Fresh cut rotors...and new pads...

[jroman201]

but it still squeals when braking...only in the front...both sides...

I had this done at my father-in-laws shop so I am not sure the best job was done...but just wondering if they missed something...

I also want to know if the rotors must have the set screw in the rotor...there was none in either of the front rotors when I checked yesterday...and the rotor was held in place loosely by the brake assembly...

not sure of the new pads manufacturer...

and the rotors are stock...I was told there was plenty of meat on them to cut and not replace...

any ideas...???

[lasvegash2]

my 2008 hummer had 8k miles on it and still made a loud pitch noise. i ended up putting on autozone gold ceramic pads($65) and no more noise...

[HumminNBoatin']

What kind of pads did you put on?? I have had nothing but trouble with break pads from Advance Auto Parts. I cannot remember the brand name they carry. I have always had luck with NAPA Gold Ceramic pads though!

[H2ummer]

All brake pads must be bedded-in with the rotor they will be used against to maximize brake performance. The bedding-in process involves a gradual build up of heat in the rotors and pad compound. This process will lay down a thin layer of transfer film on to the rotor surface.

This usually involves making 6 to 10 stops from approximately 35 mph with moderate pressure. Make an additional two to three hard stops from approximately 40 to 45 mph. Do not allow the vehicle to come to a complete stop. When completed with this process, park the vehicle and allow the brakes to cool completely before driving on them again. Do not engage the parking brake until after this cooling process is compete. The brake pad OEM may have specific instructions for doing this.

Failure to bed in your pads may result in brake judder, excessive noise, or other difficulties. The pads need a fresh surface to lay down an even transfer film.

Most brake pad compounds will take up to 300-400 miles to fully develop an even transfer film on the rotors.

[Easy Ed]

The two threaded holes are for removing the rotors if they have been on for a while.

And reason for the rotor to move is that the wheel holds it in place which is a good reason to torque the lug nuts to spec (135 ft. lbs.) and in the proper pattern to keep the rotor/wheel from being tightened un-even.

[jroman201]

thanks for the info about the 135lb torque spec...i will bring it in to get em tightened the right way...

still dont know the name of the pads...will update...

thanks again...

[jroman201]

tryin to look for the bolt pattern...cant find it...

[jroman201]

the manual says 140lbs...and yes i found the bolt pattern...going now to the mech to check it out...thanks...

[Easy Ed]

Funny thing, just checked the 2003 service manual and it shows 125 ft. lbs. and you are right, the owners manual shows 140 ft. lb. and I think this is why I went with the 135 ft. lb., to error on the high side without going to the high side Got over 80,000 miles on the truck and have rotated the tires every 3-5000 miles with the oil changes and haven't broke anything yet

Good luck, Ed

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by H2ummer

Do not engage the parking brake until after this cooling process is compete.

Just for my knowledge, what does applying the parking brake have to do with the front brakes???

Inquiring minds want to know.

Mark

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by jroman201

but it still squeals when braking...only in the front...both sides...

Torque smorque.... unless the person that put them on is an idiot and severly overtightened or undertightened them, there's probably nothing wrong.

Chances are your problem is the brand of the pads. If you have organic pads, then don't tend to squeel but tend to leave tons of brake dust.

If you get a harder pad like ceramics or the such, they last longer but usually tend to squeel.

Other than a few name brand brakes, I usually go back and buy OEM pads.

They last great, don't squeel and don't leave a ton of brake dust.

When I sold my last H2, I had 103K miles and was still on the factory pads.

Mark

[tomp]

I am with you Mark, on the OEM pads! I have some Hawk performance pads but hesitate to install them as there is nothing wrong with the stock ones.

[Easy Ed]

"Torque smorque.... unless the person that put them on is an idiot and severely overtightened or under tightened them, there's probably nothing wrong."

The idiots are out there, wifes car, new tires a few thousand miles ago, went to rotate last weekend, could not get three nuts loose with my impact wrench, torque was to be 70 ft. lbs. with these wheels, impact wrench 175 ft.lbs. did not remove them

I am not saying that torquing the lug nuts will fix his problem but something to look at because it was not mentioned and he also had the question about the "set screw holes" that was not answered. Just trying to help.

