Brakes started squeaking right at the end of a stop....just changed pads and rotors last year.

Hi guys, been a minute.

About a year and a half ago I changed my 2013 Taco's front brake pads and rotors.

I used NAPA Premium coated rotors and Hawk LTS ferrometallic pads.

Everything worked and sounded great until about a week ago. Now sometimes (not every time) when I stop the truck I hear a slight high pitched squeak right at the end of the stop right before the truck stops completely. Brakes still feel good and bite good.

Visual inspection of the rotors and pads show minimal wear, barely any. Rear shoes look the same as when I changed the front and decided the were fine. Brake fluid is old and I plan to change it soon but idk if that could cause the squeak.

I know this is a simple problem and not even taco specific but I am annoyed by it and have already wasted a few hours taking wheels off to find nothing obviously wrong.

 

No. ^

When doing the front brake work, were all the lube points properly lubed?

Were the brakes properly bedded?

Were the rear brakes at least cleaned out, lubed and adjusted?

 

I did nothing to the rear brakes at all.

I followed the tutorial here for the front brakes to the letter. Yes they were bedded in exactly according to the instructions on the box and worked flawlessly and silently for almost a year and a half.

The worst part is I was pretty proud of myself for doing my own brakes and now I feel pretty lousy like I should have just paid someone.

 

If you haven't done any maintenance to them since installation 1.5 years ago then it might be time. I'd start by removing the pads & sliding pins and re-lube the contact points. Dirty/old fluid won't cause the squealing but it should be replaced to be most effective.

 

Don’t feel bad.


It’s likely a pad/rotor issue.
And most of it comes down to acoustics, frequency, and vibrations between the pads and disc.

It happens, and sometimes you won’t get ride of the noise with out changing components.

So what do you do about it?
I don’t know what you would do about it, but I’d live with it.
And don’t use the same combination Pad/Rotor next time.

I definitely wouldn’t blame yourself.

I guess you could clean and lube the rear brakes. As they can get noise when old and dirty.
But other than that, I’d live with it if you can.

 

This ^^

If you live in snow / salt world, or off road often in wet conditions, this should be an annual event at a minimum.

 

I hate to say it but sometimes it is just a particular set of pads and/or rotors that do this possibly due to contamination along the way or because the brake gods are in a bad mood such that your brakes are just possessed. You might get lucky lubing the pins, applying a stop squeal compound to the backs of the pads, sanding the rotors and re-bedding them. At least temporarily. In my experience the only way I have ever permanently solved one of these has been to change everything out again. Or at least the pads and sand the rotors and clean them good with brake cleaner. I know, $$. One thing you mention is that you used semi-metallic pads. Ceramics are probably better for less noise and less squealing potential.

 

I know nothing about this issue but have to correct one thing. Ceramics are notorious for squeaking more until they're warmed up.

 

Did you grease the back of the pads

 

Sure did, with to grease that was supplied by Hawk.

I am going to do as suggested above and take the wheels off and try to remove everything clean really good and re-lube to see if it helps.

If not I may change the pads again and have the rotors resurfaced. The squeak is intermittent and very short but I do notice it. Thanks for the advice guys.

 

Put some OEM pads on it, or at least something Japanese like Akebono or Advics

Ceramics aren't prone to noise, there's a reason they are often the choice of manufacturers when the vehicle is assembled. They can't have brand new cars driving off the dealer lot with brake noise right out of the gate. Its the more aggressive pads like semi-metallic that make noise under normal use

And also, lubing the pad retainer pins is pretty pointless. It only attracts dirt and will get washed off as soon as it rains anyway. Again, they don't lube that stuff at the factory and those brakes are quiet for 60,000 miles. The only sliders that should be greased are the ones on single piston calipers where there is a rubber boot to keep the dirt and water out

 

Give it a good spray down with a bottle of brake cleaner. My drum did that a while back, so I took my wheels off, removed the drum, and generously sprayed brake cleaner on everything. Do the same to the front brakes. It's been quiet ever since.

 

Haven't had the need to do the fronts on my taco yet, but for my wife's Prius, the procedure is to dab grease on the back of the pads, place the shims, then dab the back of the shims where they contact the pistons.

 

I don't know if this will solve your problem but if it were me, I'd try re-bedding them and see if that freshens them back up. You may just have some glazing.

 

I’m thinking glazing too. I conveniently have a cement driveway in front of the garage. Perfectly flat and rough like a giant sanding block. I pull the pads off use my sanding block cement just a little bit, enough to take off the glazed look off. Reassemble, works every time, no more squealing.

Just make sure any sanding you do is perfectly even, and keep in mind you’re shortening the pad life as you remove material.