Brakes squeaking after new brakes installed. What is the deal???

[Persian BMW]

I just bought a set of Axxis ultimate pads and new brembo blank rotors for all 4 corners of my car. I had them installed at a shop rescently and have driven with them for about 400 miles so far.

The brakes squeaked. I left it alone cause I figured it was a part of the brake in process. I broke in these parts properly. Now, still 400 miles later I still have squeaking with all new products. The shop used some red colored spray-on anti-squeal liquid that they spreyed onto the backs of my pads.


Side note: This set-up doesn't feel any better then OEM pads and rotors.

Anybody know what the problem with my brakes are?

Thanks in advance.

[Beamin']

Real loud high pitched? Its those clips that spring off accross the garage when you take apart the calipers, that are rubbing, you have to bend them... worked for me after we took the brakes off for a susp. ins.

[95 ///BMW]

........ or take them off again and respray more anti-squeal, but make sure this time you apply more coats and let it dry before you put them back. It worked on mine.

[bigbris1]

When I did Zimmerman cross-drilleds & Mintex race pads on the VR6 my brakes squeeled for like the first 500-1K mi. I think that's just how it is.

[stylzs]

yup same wit my vr6.........i put all new oem discs wit mintex reds and they squeled for days and days.........then it finally stoped and only squeled wen it rained........weird

[STEVE36]

brakes suck. all of them. except a complete porsche brake setup on an actual porsche.

[328iBursche]

That's why I switched back to BMW parts for my brakes--just have to clean my rims more often

[Cruzmisl]

I actually did the same exact installation as you. Axxis Ultimates with blank brembos. They've squeeled for the whole year that I've had them on. I just decided to live with it. Ugh.

[ICTBMW]

yup, I installed ultimate axxis yesterday.....and it squeaked.

[KTL]

Are you sure you bedded-in the new pads and rotors properly? Proper break-in is not simply "going easy" on the brakes for the first few hundred miles. I'm not accusing you of anything, just trying to dispel a myth that's been out there for years and years. For those who don't know how to properly bed-in new pads and rotors, Dave Zeckhausen has a great writeup of this procedure on his site.

http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

So does Stoptech

http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/bedincontents.htm

I bed in all my brakes on my cars. The only ones that squeak are the Ferodo DS2500 pads on my 911. And only right before you come to a complete stop, there's a small squeak. They squeak a good bit when you apply the brake to stop going backwards, but I don't care. These Ferodos are a street/light track pad.

With upgraded pads and rotors, there should be a difference in feel. Brake pedal should be more firm and pads should have more intial "bite."

But if your brake system was not bled properly, you could have a tiny bit of air (bubbles) in your system somewhere, or your master cylinder could be compromised by over-extending the pedal (pushing it to the floor each time fluid is expelled from the bleeder screw) when manual bleeding is done. Over-extending the pedal has been said to mess the seals internal to the master cylinder (MC) and make for a soft pedal feel. The seals supposedly get mildly damaged by going thru a part of the MC that is not within the usual range of motion of the brake pedal in everyday use. Since this part of the MC doesn't get swiped by the seals, supposedly the surface gets mild corrosion on it and this corrosion can damage the seals. Cars that have never had the brakes bled are obviously more likely to have this problem. It's been my experience, especially on domestic cars, that MANY people neglect their brake system and have NEVER had the brakes bled.

This MC occurrence is also something that is subject to debate and is sometimes said to be untrue. I myself have seen it happen on my Laser MC and my Porsche MC as well. Myth? Not in my cases. There are lots of issues that can cause poor feel on older cars. MC, leaky or worn calipers, poor pad material, old crappy flexible brake lines,.......... It's my opinion that the brake system is one of the most neglected components of the car. Which is very wrong and dangerous. Think about it, if you can't stop? You're screwed.

I'll agree Porsche brakes rock. Even the wimpy brakes on my Carrera are great brakes. Why such great cars like BMW's- even the M cars!!! -use floating calipers, I don't understand. The late Carroll Smith, who is widely known for his vast technical experience, said something like floating calipers are a poor design. But they serve their purpose quite well for street cars where caliper rigidity is rarely an issue.

Anybody who's interested in the finer points, and I DO mean finer, check out Stoptech's technical articles. Very informative stuff.

http://www.stoptech.com/technical/

[1996 328ti]

I don't know. My Ultimate Axxis do not squeal with stock rotors.
Is the rotor getting scored, inside or outside surface?
The wheel bolts are properly torqued?
The caliper guide bolt not installed properly?

This is why I do my own basic brake work.

[choffa]

A simple fix. remove the calipers and pads. Look carefully at the pads & insides of calipers. Take note of any shiny spots where the pad is contacting the caliper. Take never sieze and apply a thin layer on all of the areas where contact is occuring. The squeal is caused by high frequency vibration caused by rubbing at these areas. A light coat is all that's needed. Don't forget the point where the piston hits the back side of the pad.

Another old trick is to bevel the edges of the pad. Grind a 45 degree bevel halfway through the thickness of the pad at the leading & training edges.

I found that the standard pads are best unless you drive very hard (on the race track). Just replaced PBR hgh performance pads with Pagid standard duty pads. Much better grip. Granted they might not be able to take extended high heat, but where can you drive like that realistically?

CJH
1996 328is

[Persian BMW]

Thanks for the replies.


For those who asked, my brake squeal only occurs when I am comming to a slow stop and it isn't a griding sound. Its a light squeaking sound.

Im not sure what is more annoying: the squeaking, or the fact that I JUST got new brakes and now have to probably screw with these some more because they aren't quiet.

[BigAl]

I just put the same setup on my 95 325i . Axxis Ulties and Brembo solids all around. I did my own work, I did 'bed-in' the new pads, and I used some anti-squeal stuff. I think the trick is to not only use the anti-squeal on the backs of the pads where they contact the calipers, but also on the areas that the pads (the metal part, actually) come into contact with the caliper/caliper support bracket. ( I found this described in one of the links from the DIY site, I think it was the one about changing rear pads and rotors). Somehow, I doubt the average garage is going to take the extra time and care to do this extra bit of work. Also, I was very thorough when de-greasing and cleaning the new rotors...again an extra-work detail that may not have been done as well as could have been...

These pads BTW are already 'beveled', as suggested above.

I ran out of time while doing this job, and didn't bleed the brakes yet, but they're working fine so far. I'll bleed them this weekend, thus changing the brake fluid out too...

GL!
B-A

[FreddM3]

I have crossed drilled rotors and my breaks squeal a little bit.... I found if I tap on the break pedal before consistancy, they normally stop squealling until the next light......

[IloveXterra]

One trick I was taught a while back was to grease an additional location.

You know the metal piece that clip on to the pad? Well I removed it and I put grease on BOTH sides of it. This has successfully stopped any squeaking on my Xterra. I thought that I would pass that on to all of you.

Additionally, I also put a thin coat on the caliper where the brake pads travel and can contact the caliper.

Is there a "time limit" on bedding in my brakes? I put them in last night and i have about <10 miles on them.

[parolof]

One trick I was taught a while back was to grease an additional location.

You know the metal piece that clip on to the pad? Well I removed it and I put grease on BOTH sides of it. This has successfully stopped any squeaking on my Xterra. I thought that I would pass that on to all of you.

Additionally, I also put a thin coat on the caliper where the brake pads travel and can contact the caliper.

what he said!

[HGHKirk]

it is my dream...

HGH