Really annoying brake ,squeak

[titch]

Just wondering if anyone can help please?

The car is a 2001 HDI 166K with lucas front calipers, there is a really annoying constant squeak at low speeds. The discs and pads are not that old, but they were cheap one from euro car parts.

I have had the caliper off cleaned it all up and copper slipped everything that needs doing. Only thing i noticed was that the dust seal on the piston was split quite badly, so wondering if any dirt and shite has got in there and it is sticking slightly? Or maybe the disc is slightly warped?

The squeak is not there when you first set off and for the first mile or so, but starts as the brakes warm up.
The squeak disappears when you touch the brake pedal, and i mean touch, just rest your foot on it, or if you move the steering wheel ever so slightly to the left just 1/2 an inch off centre, also as you increase the speed. The squeak is worst at 30 - 45 mph.

I have a new caliper (well from the scrappy)

Does anyone else have any ideas what could be the problem

[Piggy]

I have serviced Mrs Piggys 206 hdi front brakes twice since owning due to squeak...no joy.

Only assumption (as the pads were replaced new before I bought it) is that they are cheap pads. But I'm guna wear them down before putting something else in there!

[titch]

Thanks the squeak is pretty loud and constant, it has never done it before, but this is the first time i put cheapo pads in as at the time ECP had nothing else in stock.

[205 Mardi gras]

Try filing a chamfer onto the leading edge of the brake pads mate. Have you greased the ends of the pads too, where they slide in the caliper or caliper carrier bracket. Hope this works for you.....Luke.

[titch]

Try filing a chamfer onto the leading edge of the brake pads mate. Have you greased the ends of the pads too, where they slide in the caliper or caliper carrier bracket. Hope this works for you.....Luke.

Thanks for the reply, yeah i took the carrier off and wire brushed it all up so it was nice and clean, and greased there and the ends of the pads too.

Will try filing a chamfer on the leading edge and see what happens, how much of a chamfer do you suggest?

Thanks Dave

[Piggy]

Ahh I assumed you had done that

Did you not take the shine off the pads too?

Get a file and use it as a flat edge...wrap with heavy duty sandpaper. Then take the shine off the face of the pads and add a little angle on the edges.

Ive done this but its not stopped the squeal annoyingly. However it fixes 99% of customers brake squeal issues!

[titch]

Cool cheers fellas will give that a go, i have never had to do that before, fingers crossed it will sort it.

The squeak is constant as i am driving along, doesn't squeak or squeal when braking either.

[Piggy]

So the squeal STOPs when you brake?!

[titch]

Yeah the squeak is constant, and stops if i touch the brake pedal or turn the steering slightly to the left.

The squeak is not there when you first drive off or for the first mile or so, but starts as the brakes warm up.
The squeak disappears when you touch the brake pedal, and i mean touch, just rest your foot on it, or if you move the steering wheel ever so slightly to the left just 1/2 an inch off centre, also as you increase the speed. The squeak is worst at 30 - 45 mph

But no squeak or squeal when actually braking, which is why i thought the caliper might be sticking slightly.

[Piggy]

Sounds like it could be a dry wheel bearing tbh. But try the pads first.

[titch]

The wheel bearing is not that old less than a year, as i fitted a second hand hub due to the old ones ball joint hole ovaling, and i had a new bearing fitted before i changed the hub.

I will try the pads and see what happens.

Cheers Dave

If anyone has any other things they think might be worth checking

[Piggy]

Is it squealing only one side?

[titch]

Yeah sorry should of put that, just the drivers side

[pug306driver]

so everything looks ok ( split caliper piston boot means an overhaul dude......split lets in water and etc etc etc ......)

and pads chamfered ( remove the sharp edge that contacts the disc ) .........

so, when driving and noise heard.....gently ( maker sure its safe to do this on the road )  very gently weave from side to side......if noise disappears when weaving left, then check r/h/s front wheel bearing......also rear wheel bearing......... as that side is now being "loaded"      ........wheel and disc "leans" and contacts pads........?

have you seen the tube and handle wheel bearing play etc. checking tool.......a bit of scaffold tube and a lever..........drive tyre onto tube with lever set at an convienient angle, hold in place ( assistant in car ) and "rotate" lever..........feel, watch disc and or b/b/joint etc........

