Brake pad squealing, just need a clarification.

[Northern Lawn]

Even though I had a $1400 complete brake job 2 years ago my ford ranger is squealing when I drive from the front.. right side I think. It squeals when I drive, like a whistle. When I brake it changes pitch. That's the brakes right?

I know it's probably sounds obvious to some but I can't figure out why they would squeal when I'm not even braking and I tried googling it for a couple hours, maybe I'm not wording it right.

I'm thinking of trying to change the brake pads my self before it gets to the rotors (which I had to have changed last time, they also repacked something or other)

Anyway, I read it's easy and have been looking at youtube vids. People do little things different in these videos so just for clarification.

-Can I just depress the caliper in with a C clamp, pushing the brake fluid back to the Master cylinder? One video shows a guy bleeding the brakes another doesn't bleed, I like the no bleed idea.
-I think I read that you should do both fronts at the same time, or is it you have to change all four brakes?


Thanks in advance.

 

[KentState]

They squeal when you are not braking because the wear indicator has popped out. Think of it like a spring that is trapped behind the brake material. When the material wears away, the spring makes contact with the rotor causing the noise.

 

[Northern Lawn]

They squeal when you are not braking because the wear indicator has popped out. Think of it like a spring that is trapped behind the brake material. When the material wears away, the spring makes contact with the rotor causing the noise.

So that's how it works, interesting. Thanks. It's getting louder this last week, real annoying.

 

[HarryLui]

When you hear the noise, it usually means the rotors are done, the metal clip (wear indicator) on brake pads are done.

You'll want to replace the pads, rotors, and the clips.

www.rockauto.com

 

[Northern Lawn]

When you hear the noise, it usually means the rotors are done, the metal clip (wear indicator) on brake pads are done.

You'll want to replace the pads, rotors, and the clips.

www.rockauto.com

That sucks, I thought they were good if you don't have any vibration while breaking. I don't see the point of warning me that my brakes are fubar'd, lol.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

That sucks, I thought they were good if you don't have any vibration while breaking. I don't see the point of warning me that my brakes are fubar'd, lol.

While you may not need to replace the rotors, using the brake squeal as a warning is like waiting for the oil light to change color once it turns on.

 

[railer]

I'm sure your rotors are fine. You may need new pads - 20 bucks at autozone. Sometimes a rock or piece of rust gets lodged in there and squeals. Pop your pads and look. It could be a free fix.

 

[Northern Lawn]

Does $34 for 4 pads for the front (a set) sound too cheap? Even rotors are $20 each. Makes me wonder why I paid over $1000 for my brake job a couple years ago.

 

[KDKPSJ]

That sucks, I thought they were good if you don't have any vibration while breaking. I don't see the point of warning me that my brakes are fubar'd, lol.

Actually, vibration while braking doesn't have anything to do with brake pads left. For instance, my Infiniti's (G37 & EX35) have suffered vibration while braking even with more than 50% of brake pads left. It is well known issue to Infiniti's and many other cars/brands, which have nothing to do with brake pads left.

With that being said, I doubt you will need to replace rotor if you just started to hear noise when you are braking. The serious problem is when you hear the noise even while you are not applying brake. That means pads are really gone gone and it's metal to metal now.

 

[SyndromeOCZ]

About compressing the master cylinder you can just put a C-clamp on it and it will go in, I usually put and old break pad in there and use that to press on the cylinder so i wont scratch up my cylinder, and sometimes it provides better surface area for compressing it.

 

[waggy]

Does $34 for 4 pads for the front (a set) sound too cheap? Even rotors are $20 each. Makes me wonder why I paid over $1000 for my brake job a couple years ago.

nope sounds right. you got fucked up the ass without lube if you paid $1000 for a brake job.

did you at least get a reach around?

 

[Howard]

Does $34 for 4 pads for the front (a set) sound too cheap? Even rotors are $20 each. Makes me wonder why I paid over $1000 for my brake job a couple years ago.

