Screeching!

[declanc]

Need some help!

Last Friday I heard a screeching noise coming from the passenger side front wheel, to me it sound's like the break disc is rubbing of something but I could be mistaken, it was pretty loud and when I put pressure on the breaks it killed it a bit, and after a min or so it completely went. BUT it keeps happening and it's really bugging me now any ideas what it might be?

Cheers lad's.

[Myfeckin FTO]

Sounds like a sticking caliper or a problem with the brake pad - you should take the wheel off and have a look - it should be clearer what the story is then.

How old are the pads?

[declanc]

How old are the pads?

Not too sure how old the pads are, as far as I know speedyboy serviced it not to long before I bought it, thers a spare set of pads in the boot if thats the case. But I'll take the wheele off when I get home and check it out.

[kevinod]

Check that your wheel nuts are tight, it can have that effect if they're loose. *ahem*

Kev.

[Mustang]

Declanc,
Sounds like the pads are worn. Certain brake pads have an inbuilt wear alert. i.e. when the pad wears down it is designed to make a noise such as the one you are describing. I had exactly the same symptom with mine recently and needed new front pads fitted. That said I seem to recall speedboy having uprated pads fitted not so long ago...

Mustang

[declanc]

Check that your wheel nuts are tight

Checked the wheel nuts and they seem fine

Sounds like the pads are worn

Thats what I first thought but the brakes also seem fine. This might sound like a stupid question but is it possible for me to check if the pads need replacing or do i have to get it checked over by a garage? I have 2 sets of Green Stuff brake pads in the car.

Declan.

[Mustang]

Declanc wrote

is it possible for me to check if the pads need replacing

Take off the wheel, Look at the caliper. You'll see a small rectangular opening (window) in the caliper which allows you to view the thickness of the pads, not much good if you don't know what you're looking at though!

[Myfeckin FTO]

This might sound like a stupid question but is it possible for me to check if the pads need replacing or do i have to get it checked over by a garage? Declan.

When you take the wheel off - just check the thickness of the brake pad - if its low - it will just have a couple of mm's of material on the pad - if its very low - you'll be scrapping metal against metal. Greenstuffs don't last all that long in any case - they're fairly soft - mine need replacing already after 10K miles - so chances are the pads are low.

[kevinod]

Now that the brain has had a minute with the problem, I remember hearing people having problems with screeching brakes, which they sorted out by putting some copperslip on the back of their pads. Note the BACK, i.e. not the side pressing against the disc!!

I haven't had this myself but I remember reading about it before on the forums, do a search on keyword "copperslip". Here some one I found that seems to be similar:
http://www.fto-ireland.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=915&highlight=copperslip

Kev.

[CJ]

If the pads aren't worn and you've copperslipped up the rears with no result, replace the pad retaining clips, worked a treat for me:

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m3b0s8p1382

CJ

[declanc]

Screeching sorted

brake pads needed replacing, thats all! The screeching was a warning signal, Thanks for the help lad's.

[AL]

glad you got it sorted, heard a horrible noise a few nights ago, looked out me window, low and behold it was your car . now i can watch the TV with no interuptions

[kevinod]

now i can watch the TV with no interuptions

[declanc]

Yeah it was a right pain in the ar$e, it was actually embarrasing!!!

[CJ]

Out of interest, what pads did you stick in Declan?

CJ

[declanc]

Out of interest, what pads did you stick in Declan?

CJ

GreenStuff pads, do any of you's use this type, are they any use?

[CJ]

GreenStuff pads, do any of you's use this type, are they any use?

V3s aren't the best (used them some time ago), V4's have got better reviews mind you. My next pads will be either Redstuff Ceramics or Greenstuff V4's, the Pagids I have at the minute are reasonably good but extemely dusty.

CJ

[Myfeckin FTO]

Out of interest, what pads did you stick in Declan?

CJ

GreenStuff pads, do any of you's use this type, are they any use?

I have Greenstuff V4 - I'd say thats about the most suitable pad for use with the standard discs - I'd say Redstuff would be too hard and would wear your discs out fairly sharpish. Greenstuff would be a better pad from cold so unless you really like hanging your car out on the road or have a trackday planned - I'd say the greenstuff is a more suitable road pad.
Redstuff ceramic will be better when the brakes get hot or are given a bit of abuse but you'd probably need to upgrade the discs.

All of the performance pads inc the Greenstuff are far dustier than standard pads so be prepared to wash your wheels more often.