OK, I just need to ask a quick question. I was driving my IROC and I started getting this loud, high squeal from the front left wheel every time I got up around 25mph. It's weird, cuz I just drove about 50 miles from school and didn't have any problem. It seems to go away and come back, when I hit a bump for example. I think the brakes may need replacing, but the weird thing is it doesn't squeal when I hit the brakes, rather it STOPS squealing when I brake.

Is this just the brake pad indicator, should it squeal like that when the brakes AREN'T applied? Or should I look for something else somewhere? I just want to make sure before I go out and change the brake pads and find out that that wasn't it.

Thanks
Mark

 

Hmmm....'s not doing it anymore...might've got a pebble caught in the caliper or something...brake pads are pretty worn, though.

 

Worn brake pads squeal when you aren't using the brake. And they sometimes stop when the brakes are applied.

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82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

 

Yea, you need to change pads. There are little fingers that are made to sqeal when the brakes are not applied. They are there so you will know when your pads are getting thin. They still allow you about 1K miles or so before the pads are gone. Don't wait that long!!!!!! It'll grind the heck outta your rotors.
If the squealing has stopped then you have gone too far with out changing the pads. The fingers have worn too short to squeal. Kinda like fingernails on a chalk board.

You need new pads, and get the rotors turned to. Try bleeding the system just to make sure that you have even pressure around the car.

 

Thanks...I changed the pads, but it turns out that my left front brake was seizing up. Turns out I had a plugged brake line. But yes, the pads did need changing.

Mark