Wow dude. Did you get new tires and wheels with your new brakes?

Set fire to the person you paid, jesus.

 

[Railgun]

While everyone has said you need to replace your pads, have you actually done a visual to see how much pad is actually left?

No one here can diagnose your brakes by your description. A squeal, depending on your definition of one, can mean a few things.

Do a visual first and see how much pad is left. If it`s about the same or slightly more than the backing of the pad itself, it`s not because you need to replace them.

How much do you drive? How many miles in those two years? Two years is pretty fast to go through a set unless you drive very, very aggressively or you have a caliper problem and your pads are not returning all the way out.

 

[5150MyU]

The wear indicator does not "pop out" it is there waiting for the pads to get to min. thickness-it is a warning indicator.
Just do a visualull the wheels and inspect.

 

[Northern Lawn]

nope sounds right. you got fucked up the ass without lube if you paid $1000 for a brake job.

did you at least get a reach around?

I live in Canada, $90/labour but reach arounds are included in Canadian Tire's customer service program.

 

[Northern Lawn]

While everyone has said you need to replace your pads, have you actually done a visual to see how much pad is actually left?

No one here can diagnose your brakes by your description. A squeal, depending on your definition of one, can mean a few things.

Do a visual first and see how much pad is left. If it`s about the same or slightly more than the backing of the pad itself, it`s not because you need to replace them.

How much do you drive? How many miles in those two years? Two years is pretty fast to go through a set unless you drive very, very aggressively or you have a caliper problem and your pads are not returning all the way out.

I usally don't drive that truck in the summer, it's 4x4 Ranger I keep it for a winter truck. But I have driven it this summer and it's had a 5x10 galvanized trailer on it with some equipment. It weighed with trailer about 2600kg so that's what...5500lbs? maybe that's why they wore. Usually I drive a Sierra to pull the trailer.


I bought the pads yesterday, Jensen brand. Going to put them on.. attempt to put them on this mourning.

 

[Railgun]

Take pics of the rotor when everything is off and the old pads if you could please.

 

[Northern Lawn]

These pads are not worn out, half way maybe.

The left one is NEW the right one is the old one. Still going to change them since it's only $35.

Rotor.

 

[Northern Lawn]

UPDATE:

AH crap!

The back side of this rotor is fubar'd. The brake pad was right to the metal and there was huge grooves dug into the rotor. Neighbour told me it was a stick Caliper. He also said that changing the rotor on this 4x4 is pretty difficult.

 

[jagec]

I live in Canada, $90/labour but reach arounds are included in Canadian Tire's customer service program.

Even a marginally competent tech ought to be able to do a brake job in under an hour, so call that a $90 minimum charge. Let's give them $500 for new rotors, drums, shoes, and pads, with shop markup. Add some bullshit fees on top of that, and we're still at less than half of what you paid.

Sorry.:'(

UPDATE:

AH crap!

The back side of this rotor is fubar'd. The brake pad was right to the metal and there was huge grooves dug into the rotor. Neighbour told me it was a stick Caliper. He also said that changing the rotor on this 4x4 is pretty difficult.

Go to the shop that did your brakes and cuss them out until they replace it for free. NO excuse for not lubing the pins on a $1500 brake job.

 

[Howard]

Even a marginally competent tech ought to be able to do a brake job in under an hour, so call that a $90 minimum charge. Let's give them $500 for new rotors, drums, shoes, and pads, with shop markup. Add some bullshit fees on top of that, and we're still at less than half of what you paid.

Sorry.:'(


Go to the shop that did your brakes and cuss them out until they replace it for free. NO excuse for not lubing the pins on a $1500 brake job.

Could've been something else. Sometimes the pins themselves are no longer smooth, or maybe a boot got punctured or torn.

 

[HarryLui]

Hate to say it, but I told...

 

[Railgun]

Hate to say it, but I told...

...him of a symptom, not a cause.