high-pitch squeal in front after doing brake job | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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high-pitch squeal in front after doing brake job

Bored_2wd

Well-Known Member
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May 5, 2000
Messages
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City, State
Westmont, Illinois
Year, Model & Trim Level
'93 Ranger
Hi guys,
2 weeks ago did a full brake job on the front end, including bearings rotors rebuilt calipers, ceramic pads, the works. Found a damaged bearing on driver side, spindle was ok.
Now a faint and not so faint at times high pitch squeal has devleoped when driving. It goes away the moment I hit the brakes. It does not seem to be causing the truck to pull at all to either side. I suspect I have a pad that is not pulling away far enough but why? I'm guessing either not enough adhesive was used on the back of the pads, or the caliper is sticking in the slides. Can that goofy anti-rattle spring be the culprit? Any thoughts?
Maybe the rebuilt caliper is bad? Maybe bearing adjustment has loosened? Any thoughts on what it could be? If it's the adhesive can I just scrape off what I can and add new adhesive?
Any thoughts? Frustrating I don't want to get into the whole brake job again but it looks like I'm going to be doing just that.
--Bob
 



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hrmm ive had this happen before a long time ago..

i re-packed the wheel bearings... problem solved

The brake clips (im actually LOOKing at a pair right here on the desk) probably wouldnt make that noise, the brake clips would prevent the rear pad from moving back and forth when you initially hit the brake. Haha trust me, its annoying but it doesnt do what you describe

did you re-grease the side pins? and grease in the groove they go in?

those side pins are there so the caliper can 'float,' which in turn makes sure the pads wear evenly.
 






Yep, I greased them very well and the slide pins are new. I used a brass brush and brake cleaner to scrub the grooves on the knuckle as much as I could. There was a slight burr on the passenger side calipur I filed down, maybe I'll re-check the driver side calipur again when I take it apart. It's gotta be either the calipur sticking, which in my mind would make the truck pull to the side, or I'm thinking the inside pad which isn't adherred to the piston. hmmm. How imporant is that adhesive?
 






Bored_2wd said:
Yep, I greased them very well and the slide pins are new. I used a brass brush and brake cleaner to scrub the grooves on the knuckle as much as I could. There was a slight burr on the passenger side calipur I filed down, maybe I'll re-check the driver side calipur again when I take it apart. It's gotta be either the calipur sticking, which in my mind would make the truck pull to the side, or I'm thinking the inside pad which isn't adherred to the piston. hmmm. How imporant is that adhesive?

i've never used adhesive, ive always used anti-seize... which is the total opposite.

your noise i dont think is brakes releated. i think its your bearings... stops when you hit the brakes... hrmm

check those clips, maybe you put them on wrong and they are scraping against the backside of the rotor, ive had that happen before.
 






Thanks for the help, I'll check out the bearings especially close when I take it apart(again) this weekend.

The pads came with an adhesive that you put on the back side of the pad, so it sticks to the caliper to prevent squeeling, ect.

I used the lube that came with the new slide pins for the pins. I thought of using anti-seize but couldn't find it.
--Bob
 






Use anti-seize for the sliding caliper parts. The inner pad should have a part attched to its backside, which snaps into the piston. That holds the pad to the piston. Avoid all pads which require "goop"(whatever) to be applied to the backside.

Real high quality pads have built in anti-squeek plates. Also avoid pads which have rivets, higher quality pads are bonded together. Good luck,
 






I have a few Q's did you turn your rotors or put new ones on??? if there is any groves any..... even the slightest one will make a sound.. also i use a product calld Disk brake Quiet on the back side of the pads.works great exp during brake in..and all the slides must be throughly cleaned..use a mini air grinder with 3M cleaning disk pads..and use anti seize on all slide points. Also if its wheel bearings drive down the road at about 30mph and steer the truck left to right...like doing a salom .. you will hear the noise going straight and if you turn..ie put a load on the bearing it should quiet down..then you know it is bearings. try it out thats my .02 .....Also riveted pads are stronger...the bonded pads seperate at hi/ extreme heat...thats why most cop cars use them...I know i service the state trooper cars at work..and many people that got the midas brake special.(i dont work there. I fix there poor work, I work at GoodYear Gemini).the pads came apart after 5,000 miles mosltly trucks/SUV's that tow.
 






