Xantia rear brake anti-squeal shims

Post by **CitroJim** » 04 Jul 2007, 22:22

I recently replaced the rear discs and pads on my Activa (as well as cleaning up the calipers) and noted that anti-squeal shims were fitted between the pads and caliper pistons.

On my TD, rear brake squeal has always been a problem despite squeaky clean calipers.

Today I replaced the rear discs on the TD (they were well worn) and I spotted it has no anti-squel shims fitted.

Should they be there? I've not seem them mentioned before and pad kits don't seem to include them. Interestingly, pr.net makes no mention of them for either the XANTIA I or II but do list them for the C5 which appears to use a very similar (identical?) caliper. Maybe my Activa had C5 pads fitted

pr.net shows the shims as being part and parcel of the pad kit for the C5. They're not available separately.

My Activa has always had very quiet rear brakes, even when the calipers were bady corroded and the pads were worn wedge-shaped.

These shims may just be a cure for a persistent squeal.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 04 Jul 2007, 22:55

Hi Jim,

Yes the anti-squeal shims should be there on the rear pads - all 3 of our Xantia's have them. (1993, 1994, 1997)

On one of them one of the shims was upside down when we got the car and the pad was badly worn in a wedge shape because of it!

Sounds like someone threw yours away.... where you are going to get replacements though I don't know... maybe a scrappy ?

Regards,
Simon

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 04 Jul 2007, 23:20

I wouldn't worry as they've never made any difference in any of the three Xantias I've had, shims in or out the brakes squeal whatever. I gave my rears a good clean recently, took the pads out and everything, reassembled with brake grease, two days later they were squealing again, and that's with shims in place.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 05 Jul 2007, 00:42

Stempy wrote:I wouldn't worry as they've never made any difference in any of the three Xantias I've had, shims in or out the brakes squeal whatever. I gave my rears a good clean recently, took the pads out and everything, reassembled with brake grease, two days later they were squealing again, and that's with shims in place.

Hi,

Just because yours squeals with the shims in or out doesn't mean it's ok to leave them out....

Missing shims are but one possible cause of squealing, and unless ALL causes of squealing are fixed, the brakes will squeal. (Stands to reason really

)

I've found squealing is more often a sharp lip on the edge of the disc touching the pads, but there are other things as well.

None of our 3 Xantia's have squealing brakes, they're all silent...and we don't use any fancy brake grease...

Regards,
Simon

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 05 Jul 2007, 10:17

None of my Xantia's had shims on the rear brakes, and the only one which squealed was my 2.1 because of all the corrosion behind the calipers.
Cleared that off and she's silent (though the front ones are starting to squeek a bit)

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 05 Jul 2007, 19:35

a good smere of copper grease is helpful to stop squealing of brakes. NOT on the friction surface of coarse!!!!

Paul