Oh Squeaking Hell!!! Shut up C5 Mk I

[kafkaian]

So my front vented discs and pads needed changing. The inner side of each disc were well worn whilst the passenger-side pads were only a few months from capitulation. But they also squeaked and squealed like hell!! Embarrasingly so!!

So, I thought, new discs and pads all round - accompanied by a relish of copper grease in strategic places, have got to make a difference? Well for the first 2 minutes testing all was quiet. And then the proverbial squeak came back to haunt me once again. 50 miles into testing and bedding in, they are just as bad as they were pre-op.

Well the TWR components were sold to me as the "anti-squeak" best quality premium parts. "They are much better than our cheaper brand sir"

Darn it!!!

[xantia_v6]

My recollection is that TRW pads had a patch of damping material on the back, did your new pads have this?

Where did you put the copper grease? It should not go on the sliders, as it increases wear, and should not go on the back of the pads as it achieves nothing, and will melt and could get onto the braking surface.

[Gibbo2286]

http://www.bendixbrakes.com/products/fl ... emium0.swf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Peter.N.]

With drum brakes you could reduce/stop squeal by filing off the leading edge of the lining, don't know if it works with discs.

Peter

[kafkaian]

Hi all thank you for your responses:

Xantia_V6: Correct, TWR brake pads have the film on the back, hence no grease there. Just a bit on the circular grooves where my citroen fitter had done them previously. I did them myself this time.

Gibbo - Thanks, I will look into this.

Peter - I don't know if I have the will to do this!!

[waynedance]

Are the hand brake levers on the brakes free?

[kafkaian]

Hi Waynedance. No, I remembered to hook them back on!

[Harry1975]

ive got squeaky breaks as well when they get hot, ive found better more expensive pads (£30/40 sort it, that run at higher temps , ive got cheap £20 set at the mo and they squeak at the bloody time after a little run in the car and they get hot. it the next thing on the list to sort on the car

[waynedance]

Hi Waynedance. No, I remembered to hook them back on!

Sorry I mean are the hand brake levers on the calipers not seized or stiff.

My brakes were recently noisy and it was as above for me.

[kafkaian]

Waynedance - sorry for misunderstanding you. I think the spring loaders on those were pretty free, I found them easy enough to pull back by hand whilst I was clipping the eyelets back on over the "twisted finger" bracket. I also slightly greased the terminal ends in case that was the problem.

Harry1975 - I was supposedly buying the top end TWRs. But I've read this as a common problem for C5 Mk I brakes.

I mean the brakes seem great generally, better than my original Xantia for servicing and reliability - it's just the darn squeaking. I do feel making them independent of the hydraulic system was a good move by Cit designers.