Unknown brake screech/squeal
 

Dug around some other threads and couldn’t find a good answer so I’ll put it here:

I have a 1987 Firebird w/front disc and rear drums that I use as a daily driver. I’d been told by a couple shops that the brake pads looked fine but when I pulled the wheels off to check them, there was no pad left on at all. Rotors were warped too. I ordered ceramic brake pads, rotors, and wheel bearings all by acdelco. Everything except for the pads got delayed and since it is my daily I had to make do and install the pads while waiting. Followed the instructions to the letter, greased the parts where the pad touches the rotor, where the caliber touches the knuckle, and the backs of the outer pads with copper anti seize. I greased the caliper bolts with brake lube by brakcleen. This was back on January the 9th.

The brakes started squealing after that. Today I installed the rotors and bearings, followed the instructions to the letter again and everything went fine. Put some more lube on the places mentioned before while I was at it.

The brakes are still squealing the same way under the same conditions. They are fine when braking until you really start pressing the peddle, maybe 1/2 down and lower, and then they start squealing. It gets louder the more you press the pedal. One of the threads said it could be the grommet that the caliper mounting bolt goes through. I have all 4 of mine still, but some of them won’t come off of the bolts themselves.

Sorry for throwing that much text at you guys, any answers are appreciated.

Re: Unknown brake screech/squeal
 

So you`ve worked on the brakes and clearly have no idea what your`re doing....putting new pads on glazed and worn out rotors will ruin them pretty much straight out of the gate. Your new rotors those might be okay still if you dont have too many miles on them yet. New pads + fresh turned rotors or new rotors..anything else is going to squeal and make noise and will continue too. You start with new pads, turned rotors or new rotors, your haste has or will cost you more $ now. As for the slide pins and the sleeves, these all have to slide, nothing can be seized or it will not work right. The sleeves need to slide in and out of the calipers with ease, the pins or bolts need to be able to slide into the sleeves with ease. Every cardinal rule about making brakes work correctly you have pretty much broke. fresh surfaces for the rotors, new pads and calipers that slide are the basic must have`s for a good brake job...many other things can create squeal but we not there yet...did you say you greased the pads where they touch the rotors ?? This is a good forum, listen to these guys- they will help you get it done right the second time

Re: Unknown brake screech/squeal
 

Pads and rotors go together; you'll need new pads bare minimum. Do not grease the area where the pad contacts the rotor.

Also semi-metallic pads are superior to ceramics imo.

Re: Unknown brake screech/squeal
 

Ain’t that the truth? It’s why I’m glad that this forum and community exists.

anyway, I’d been told by those close to me who know about car maintenance and a post or two I read on here (no links but I remember it) that under a month difference wouldn’t matter. Also I have no idea why I said I greased the area in between the pads and rotors, I didn’t. I greased where the pad moves on the caliper because I’d seen it done in a few guides and had some of those aforementioned people recommend doing that too.

Thanks for your time, I’ll take this to heart and get it right the next time (soon)

Re: Unknown brake screech/squeal
 

I`m glad you posted, I mean I hate to see anyone waste $ but for sure someone in the same boat will see this thread and think twice..Its too bad you have to go back into them but be sure to do it right and do it once !