Brake Squeal

ELEmental59437 · Nov 20, 2003

Today on the way home from school I hit one of those huge metal road titties that seem to blend in with the road. It made a loud clunk noise and now I am getting a squeal sound when I apply the brakes on the same corner of the car that I hit at. I took off the rim to check for damage but I couldnt find anything. It sounds like a metal vibration of some sort and it pissin me off. Can anyone help me out here?

RyanJayG · Nov 20, 2003

brake squeel is 99% of the time metal on metal grinding. even your brake pads usually have little metal stubs in them to tell you that they are almost worn out, keep looking, somthing may be bent.

ELEmental59437 · Nov 20, 2003

RyanJayG said:
brake squeel is 99% of the time metal on metal grinding. even your brake pads usually have little metal stubs in them to tell you that they are almost worn out, keep looking, somthing may be bent.

Where am I looking for something bent? I know my front brakes are getting low because the warped rotors took their toll on them. The rotors are fixed and they said I might need new brakes soon but I the squealing happening right after I hit something makes me think its possibly related? And only on that side that I hit on?

mypfizzle · Nov 20, 2003

is it a clunk or a bang? maybe your pad is so low it was able to get dislodges when you hit? have you checked to make sure the pad is tight in the caliper?

RyanJayG · Nov 20, 2003

check to see if the caliper is not loose, and turning when you hit the brakes, its already pretty close to the rotor along the edges

ELEmental59437 · Nov 20, 2003

It was a clunk sound I think.. almost metal on, I really thought the tire would be flat or the rim bent. I am going to drive it around realy quick and come back with my findings.

Do I need to take the caliper apart to check this stuff? I dont get how I am supposed to look for a loose pad....

ELEmental59437 · Nov 20, 2003

OK.. it doesnt seem to do it when I brake turning left.. but does going straight or turning right. I hope its just a worn pad. Can anyone tell me what a worn pad will sound like?

mypfizzle · Nov 20, 2003

thump thump thump.. like that. -=)

ELEmental59437 · Nov 20, 2003

Pics of the pads:

pro00 · Nov 20, 2003

it looks like it is a little out of place, imo
what do you guys think
just take it to a mechanic and tell them to check on the brakes
it is probably just got dislodged a little
if that sort of stuff happen

ELEmental59437 · Nov 20, 2003

I would like to fix it myself if I knew what the hell was wrong. I am considering just buying two new front brake pads and swappnig them out this weekend.

mazdadan · Nov 20, 2003

How are your inboard pads? Take off the wheels and unbolt the caliper to check. Usually the inside pad wears quicker than the outside one. From your pics, it looks like your outboard pads are still in pretty good shape.

Mr. Win · Nov 20, 2003

i just replaced my front braks and what i noticed was that the brake pad starts cracking at about your level of brake pad left i had a little less. there is also a little metal clips to help in pulling the padds off that if the brakes wear down that one part will scrap in to the rotor. Now if you feel like it is sometihng stuck in there this is an old trick, find a straight road not to long something you havea control over. Then floor it and then slam on the brakes then put in reverse slame on the brakes and so on do i 4 or 5 times if it still sqeals might be ime to swap them out...i think theres a hawk pad gb going on and i would job on that i i were you.

ELEmental59437 · Nov 21, 2003

SenorCorwin said:
i just replaced my front braks and what i noticed was that the brake pad starts cracking at about your level of brake pad left i had a little less. there is also a little metal clips to help in pulling the padds off that if the brakes wear down that one part will scrap in to the rotor. Now if you feel like it is sometihng stuck in there this is an old trick, find a straight road not to long something you havea control over. Then floor it and then slam on the brakes then put in reverse slame on the brakes and so on do i 4 or 5 times if it still sqeals might be ime to swap them out...i think theres a hawk pad gb going on and i would job on that i i were you.

Thanks for your advice man.. I will try that tomarrow and see what happens. Do I need anything special to change out the brake pads? I am a brake pad virgin...

ELEmental59437 · Nov 21, 2003

Can someone tell me how the performance and prices of the hawk pads compare to getting something Mazda or generic?

Mr. Win · Nov 22, 2003

hawks are some of the best in stopping and theres less brake dust and a better compound of materails. I would have bought them but i needed to change mine when i did sooo that gb eas out of the question. ill write how to change them a lil later just woke up

Mr. Win · Nov 22, 2003

alright here what you need.
C-Clamp
large allen key ( i dont kow the size i jsut tested em till they fit)
new brake pads
brake quite...Very miportant so you dont get that squeal.(its a small catsup size packet you pick up at you local auto store)

Anywho you shouldnt need to replace the backs untill 50-60k miles but the front and the back are done the same.

Open the hood, look in somewhere about center there a little plastic cap in there for the brake fulid. Its a clear container youll be the fulid its a yellowish pee color. Remove the cap for that. (this step important down the road.)

Remove wheel like changing a flat.

Turn car on turn the wheel allt he way out so you can get in there.

On the bottom back side of the cailper you will see a black plastic cap. pull the cap off. This exposes the allen key nut.
Unscrew allen key nut

Lift caliper upwards.

You will see a dome like thing thing take the c clamp and sqeeuze in on it all the way down this get all the fluid out of the line. (why you took that cap off so theres no back pressure) you also may want a friend to keep a rag around the cap incase it over flows a bit.

Remove two wire clip looking things on and remeber how they went on

then pull brake pads off you have to pull it horizontal from the cailper.

Then take new pads apply brake quite on the backs of the pads

Put pads on along with the annoying like metal things that will fall out when you pulled the old brake pad off.

Then put those wire hanging clips things on.

Close Caliper (may requrie some fine tuning on the way the brake pad sits)

Screw allen key bolt back in

put cap back on

Repeat for each wheel.

Wha LA your car will stop quicker fast and better now all with these simple instructions hahaha

Anywho if you have any questions ill be more then happy to help.

Maybe you can take some pics and well make a how to.

TheMAN · Nov 22, 2003

OEM = excellent fade resistance, balanced wear on rotor and pad, semi-metallic
cheap generic s*** = not perfect fit, fades too fast, pads wear down real fast with real driving, organic
"performance" pads = unknown fade resistance, eats rotors, metallic

ELEmental59437 said:
Can someone tell me how the performance and prices of the hawk pads compare to getting something Mazda or generic?

pro00 · Nov 22, 2003

TheMAN said:
OEM = excellent fade resistance, balanced wear on rotor and pad, semi-metallic
cheap generic s*** = not perfect fit, fades too fast, pads wear down real fast with real driving, organic
"performance" pads = unknown fade resistance, eats rotors, metallic

i second that
i have my oem brake pads on my car
about 21K miles on them
and 3 yrs old
still running strong

*knocks on wood*

Mr. Win · Nov 23, 2003

i disagree my P5 oem died after a year.

Brake Squeal

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