Squeally Brakes

[swexlin]

My 2003, 25,500 miles, (only about 2600 of them I have put on in the 13 months I've owned the car.) Brakes have always been squeaky and squeally, and just passed her 2nd annual PA state inspection last week, and pads and rotors fine. (PA requires all 4 wheels pulled and rotors and pads inspected).

Today was driving her VERY hard (road rally, with some very fast pulls then hard slowing, on very dusty, dirty, roads with some gravel in SE PA. I noticed that when just about at a complete stop (like, inches from stopping), she is squealing what seems to be louder than usual. No noise really under partial braking, only when just about the final application before stopping completely, in traffic, at a light, etc.

Brakes feel the same as normal, and stopping power the same. Heat? Dust? My imagination? I'm open to suggestions.

 

[runin1320]

Rock between pad and rotor? Back up and hit the brakes to get it out? lol...just a thought.

 

[swexlin]

Don't think so, I would notice scoring on the rotors, and they look fine. Everything looks normal, brakes normal, not hot to touch, etc.

As I said, this car has always had pretty squeally brakes, and I've been told it's normal. After doing some searching here on the forums, I agree, there are many threads. It just seemed that it got a little louder today, and I was thinking it was heat and dust combination. Don't know.

 

[wikkid]

Its the pads, are those stock pads. I have ebc red and they are a pita. Putting the old ones back on soon. The stock pads dont squel at all, at least mine dont...

 

[swexlin]

Stock pads, as far as I know. As I said, per my tech last week, they are fine. Guess I'm just gonna live with it, but it was a little embarassing every time I came to a light this afternoon. Just seemed louder than usual. Then again, I have the top down again, so maybe I'm hearing it more.

 

[TowDawg]

My reds did the same thing. Changed over to Hawks and no issues.

 

[Darbgnik]

Last owner could have put on the EBC reds.........

 

[swexlin]

This will be a stupid question, but....are these pads actually red? Can you see it by looking without pulling the wheel? I'm a ******* about things like this, so please forgive me.

 

[Darbgnik]

Well, if they've been used for a while, they'll be black........

 

[jckrieger]

Rock between pad and rotor? Back up and hit the brakes to get it out? lol...just a thought.

The OEM pads on my 98 GTS were LOUD. They were so bad I immediately ordered some regular semi-metallics for normal road and auto-x use. The original pads still had half their life, but they were unbearable. They sounded like a school bus coming to a stop. The new pads are nice and quiet and give a more linear pedal feel.

 

[Mopar Steve]

Scott, mine were doing the same thing today. Other than a nuisance, nothing to worry about. If you want to put it in the air and pull the wheels and take a look, let me know. We are in the garage most all weekends and some evenings.

 

[Dom426h]

This will be a stupid question, but....are these pads actually red? Can you see it by looking without pulling the wheel? I'm a ******* about things like this, so please forgive me.

How many miles on your snake?

On the EBC Reds the backing plate is painted red and even if covered in brake dust you should be able to see some red.

 

[mattdillon]

Ive been looking at what to get lately also (pads, rotors) my car only has 9k miles on it (2000 rt/10) but it seems like lately it's squealing more & more. I don't do any tracking, so I don't really want to spend 4-5k on brakes. I know theres alot of different opinions out there, but I've heard the EBC greens are good. I also tried what JonB said about the 75 mph & braking hard, 60 mph & braking hard & then going like 25 mph & doing the same thing, seemed liked they were better for a lil' bit but now back to the same ole thing(I've also heard with these cars thats pretty normal with the squealing brakes, any truth to that). Any more suggestions, I'm open. Thanks

 

[JohnnyViper]

the paint on the outside of the pad and backing are red

This will be a stupid question, but....are these pads actually red? Can you see it by looking without pulling the wheel? I'm a ******* about things like this, so please forgive me.

 

[01sapphirebob]

Ive been looking at what to get lately also (pads, rotors) my car only has 9k miles on it (2000 rt/10) but it seems like lately it's squealing more & more. I don't do any tracking, so I don't really want to spend 4-5k on brakes. I know theres alot of different opinions out there, but I've heard the EBC greens are good. I also tried what JonB said about the 75 mph & braking hard, 60 mph & braking hard & then going like 25 mph & doing the same thing, seemed liked they were better for a lil' bit but now back to the same ole thing(I've also heard with these cars thats pretty normal with the squealing brakes, any truth to that). Any more suggestions, I'm open. Thanks

The brakes on my '01 squeal all the time. Very normal. I have learned to live with it and wear it as a badge of honor.

 

[Jance GTS]

I put on new rotors and Hawk pads, and mine squeal like crazy. I have about 500 on the new brakes. I haven't done the fast and hard braking as of yet, hopefully that will help?

 

[swexlin]

Scott, mine were doing the same thing today. Other than a nuisance, nothing to worry about. If you want to put it in the air and pull the wheels and take a look, let me know. We are in the garage most all weekends and some evenings.

Steve, thanks for the offer, and thanks again for today. As for my squeal, gonna monitor it. May take you up on your offer at some point.

 

[351carlo]

Scott mine squeal as well. If I'm driving it hard they don't, but stop and go traffic they seemingly glaze over and squeal a bit.