[titch]

i am pretty sure it's not a wheel bearing, both front ones are less than a year old and the rear ones were changed both together about 18 months ago.

i am 99.99% sure it is the brakes, i will chuck the new caliper and discs and pads on at the weekend ( weather depending) and see what happens.

[titch]

Drove down to work late last night and the weather was terrible, drove about 100 miles and with the heavy rain and water on the road there was little to no squeaking ?

So it is a lot worse when dry.

Any ideas ?

[Piggy]

Wheel bearing.

[pug306driver]

Wheel bearing.

sorry dude buttonitis.....when gently wondering to the left, and squeak starts or gets worse, then look at r/h/side..........

if when wondering to the left the noise disappears or goes quieter, then probably other side......much corrosion and or rust, a rust ring on the disc..........tap the rust off espeicailly the outer edge, but inner edge may also be bad/worse........how are the vented holes?? full of corrosion?

[titch]

Wheel bearing.

sorry dude buttonitis.....when gently wondering to the left, and squeak starts or gets worse, then look at r/h/side..........

if when wondering to the left the noise disappears or goes quieter, then probably other side......much corrosion and or rust, a rust ring on the disc..........tap the rust off espeicailly the outer edge, but inner edge may also be bad/worse........how are the vented holes?? full of corrosion?

The discs are not to bad, they are not that old just cheap rubbish.

I have got a spare hub in the shed, so if fitting the spare caliper and new ( better quality discs and pads) doesn't cure it i will chuck the spare hub on which will eliminate the bearing too.

[mlloyd2000]

Are your pads wearing evenly on the drivers side caliper?

I had the exact same symptoms on mine, when i checked, the inner pad was worn a lot more than the outer, swapped pads made sure caliper wasnt seised etc, after a few hundred miles the squeeling started again, albeit intermittent.

A few thousond miles later and again there was a noticable wear diference in the pad wear.

Turned out to be a calliper slider bolt that was bent, it moved freely when not tightened up, but once pads were in and the slider bolts tightened it stiffeded up. seems the caliper wasnt floating as it should, so the inner pad was always slightly sitting against the disk, hense the squeel. if you stopped and pumped the brakes really hard it would cure the squeel for a while.

I figured the slight play in wheel bearings etc accounted for the squeel stopping when steering ever so slightly off centre.

[titch]

I am going to have another look at the weekend, but they looked to be wearing evenly. Both sliders are in good condition they were not seized and i cleaned and re greased them.

Thanks fo r the reply will check the bolts as wel.

[mlloyd2000]

If you take the pads out, and bolt the caliper back on, you can then check that the caliper slides freely.

My sliders didnt appear to be seized, and slided in and out nicely on their own but the caliper wouldnt budge by hand when it was all bolted up.

[titch]

Nice one thanks will have a look at the weekend if it is dry

[titch]

Bit of an update

It was dry for a few hours yesterday afternoon so had another quick look, whipped the caliper off checked the bolts both looked ok, i put the caliper back on with no pads in just to make sure it was sliding ok, and it was.

So i filed the chamfer on the leading edge of both pads, and put it all back together, and re greased everything again.

I did a 100 mile trip in the dry late last night and it didn't squeak once, so will see how it is for the next week or so, but looks like it might be sorted.

Thats the last time i buy cheap pads as i have never had to do that before.

Cheers fellas

[thebluepearl]

I have the exact same noise on my passenger side front, when steering in to the left no squeek straight line constant low squeek brakes applied squeek goes have chamfered pads checked bearings and piston seal and all good yet the squeek still persists to irritate me!!