Alright, so just recently my front wheels have just started squalling like mad. Figured it was my pads...went and got new pads, take off the wheel and low and behold the pads are fine. Have like 5K more miles on them.

So if its not my pads....what is it??

Also, I guess these brakes have keys to get the housing off??

Any help would be appreciated!

I assume this occurs while braking?

Are the pad warning indicators rubbing the rotor yet? I know you said to check them, but maybe you just looked at the pads "meat", lol..

Even between squeaking without braking and while braking.

I didn't look for the warning indicator, ill check that out tomorrow.

You know what size key i need to get the brakes off? Seems like there are 2 pins with hex bit keys on the ends of them....

Not sure what "key" your referring to? I've done alot of brake work on third gens, and the 2 bolts that hold the caliper on require a larger allen-head bit socket to remove. Got to get at them from the back.

A socket like this:



I am not sure what size, but what I did when I bought mine was I went to autozone and asked them to pull a caliper from the back that had new bolts included and I compared sockets against that bolt and bought the one that fit.

Thats exactly what i need! I'll run by advanced auto, on the way home from work tomorrow and grab one. I bought Premium grade wagner pads, i figure i might as well replace them and see if that solves the issue, and go from there.

wheel bearings?

I thought about that...but i think i would feel that through the steering wheel, and it all squeaking stops when i apply breaks hard. I am 100% its got something to do with my breaks, just cant figure out what yet...its gotta be the pads..

The socket is 3/8", just went out to the shop and checked.

I wonder when the last time your 84 had the wheel bearings cleaned/repacked and/or replaced. Might be a good time to do some maintenance.

JamesC

Awesome! Thanks for that man!

Hmm, my guess? Probably never. :/ BUT the man I bought it from had just added the front disk breaks, so it's possible he replaced bearings then. But doubtful. This summer i am doing a total suspension overall , shocks/springs/sway bars. So I'll proabably add that to the list. Can't hurt anything.

Not sure what you (or he) means by "adding" disc brakes - all these cars came from factory with front disc brakes, so he couldn't have "added" anything. Maybe he swapped front discs for corvette breaks or something?

Anyway - get that hex and get those pads off. Even if the look like they still have mileage, the pads might be cracked or something that you can't yet see until you removes them. Also, like mentioned, they do have wear indicators on them - a metal tang on the end that will rub the disc and squeal long before the pad is gone.

V6 sport coupes came with 4wheel drums right??


Yeah, looks like the warning flanges were rubbing..

[QUOTE=vistageek92;4858171]V6 sport coupes came with 4wheel drums right??[QUOTE]

No. Discs.

JamesC

[QUOTE=JamesC;4858187][QUOTE=vistageek92;4858171]V6 sport coupes came with 4wheel drums right??Really...I can't believe I didn't know that. Huh, wonder what he meant when he said replaced the front brakes...

No third gen had front drums.. I think front drums died in the 60's.. lol

Ok, Got everything back together. Went on a test run, no more squeaking! FINALLY!

Just one question, they seem to be rubbing without brake pressure. I can feel them through the pedals. Is that normal until they form to the rotor?

Probably one or all of the following: rotors, calipers, pads.

JamesC

I guess. Thanks James

The pad is always in contact with the rotor.

JamesC

Well, yes, but they seems to be vibrating a good deal..

You might need to resurface your rotors.

???

Your disk brake rotors may be warped or formed from the old brake pads causing the vibration... turning (resurfacing) the rotors takes that out of them. As a tech I always recommend getting the rotors turned when putting on new brake pads.

Generally advisable, I think.

JamesC

I gotcha, so you would just switch them from left to right?

If this keeps up ill do that. For now I am gonna drive it a bit and see if its just the new pads.

when they start vibrating, i can barely ( i mean barely, maybe 1/4in) press the brake pedal and they immediately stop..

To me that sounds like loose wheel bearings or possibly bad bearing or possibly brake chatter from warped rotors... If its warped rotors or wheel bearing and your let it go you just wasted a set of new brake pads and will need to change them again... and turning the rotors requires a special lathe type of tool... most shops have a brake lathe runs around 20 bucks to turn rotors if you take the rotors to them. but if you go have the rotors turned good time to change or repack the wheel bearings

But if it were bearings wouldnt it be doing that the whole time?

Not necessarily.

Warped rotors will wear a bearing out quickly. Worn bearings will contribute to warped rotors. It's a cycle.

Replace your bearings and turn your rotors.

when you apply the brakes your pinching the rotor which is holding the rotor so it can spin true. remember the caliper bracket is attached to the spindle and not dependent on the bearings like the rotor is so it can smooth out a vibration caused by bearings by holding it between the brake pads....

The squealing is oscilation between the caliper and the metal body of the pad. Look at the backs of your old pads. See how they're worn shiny where the piston and caliper body rubbed against them? It occurs more often with certain friction materials. It can be arrested by using silencing shims or less effectively with products such as "Brake Quiet" that you apply to the back of the pad. It forms a barrier between the pad and caliper to prevent the oscilations but doesnt generally last very long.

Replacing pads without surfacing rotors is never a good idea. The rotors wear along with the pads and when you install new pads, they will not match the uneven surface of the worn rotor. This causes poor brake performance, can lead to brake pulsation, and at worst can cause a locked caliper due to the uneven application of pressure against the piston.

On 3rd gens, since they use a combination rotor hub, anytime you remove rotors for surfacing, you will be disassembling bearings so repacking is kind of a given. Unless you think you want to reinstall your dirty unserviced bearings. Also, you need to carefully clean any grinding dust from the hub so it doesn't contaminate the grease.