Hey guys,

I bought my car about a month and a half ago. When I bought it it was great, but after 2 weeks it started to develop squeaking brakes. After doing some searches on the topic, I took off my wheels and checked the pads. All 4 pads still have plenty of room until the metal wear indicator. So I bought this stuff called Brake Quiet from Autozone. I sprayed it on the back of all my pads as instructed, but the squaking didn't dissapear. It intensified greatly instead.

So today, with a buddy of mine we narrowed the noise down to the rear brakes only, both sides. The sqealing occurs only under light braking or no braking. If I brake moderately hard, not a sound. I am completely confused , what could this possibly be caused by? I read that the axles have a little play in the housing and cause these symptoms sometimes. Is there any truth to that?

Please halp me out guys, I can't drive the car, the noises are so annoying!

BTW The car is a 96 Z28 M6 60K miles if that matters.

Thanks,
-Max

 

Try the VGX pads from Summit. They claim that they dont squeak and they dont. Been using them for years after having enough of the squeaky GM pads.

 

I have the same problem, did you ever find out what it was? Mine is identical: squeal under light braking only, as soon as I get on them the noise stops.

 

Try the Brake quiet on the back brakes also, if the pads are still decent.

 

Yep, new pads with the disc brake quiet. Still squeaks.

 

I was referring to Maksik. Go fast i believe yours is just from the compound you are using. HP PLUS Correct?

 

yeah the hp plus

 

I think I know what is causing your problem.

You said,...The sqealing occurs only under light braking or no braking...

Does a corner make it worse?

If so you have to shim the rear axle or the brake plates to move the caliper slightly. The caliper can rub on the disk and what you hear is a metal to metal squeal. There is a section in the GM shop manual about this.

The braking makes it stop because the force from the pads centers the caliper over the disk and nothing but the pads are rubbing.

If the noise seems to be from the rear axle, thats your problem.

Z28

 

it doesn't make any noise under no braking, just under light. No sound during turning either. How would you shim it? Put shims in with the caliper mount bolts?

 

I have this exact problem. When I go around right hand turns I get a very high pitched sqeal. What do I use as a shim and how do I go about doing it? If you know how and have time to share with me I would greatly appreciate it! I'm putting new brakes on soon so that would be a great time to work on my annoying sqeal. Thanks!

Bryan

 

From my experience it could be cheap pads unless you know what the previous owner put on the car. I bought a cheap set once and they howelled like crazy. Once I replaced them with better ones the sqeak stopped.

This is not true for all pads though. Some good semi-metallic pads will start to squeak. If you have a dremel or die grinder you can grind a small bevel on the leading edge leading edge of the pad. Most pads when new have the leading edge beveled back but as the pad wears down the bevel and squeaking starts. This happens beacsue the pad is now 90 degrees to the rotor and as the pad wears tiny "burs" develop on the leading edge and that is what catchs and squeaks untill you get more pressure on the pad. Hope this makes sense.

 

Hawk Plus pads squeal like crazy. Use the HPS pads instead and it will go away.

 

Search under brake shim, that should get you to the posts I read. If you get a real GM shop manual it is in there also. You shim between the axle and the brake mounting plate. Or you shim between the pad abutment bracket and the brake mounting plate. Or you can grind on the caliper. The object is to center the caliper over the disk better. So when the axle floats out, nothing rubs.

Z28

 

Did you find the cause of the problem yet? Did the axle shim take care of it?

I'm curious because I'm having the exact same problem with my rear passenger wheel area. It's not your typical brake squeak but more like a metal on metal chirping noise. Only occurs under light-moderate brake pressure. If I really punch the pedal there's nothing.

I've got to find out what's causing this, it's really getting under my skin now

 

actually i switched to crossdrilled rotors and better pads, and stainless lines. Haven't heard the noise since. Sorry, wish i could help....