Hi guys,
I changed the front brake pads and rotors on my 99 accord about 200 miles ago. I can't remember the brand, but they were the mid-level pads from my local part store. i didn't bleed the brakes and i did put a generous amount of anti-squeal on there.

After about 50 miles or so i started hearing them squealing. Before the squeaking started i was hearing a sort of metallic whooshing sound - like metal rubbing together but fairly benign sounding.

at any rate - it's driving me crazy. the brakes are working fine but the noise is irritating. i took the wheels off today and the anti-squeal seems to still be there and everything looks ok visually.

any ideas?

 

Could be the pads but....not sure if you cleaned everything with brake cleaner and then lubed, put the stuff on the back but what about lube where the pads "slide". Also I have to ask about replacing the pad hardware.

 

sorry - yeah, i sprayed quite a bit of brake cleaner, i greased up the parts that needed to be greased inside the caliper etc- but i'm not sure what you mean about where the pads slide or "pad hardware?"

the only part i actually replaced besides the pads themselves was the retention clips because they were super nasty

 

Did you replace the little clips #16? That needs grease 'cause that's where the pad backing plate touches.

How about the shims #10, 11, 12? Little bit of grease between them?

New or resurfaced rotors are normal to make soft whooshing sound until they get polished up by the brake pads.

Sometimes it's just life. Back in the day when asbestos was allowed to be used, they were OK. Now it's a big trade-off between braking power vs. noise vs. lifespan vs. dust. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating cancer-dust all over the roadways, but asbestos was a difficult material to find a substitute.

 

Yea and the day of just throwing old brake shoes in a 55 gal drum (open box, dump) to send them back to be re-lined or actually selling the lining and rivits....had my share of that stuff...glad to still be here.

 

You know what Jim, I don't think i greased the retention clips (#16)
The pads i bought came with the shims already stuck on so i didn't grease any of them. all i did was anti-squeal the back of the pad, grease the pins and drive off.

also can i just take this opportunity to say again that i hate #25 with the passion of a thousand suns?

 

#25 - yeah, those bolts are FUN.

When I buy a car, I get in the habit of taking them off & applying anti-seize the first time I rotate the tires. Then after the car gets older & corrosion sets in, that helps.

Still, if you have to drill those out, you don't REALLY need them at all. They're for convenience holding the rotors on the assembly line. When the wheels are installed, the lug nuts hold the rotors with plenty of clamping force.

 

Hey guys - so i forgot to mention that the squealing only really happens at low speeds - and moreover only really happens when i apply more pressure on the brake - eg coming to a full stop.

should i take out the pads and reapply anti-sq and some grease to the retention clips?

 

you can try cleaning the rotors and some hard braking, if you haven't already done so

 

I'm not convinced that'll work, but it's relatively painless to try that. Never use so much grease that you risk getting grease on the braking surface of the pads & rotors.