Front brake squeak after changing pads

[cirelj]

Hi,

I just changed the front pads on my 1996 Blazer. The rotor initially
appeared to be ok and the guy I worked with agreed. The last pads
on the front lasted almost 50k before they got low and started
squeaking. Changing the pads took care of that squeak but now I'm
getting a new squeak coming from the left front when applying the
brakes. It does not happen every time. Some times it is just a short
squeak and then quiet. Other times it will squeak longer. This was
about two weeks ago.

We had not used any caliper grease on the pins or used any stop
squeal on the back of the pads. Also, the squeak seemed to be
getting worse so yesterday I purchased caliper grease and stop
squeal and redid the front brakes. The first test drive yielded no
squeaks but today it started squeaking again.

I'm pretty confident that everything has been put together properly.
From the research I've done, it sounds like the rotor is the next most
likely culprit. I do not feel any pulsating when pressing the brakes
though. It feels like it is stopping correctly.

What else could it be that causes the squeak like I described when
applying the brakes? I'd prefer to check it all at once when I jack it
up the next time(hopefully tonight).

Thanks for any assistance you can provide. I really need to get this
resolved so my wife will let me do the brakes on her car(and save a
lot of cash in the process).

Eric

[86TATpi]

Try getting the rotors resurfaced. There may be glazing on the surface.

[Fireplug]

Brake squeek is cause by
1. brake pad vibration, most common
2. Material used to make the pads. Are the pads oem quality or cheap aftermarket pads??
3. Are all the slides lubed and pins lubed? Where the caliper slides sanded clean then lubed.
Was any antichatter plates on the pads??
4 Rotors glazed ?? Take a sanding disk to the rotors to ruff them up a little the reseat the pads
Fireplug

[cirelj]

Thanks. Here's the additional info for what I did.

Originally Posted by Fireplug

Brake squeek is cause by
1. brake pad vibration, most common

There doesn't appear to be any gaps and I cranked the pins pretty
tight. I'll see if I can go any tighter once I jack it up. Is it
possible to go too tight?

Originally Posted by Fireplug

2. Material used to make the pads. Are the pads oem quality or cheap aftermarket pads??

Bought at Autozone - Duralast Gold. Not the cheapest available
but are supposed to be good quality.

Originally Posted by Fireplug

3. Are all the slides lubed and pins lubed? Where the caliper slides sanded clean then lubed.

I just cleaned off the pins with brake cleaner, dried them, and
then lubed with caliper grease. I probably didn't clean the inside
of the slides real well but they looked pretty clean and I did lube
them.

Originally Posted by Fireplug

Was any antichatter plates on the pads??

Not sure on antichatter plate. There is a metal backing to the pads?
Is that it?

Originally Posted by Fireplug

4 Rotors glazed ?? Take a sanding disk to the rotors to ruff them up a little the reseat the pads
Fireplug

In between the initial pad change and the work I did yesterday the
rotors were sanded. I can try that again though.

Thanks again.

[cirelj]

I don't know if this matters or not but I just read an article that said
the metal tab on the inboard front disc pad normally faces the rear of
the caliper.

When we changed the pads this last time, we just matched what
was already on the car and the tab was toward the front so we just
left them that way.

Can someone confirm which way it should be on a 96 Blazer 4wd?

Should I swap the inboard pads on the fronts?

Thanks.

[Fireplug]

Yes the low pad metal sensor should be at the rear
BUT that is not your squeek problem.
I have seen so many aftermarket brake squeek problems because the stuff used to make the pads just dont work right with the GM rotors.

Not sure on antichatter plate. There is a metal backing to the pads?
Is that it?
Yes its a metal pad that goes betwee the brake pad and the caliper. It helps to remove any pad vibration.
Remove the wheel, and grab the outter most pad and see if it moves at all if it does that is your problem. Take a screwdriver and lift under the pad/caliper base by the rotor hub and the 2 metal tangs at the top of the pad smack them down with a hammer while holding the pad up with the screwdriver . This is called staking the pad and I bet your squeek is gone
Good luck
Fireplug

[BlazerLT]

sounds like he knows what the problem is already.

Some parts were not lubed properly.

Also, did you install ceramic brake pads?

[cirelj]

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

sounds like he knows what the problem is already.

Some parts were not lubed properly.

First time they weren't but when I pulled them last Sunday I believe I
got everything lubed properly but it still didn't take care of the sound.

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

Also, did you install ceramic brake pads?

I stuck with semi-metallic pads. Duralast Gold from Autozone.

I didn't get to work on them last night so I will try Fireplug's suggestion
tonight and go over everything again.

Thanks.

[cirelj]

I was able to get the tabs on the outboard pad
bent down for a tighter hold on the caliper. Sound
went away for the first 5 minutes of the test drive
but comes back once you drive a little.

I will try the rotors next.

[BlazerLT]

Let them work in for a bit and see.

I agree, this sounds like your rotors might need to be resurfaced.