Blasted noisy brakes!

[Lesbaru]

Smart Service said my brakes from a different garage are ok. (non-OEM pads are the problem, not rust) But I can't stand the noise they make when my foot is OFF the pedal.

 

Once the car has been driven for 10-15 minutes the brakes start a constant squeal that only goes away when I touch the brake pedal (of course, that's when a different chorus of squeaks and shrieks takes over, but that is bearable). The brakes make louder howls as I drive around curves (still without any pressure on the brake pedal).

 

The only way to get the noise to stop is to pull off the road and stomp on the brake a few times. Then it's quiet until the next time I use the brakes, when it all starts up again.

 

Anybody got any ideas what I should do? Should I even bother? Dang, I should've gone to Smart Service in the first place....

[cookie]

It seems like I recall you having two cars. One is a near junker and one was fairly late model.

I guess I would have two appoaches depending on which car it was. If it was the old one I would do minimum maintence until it dies. On the late model one I would keep serviceing it as well as possible. It sounds to me like sticking brakes and if its calipers it can be expensive. If it just requires the lube its not too bad.

I have been sick but I managed to do a brake inspection and lube on my Forester today. It took me about an hour for the front and an hour for the rear and most of the time is jacking and blocking up in the yard here.

[99obw]

My guess is that the caliper guides that come with the OEM pads are missing. If you can find those adding them would be an easy fix.

[cookie]

The only one I have seen of these has been on my Forester and if I recall it had shims on the pads and just pins that need grease. If it was on her old car I figured the pins needed greaseing or the pistons were sticky in the calipers.

[sea#3]

Let me guess the pads you have in your car are RAYBESTOS pads (red backings) ?

The red paint they cover them with extends to the edge of the pads . After they seat in a bit that paint lifts and acts like a brake detector and causes your noise . What you can do is TRY and camphor the edges of the pads ,but this is only a temporary fix because the pad wear back down to the paint again and it starts all over

 

This is only a guess

 

SEA#3

[Lesbaru]

I have no idea what pads are on the car... but I'll try to figure it out. I've taken it back (it's the old one, 96 Legacy) twice to "Brake Doctors" and they've cleaned all the parts and put them back together, which keeps things quiet for about a week. So, I kinda like the paint idea. (I assume they'd scrub off the paint)

 

I called Smart Service. Just guessing over the phone from my description, Thomas thought maybe my brake fluid was contaminated. The noise only happens when the car has been driven for a while, which would allow the fluid to get hot and expand and start jamming up. (brakes are quiet when the car is cold)

 

After I get paid next week I'll pay a visit to Twobaru's new best friends at Smart Service.

[cookie]

They should be able to tell easily since they are Subaru experts. A sticking piston or pads that drag should be evident. Sometimes stuff like this can drive you crazy.