Hi all,

The last couple days I've been hearing squeaking brakes from the rear. When I brake I hear a long squeaky noise from the rear passenger side and when I release the brakes I still hear it for a second. Does that mean the caliper is stuck a bit or is that normal?

The front/rear rotors are original and the car is at 34k miles. The fronts pads were changed at 17k to Hawks HPS. I'll probably order a set for the rear.

Thanks...

 

sounds VERY much like low pads. you really dont know if you have stuck calipers.

when you have stuck/frozen calipers it will either drag down as in your brakes on that side is always ON, or when you remove then the slide bolts are frozen. it seems that for nissans rear brake calipers are a lot more common then fronts. I've done a lot altima, maximas and one on a g35 so far.

but it sounds like pads. if you do have time get the rotors resurfaced. since the low pad can cause uneven wear on the rotor if you get low enough.

my HPS rear has been squeeking since i installed it this summer but its only when cold...

 

I have hawks and I notice that right before I put full pressure on the brake they sqeal like crazy.. I also have drilled rotors.. Could it be I need new pads.. I notice it now that it is cold out..

 

Thanks...from the outside I still see pads left but I am not sure if it's down to metal on the inside pads.

When I had the pads installed for the front, I didn't get the rotors surfaced. Is that really necessary? I plan to just put rear pads on without resurfacing. I don't really have any of my rotors re-surface for my previous cars. Usually, for every 2 sets of pads, I replaced the rotors.

The last week we had a snow storm (a foot of snow) and then a few thunderstorms the last few days. Not sure if the weather has any to do with the squeaky pads.

 

2 pads per rotor works as well. if nothing was wrong before.

I've normally mic out the rotor to check the thickness and tell them people its like $20 to get rotors resurfaced and xx for new rotors. I can just put the pads but in some cases there might be noises and etc. its just to cover my butt when i do work for people. Its not a must do but it a should do.

 

I've had hawks squeal. One of the reasons i'm not too fond of them.

The squeal for a second after release could be attributed to the fact that it takes some rotation of the rotor to spread the caliper after letting go before the pads are not contacting anymore. If the caliper was sticking, you'd still hear it.

If your pads have plenty of meat, then i'd rack it up to typical hawk pad squeal. You can try applying caliper grease to the contact points, but it may not work.

 

The hawks in the front doesn't squeal on me. Thanks for the explanation. The pad is probably down to a 1/4 of an inch but figure I'll just swap it since it'll have to be done sooner or later anyway. I looked through that DIY video for rear brake installation and it seem pretty complicated. Guess I'll take it out to a shop.

 

Brake squeal is caused by vibration and harmonics. A lot of factors weigh into a brake making noise. Ambient temp, humidity, thickness of the pad, etc play a role. It's not uncommon for brakes to squeal and stop...or brakes that have been silent forever to begin to squeal as they wear down (less pad thickness changes harmonics) or brakes to be loud in the summer, and quiet int he winter or vice versa

Justa FYI

 

Rear pads are just as easy as the fronts since we don't use the the disc brake for the e-brake.

 

Good info.

Mines was on and off but the last few days it was consistent so I placed order for my Hawks HPS. Maybe it was the snow storm and the weather? haha

 

When I saw the video, there were sooooooo many little parts that had to come off. It was too intimidating for me. At least at the moment. I just don't have that much time to work on the car anymore.

What you mean it doesn't use disc brake? When you engaged the e-brake, doesn't it clamp on the rear disc?

 

E-brake. engages the drum brake inside the center portion of the rear disc. Drum e-brake inside the disc brake rotor. Shot from my 06 Z brake upgrade:

 

Huh??? So we have to change disc and eventually drum???

 

Ugh. No.

If disc PADS are worn = change pads. And if the disc thickess is too thin, replace rotor disc

If the e-brake drum brake shoes are worn, change them. But I really doubt this is the problem here. I'm only showing you how the rear e-brake is set up.

 

Interesting. So is it all in my head that I seem to think I have to step harder on the emergency foot pedal on hills as the pads wear out? If all this time it was clamping on the drum then it has nothing to do with the pad thickness.

If you don't drift your car, how will the drums ever use up?

This is completely shot to me there's drum behind disc. When I go on tirerack they don't even have the drums as parts???