Ed

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by tomp

I am with you Mark, on the OEM pads! I have some Hawk performance pads but hesitate to install them as there is nothing wrong with the stock ones.

When I had 70K miles on my SUV, I came across a company that was going out of business. I picked up a set of Hawk pads for the front of my H2 for like 25 bucks.

Almost 40K miles later, I still didn't need pads so there they sit.

Originally Posted by Easy Ed

"Torque smorque.... unless the person that put them on is an idiot and severely overtightened or under tightened them, there's probably nothing wrong."

The idiots are out there, wifes car, new tires a few thousand miles ago, went to rotate last weekend, could not get three nuts loose with my impact wrench, torque was to be 70 ft. lbs. with these wheels, impact wrench 175 ft.lbs. did not remove them

I am not saying that torquing the lug nuts will fix his problem but something to look at because it was not mentioned and he also had the question about the "set screw holes" that was not answered. Just trying to help.

Ed

Ed,

I completely agree about idiots... I was just saying that unless his bolts were extremely loose or extremely tight, it shouldn't cause squeeling.

IMO, squeeling comes from glazing on the rotors or the composition of the pads.

I've got my money on hard pads. I'll bet that if he goes and buys a set of OEM pads, his squeeling will disappear.

Mark

[tomp]

I bet we got our Hawk pads from the same place. Mine, plus the Powerslot rotors, are still sitting in the boxes.

[Easy Ed]

"I've got my money on hard pads. I'll bet that if he goes and buys a set of OEM pads, his squeeling will disappear."

Ours are the original set and have had no problems out of them in the 5 1/2 years that we have had the truck.

Good luck jroman201, hope ya get it taken care of.

Ed

[H2ummer]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Just for my knowledge, what does applying the parking brake have to do with the front brakes???

Inquiring minds want to know.

Mark

Absolutely nothing. BUT, he did not say he replaced ONLY the fronts. He said he only had squealing from the the fronts. So to cover all the bases, it is still a valid statement.

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by H2ummer

Absolutely nothing. BUT, he did not say he replaced ONLY the fronts. He said he only had squealing from the the fronts. So to cover all the bases, it is still a valid statement.

How is it a valid statement if it has "absolutely nothing" to do with it? LOL

I don't care, I'm just trying to figure out the logic...lol.

Mark

[jroman201]

well...i had the mech remove the bolts...remove the tire...and then replace and retighten the bolts in the correct pattern and to 140lbs...i watched them from 2 ft away to make sure...

nevertheless...the squealing is still there...

just a few more things to add...

the squealing was occurring on the stock pads with stock rotors from 29k to 45k but was not unbearable and would come and go...alot of highway miles with the radio CRANKED too...

i had plenty of meat on the pads too...approx. 6 or 7mm i am guessing...when they came off...

I am going to take a shot in the dark and say that the rotors need to be replaced...and stock pads put on...due to the amount of time that passed it may have warped them ever so slightly...

the tires rotated front to back only as well...cant blame it on them...

the set screw question was answered...thanks...

if it is all replaced back to stock and the squealing still exists...what then...??...maybe an axle issue...??...i dunno...

thanks for all the help...

[solarflare]

The squeal is coming from the brake pad which moves against the caliper ever so slightly. I went nuts when I changed my Dodge Ram brake pads....wouldn't stop squealing. You can go to an auto parts store and purchase an item that is usually called brake quiet, or something to that effect. What it is, is a spray that goes onto the back side of the brake pad....the side that touches the caliper (DO NOT put this on the pad side). It is usually a blue color and you want to spray in a well ventilated area. You spray it on and let it dry for about 30 minutes. It gives the back side of the pad a rubber coating, which when installed against the caliper, makes it so the pad doesn't move against it, causing the squeal when you stop. Trust me, it's nice!!!!! No more squeal killing your ears.