Just got all new rotors/pads/hardware on my 1995 Tahoe, AC Delco "Professional" parts. The brakes squeak when applying slight to moderate pressure, usually above 40mph or so. It seems to be coming from one side only but I'm not entirely sure. This same exact thing happened on our two previous OBS Tahoes after brake jobs, never found out exactly why. On our last one, the noise just stopped after a year or so. It's just something annoying, brakes seem to be working perfectly otherwise. Should I just give them a week or so to see if the sound goes away?
Brand new rotors/pads squeaking...
- Thread starter derekjl
- Start date
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Have you bedded the pads? I know it's a hassle to find a place to do it but I highly recommend you do. They should have come with instructions on how to do it, but basically you're slowly heating up the pads until they're sticky and then letting them cool down. If you heat them up too much without bedding them properly, they'll get a glaze on them which will squeak.
I'm not sure I've "properly" bedded them in. The pads are semi-metallic if that means anything. They were quiet for about 10 miles when first installed.
If you're not sure, then you haven't. You should be able to look up the procedure on the manufacturer website. My Wilwoods included a pretty universal set of bedding instructions. You need a place and its hard to find the room to do it but if you don't you might glaze the pads and they'll end up squeaking or not working as good as they should. From Wilwood:
Bedding Steps
Once the brake system has been tested and determined safe to operate the vehicle, follow these steps for the bedding of all new pad materials. These procedures should only be performed on a race track, or other safe location where you can safely and legally obtains speeds up to 65 MPH, while also being able to rapidly decelerate.
- Begin with a series of light decelerations to gradually build some heat in the brakes. Use an on-and-off the pedal technique by applying the brakes for 3-5 seconds, and then allow them to fully release for a period roughly twice as long as the deceleration cycle. If you use a 5 count during the deceleration interval, use a 10 count during the release to allow the heat to sink into the pads & rotors.
- After several cycles of light stops to begin warming the brakes, proceed with a series of medium to firm deceleration stops to continue raising the temperature level in the brakes.
- Finish the bedding cycle with a series of 8-10 hard decelerations from 55-65 MPH down to 25 MPH while allowing a proportionate release and heat-sinking interval between each stop. The pads should now be providing positive and consistent response.
- If any amount of brake fade is observed during the bed-in cycle, immediately begin the cool down cycle.
- Drive at a moderate cruising speed, with the least amount of brake contact possible, until most of the heat has dissipated from the brakes. Avoid sitting stopped with the brake pedal depressed to hold the car in place during this time. Park the vehicle and allow the brakes to cool to ambient air temperature.
PG01
Supporting Member
Just curious, did you brake kleen the balls out of everything before you reassembled? Grease to backs of the pads where it hits caliper front and back and where they hit the anti-rattle clips?
No clue. I would think that the shop that put them on would know to do that, but I could be wrong. If they continue to squeal after a few more days I will be giving them a call.
PG01
Supporting Member
Oh, i thought you did them.... hell yeah bring it back and tell them to make it right and dont take ‘ oh, thats normal for new brakes to do, give it a few days’ thats bs... no brake job ive ever done squeaks and i rarely bed them like @Rocket Man described...just sayin
^^^Hell yeah, I was thinking you did them yourself. Take it back to the shop. Since they installed them and didn't give you any specific instructions it's on them. Also you never mentioned if they squeak when coasting, going around corners or while applying the brakes.
They do not squeak at all other than when applying the brakes in a very particular manner, moderate pressure only and usually above 45mph or so. They do work perfectly and are very smooth otherwise. Same exact scenario with the other three OBS Tahoe’s we have owned. Weird I know.
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It sounds like they're glazed to me. I would ask for different pads. Do you know what brand and type they used? You might be able to get them to stop squeaking by bedding them in though. It also might be too late if glazing is the problem, until the top surface wears down. Hard to tell.
