact use brake specific grease not actual anti seize.

Just clarifying so bad information doesn't spread. Semantics I know, but I don't want people thinking I said anti seize is what people should use on brakes and it sounding like i'm a tard lol.

Carry on

 

[Flash]

To be fair I did say just about any kind of anti seize product will in fact work. Does that mean that it is the best to use? No but it's better than nothing if your in a pinch. I also said I do in fact use brake specific grease not actual anti seize.

Just clarifying so bad information doesn't spread. Semantics I know, but I don't want people thinking I said anti seize is what people should use on brakes and it sounding like i'm a tard lol.

Carry on

Carrying on as ordered.

I found some Permatex - like elastomer and some thread lock but they didn't have any brake grease.
I've got some moly grease but unless it's temperature resistant to something like 700ish degrees I'll get some proper brake grease.
from somewhere else.

 

[ZWilson07]

Carrying on as ordered.

I found some Permatex - like elastomer and some thread lock but they didn't have any brake grease.
I've got some moly grease but unless it's temperature resistant to something like 700ish degrees I'll get some proper brake grease.
from somewhere else.

Sounds good man. Do the auto part stores down there not have a lot of options for brake grease? I am not familiar with that part of Australia lol. I can always just ship you some good quality brake grease over if it is that tough to find.

 

[Flash]

Sounds good man. Do the auto part stores down there not have a lot of options for brake grease? I am not familiar with that part of Australia lol.

Not this one anyway.
To be honest I've never looked for brake grease before, I used to have some very high temp anti seize that I used that lasted for years.
I should be able to find something. I know one place was advertising Bendix grease in a small sachet.

Previously I'd never heard of the tacky stuff to put on pad before but i've never had problems with brake squeal.

 

[ZWilson07]

Not this one anyway.
To be honest I've never looked for brake grease before, I used to have some very high temp anti seize that I used that lasted for years.
I should be able to find something. I know one place was advertising Bendix grease in a small sachet.

Previously I'd never heard of the tacky stuff to put on pad before but i've never had problems with brake squeal.

Like you I have never really had a problem with squealing brakes as well, and just used brake grease in the normal locations but I think I will also start using the Permatex Disc Brake Quiet from now on as well. Can't hurt I suppose.

Also as far as my whole pretty much any type of anti seize comment, which seemed to ruffle some people's feathers initially. Permatex nickel anti seize which is pretty much the standard at least around here that anyone would go buy and use from an auto parts store, is rated up to 1600 F. So I don't really think anyone that has used it before has to worry about it just being the absolute worst thing in the world to put on there. Again are there better products out there for brake components that we all should probably use? Yes certainly, but in a pinch, it ain't the end of the world imo.

But I should have made sure to clarify in my initial post so that it was a more correct response.

Good thread so far.

 

[Flash]

I only brought it up in reference to my first post where I said that my research has revealed that people said they use A,B and C.

Then the responses where that they used A,B and C.

No biggy.

I've only got today to do this job so if I don't find any brake grease today it will have to be moly or anti seize.

 

[ZWilson07]

I only brought it up in reference to my first post where I said that my research has revealed that people said they use A,B and C.

Then the responses where that they used A,B and C.

No biggy.

I've only got today to do this job so if I don't find any brake grease today it will have to be moly or anti seize.

Let us know how it goes man.

 

[Flash]

Let us know how it goes man.

That aerosol moly grease I had turned out to be an aerosol graphite dry lube.
It's been so long since I looked at it. I wonder where my moly aerosol got to?

To be fair, the can says moly DSD on the side.
Lucky I found out, I was going to puncture the front drive CV boot and squirt some in, I don't suppose graphite would have hurt any.

Anywho, it's what I had so I used it. It goes on extremely thinly, thinner even than a light coat of paint.

I just did the driver's side and buttoned it up, I'll go look for proper brake grease now.