Sorry, wrong for Crown Vics from 86 body style to 97 body style. I have owned four Crown Vics in those years, And the Ford pads are not riveted. I am a Mail Carrier, there is no application which is harder on brakes.

I have tried various pads, depending on my income, the value of the vehicle to me, its usage, and the guarantee. I can say by experience, riveted pads are weaker, the pads can become loose. When that happens, the pad will come apart in pieces, eventually leaving just rivets to dig into the rotor. The rotor will be destroyed immediatly.

I have never had a bonded brake pad fail, ever. I have learned the riveted pad mistake several times. The guarantee gets you to go back and trade for new pads. This includes the Performance Friction pads. They were bonded for my 95 Crown Vics, and lasted 20,000 miles.

Because of that, I decided to try the Performance Friction for my 93 Explorer. They only lasted nine months, about 7,000 miles. Those Performance Friction pads have rivets in them, and failed as I described, unexpectedly. After that, I had to check the replacements very often. I know what loose pads(riveted) feel like. I caught them becoming loose the next time, and replaced them under warantee.

Any warantee does you no good if you end up having the brakes fail on you, or have to replace them too often. Always buy the best brakes that you can afford. Don't judge quality by the warantee. Factory pads are excellent, most expensive aftermarket(not available in cheap parts stores) pads are the best. Avoid any brake pads that are available everywhere, and cost almost nothing, with a lifetime guarantee.

The brakes on any vehicle are the most imoportant parts on the vehicle. Don't skimp on brakes, good luck.
 






Well just finished with the truck. Bearings were fine, get this it was the anti-rattle clip- I had it on BACKWARDS and it was grinding a really nice groove into the brand new rotor. It had also affected the pad as a result. I could have had the rotor turned, but when I went back to autozone to have it done they said they were just going to take the rotor and pad back on an exchange. I explained that I did it myself, it was my fault. They took it back anyway, he said I just bought them 2 weeks ago and that was what the warrenty was for. I got a brand new rotor and set of brake pads. I'm dealing with Autozone again let me tell you! Truck rides fine now, no more squeaking! Thanks everyone. By the way i checked the passenger side anti-rattle clip and I installed that one correctly.
--Bob
 






every state trooper car in WI runs rivited ceramic pads...there from Weavers under "Extreme 911 ceramic pads...use for emergancy vehicles"...on the box says that you cannot legally export these pads (ive seen a few good year tires "37x12.5x16.5 MT Hummer Tire to name one" also with this warning for the fed gov, you have get an agreement from the federal trade commition order to export them.. I guiess in the years that ive been a tech that all the problems with bonded must of been a fluke...
 






Bored_2wd said:
Well just finished with the truck. Bearings were fine, get this it was the anti-rattle clip- I had it on BACKWARDS and it was grinding a really nice groove into the brand new rotor. It had also affected the pad as a result. I could have had the rotor turned, but when I went back to autozone to have it done they said they were just going to take the rotor and pad back on an exchange. I explained that I did it myself, it was my fault. They took it back anyway, he said I just bought them 2 weeks ago and that was what the warrenty was for. I got a brand new rotor and set of brake pads. I'm dealing with Autozone again let me tell you! Truck rides fine now, no more squeaking! Thanks everyone. By the way i checked the passenger side anti-rattle clip and I installed that one correctly.
--Bob


haha yeah those clips are funny like that ar'rent they?
 






How should you treat the groove where the brake pad sits? The inner brake pad has a clip on one side, no clip on the other. Each end of the pad fits into two flat grooves in the knuckle. I noticed that it was very corroded when I put the pads in. Do/should you file it down, clean it up? Should you lubricate it?
--Bob
 






where the actual rear pad sits? You only need grease in the grooves for the slide pins.

the grooves for the rear pad you dont have to worry about too much, zap 'em with some brake cleaner, whip 'em down.

Yeah one clip per side, on the bottom of the pad. The clip you want to make a sort of spring action agaist the groove and the pad.
 






Cool, thanks.
 






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