Hot squeaking front brake - Help please!

[davcom1]

Hi everyone,

As per the title - my front nearside brake seems to be sticking slightly?!

Background - around 12 months ago I bought and fitted new slotted discs from 3G together with EBC Redstuff pads. Apart from a noticeable "clicking", all has been fine until last week.

I noticed an intermittent squeak starting which was heard at slow speeds without brake applied.

This weekend I braved the cold to strip down the nearside wheel and caliper to clean up and check the pads. Unfortunately it looks like the Redstuff pads are knackered with cracks across the face.

The caliper pins seemed a little dry so I cleaned them off and coated with Copaslip grease. I also cleaned off everything else with brake cleaner and reassembled. A short test run suggested everything was good to go but today the squeaking returned.

The nearside brake/disc is definitely hotter and seems to take about 2 miles before getting to the noisy stage.

Any ideas?

I know Copaslip is not ideal and that EBC pads are not loved by all but what could be causing the nearside brake to be a problem?

This is the only side I stripped/cleaned. Was I not thorough enough in cleaning/greasing or do I need to deal with all four calipers at once? Or is it something else causing the problem? Could the fact that the pad surface is cracked be causing the problem? (I've got new pads ordered already)

Overall mileage of car is still only 36k

Thanks in advance!

[Nick Mann]

Copaslip is worse than useless. It goes gunky with the heat and helps the pins stick.

Do the pistons push back in freely when the calipers are get-able at-able? Are the pins covered in a layer of surface rust?

I'd take it apart again, then rub the pins with a fine sandpaper and lubricate with a high temperature grease - probably lithium based. Check the pistons push back properly and then try again. Also check the pins are in the right place - there is a letter on the bolt head of the pin that corresponds to a letter on the caliper.

[White Lightning]

I know what you mean about the EBC pads cracking I have seen that on redstuffs when they are getting towards the end of their life. I doubt that's causing the noise though.

As you said, copper slip is not the best stuff for the caliper pins. I used to use some of the proper Mitsi stuff which I had leftover from a caliper seal kit that I bought. It should be fine for a quick test to rule it out though.

I still suspect it's most likely to be the caliper sticking on that side. I have got my original calipers sat in the garage (as the KADs are on the car) if you want to try swapping the caliper with one of mine. We are coming down to Plymouth on Friday so I could bring one down with me.

[davcom1]

Thanks Nick.

Polished the caliper bolts with rubbing compound - they weren't rusty but the old grease had dried out.

TBH, I could and should have checked the piston but didn't! Will do again.

I'm pretty sure I got the pins the right way around but hadn't noticed the letters are on the pad carriers too! (Doh!)

Looks like I'll be busy tomorrow evening! :)

[White Lightning]

actually, thinking about it Nick's right ... if there's a load of cack in the bolt holes fresh copper slip is not going to help much. I would suggest if you try some of the grease that Nick suggests that you push the bolts in and out a few times, with clean grease on them, and then keep cleaning off the grease and re-applying, so that you can start cleaning the crud out bit by bit.

[davcom1]

Oooh... Wayne!!! Now that's a offer that might be hard to refuse!

The annoying thing with the EBC pads is that they have only done 6k miles and there's loads of depth left on them but I don't trust them with the cracks.

I'll try doing the job a little more professionally tomorrow evening and let you know re. the caliper - thanks mate! :D

[White Lightning]

I'll try doing the job a little more professionally tomorrow evening and let you know re. the caliper - thanks mate! :D

Cool mate, as long as you let me know before Friday morning I can bring one down :thumbsup:

[davcom1]

BTW - (anyone with extreme road safety in mind please do not read) - I drove home this evening using the handbrake instead of footbrake as much as possible and the nearside was still hotter than the offside although not noisy so that supports the 'sticking' after applied theory.

[davcom1]

Wayne - you're a star! Weather permitting, will PM you on Wed.

[White Lightning]

Wayne - you're a star! Weather permitting, will PM you on Wed.

:thumbsup:

[steelie600]

best grease to use on the sliders is the red rubber grease for seals, halfrauds should sell it as should most car accessory places

[WizardKing]

I've been having the same problem, although it's the front offside dragging. I sanded the rust off and used Rubberlube on the pins but it still drags.

As I have recently put pads in front and rear brakes, my reservoir is way past full. Is this a likely cause for the problem ?

I had thought of draining some away, just seems a waste, though.

[steelie600]

no the level wont affect that andy, it may be that the pistons are stuck in your calipers, and not the slides

[Gly]

one of the pins/guides/bolts has a rubber damper on the end,

if you have used any grease that is not rubber safe, it will be stuffed,
non rubber safe grease will cause the rubber to expand/break down/become sticky

you will have to replace it/them

[WizardKing]

I thought I'd read about this rubber end, somewhere.
Mine didn't have any. I cleaned the holes out that the pins sit in and there was no sign of them either.

The top pins had a recess on the end that, presumably, the rubber part fits on.

While nipping the bolts up, a head sheared off one, too. Checking it will be a pain !