What Did I Do Wrong???

[swathdiver]

Right before Thanksgiving last year, at about 121K miles, we replaced the rear rotors and pads and parking brake shoes.

Over the past six weeks or so, now at 124K, the rear brakes squeak LOUDLY while backing down the drive. Don't squeak while driving forward or braking, just backing.

What did I do wrong and how can I fix it?

 

[swathdiver]

Who moved a post about brakes to the engine forum??? Get some sleep!

 

[NathanJax]

Who moved a post about brakes to the engine forum??? Get some sleep!

Someone who can read the section descriptions...

"Engine & Drivetrain - Discuss engine and drivetrain items from brakes, transmissions, towing, error codes, anything in the engine bay and so on here."

 

[swathdiver]

Well then, looks like I'm the one needing sleep Nathan! Thanks!

My eyes saw engine and drivetrain and that was it.

 

[iamdub]

Is it a high-pitch thin metal ("tin") sounding squeak or a typical metallic brake pad squeal?

It happening only in reverse steers me towards parking brake shoes dragging. Maybe you had them adjusted too far out? Drive backwards with it squeaking and gradually engage the parking brake while maintaining speed and see if the sound changes.

If it's a high-pitch sound like the squealer tab on a worn pad rubbing a rotor, then I'd check those thin metal clips that hold the pads in the abutment brackets. Either way, you're gonna have to pull off the wheels or a wheel if you can determine a particular side.

 

[swathdiver]

When we replaced the parking brake shoes, we did not have a resetting gauge. The spec was .026 inches of clearance and use my Mark 1 Mod O eyeballs to guesstimate the distance. Just bought a resetting gauge off ebay, so that will be added to the gripe sheet and tackled in a couple of weeks. Thanks Chris.

 

[iamdub]

When we replaced the parking brake shoes, we did not have a resetting gauge. The spec was .026 inches of clearance and use my Mark 1 Mod O eyeballs to guesstimate the distance. Just bought a resetting gauge off ebay, so that will be added to the gripe sheet and tackled in a couple of weeks. Thanks Chris.

Never heard of a resetting gauge. Just looked it up- pretty neat and simple concept. I recall back in my day that specs for the parking brake read something like "engage the parking brake X clicks and the vehicle should not move when idling in gear". Also, the initial setting for a drum brake (which is essentially all the parking brake is) was simpy no drag rotating forward, minimal drag in reverse. It's self-adjusting and adjusts in reverse. So if yours was set too tightly, it could drag and create dust. We all know that dusty brakes (especially metallic) tend to squeal when applied, and they'd be slightly "applied" when rolling backwards.

I'm interested to see how this gauge works out!

 

[ezstriper]

I replaced my 11 av pads with delco severe duty semi met pads, went about 500 miles started to squeel at times from the rear, I sanded the rotors well

 

[05alive]

Just back the shoes off a click and see what happens. Should still set with only a single click off.