moosestang

Besides the obvious replacement indicator built into some brake pads. My brakes started squealing today. I have 9K miles on the car and barely even use the brakes, never even done a hard brake. It was a very slight squeal and possibly coming from the back. I'm guessing it's the stock pads.

I always downshift so I know they aren't worn. I had 54,000 miles on my ranger with the stock pads and probably could have gone another 54k on them.

05MustangSally

Do they just start to squeal when you are coming close to stopping? I've had this issue recently...and it's brake dust build up. So when I rotated the tires, I had them cleaned out nicely and no more sqeak.

I spare my brakes as well and prefer to downshift and let off the gas when slowing down so I knew it wasn't my brakes wearing.

If it isn't that, I don't know what else it could be.

2oo5stang

+1 On brake dust

moosestang

It was raining so maybe that made a difference. I don't see where brake dust could built up. It happened when I first applied the brakes, very lightly applied I might add. the brakes on this car have never squealed before.

Derf00

Brake dust build up or something stuck between the pad and rotor that got glazed in. Hit the brakes with compressed air first. If that doesn't work, hose them off. If that doesn't work, take the wheels off remove the pads and do a quick sanding on the pad surface with 200-400 grit sandpaper. Should take care of it.

05MustangSally

If it's never happend and you had rain, then it must be brake dust.

I noticed a lot of build up on the rotors.

You'd be better off taking off the tire and checking then cleaning.

Derf00

Then you just had some crap build up between the pad and rotor that the rain kicked up. Take a hose and shoot it in there and rinse out the brakes thoroughly.

moosestang

Thanks, i'll try the sandpaper if it persists. I do live on a dirt road so i wouldn't be surprised if sand got in between the pad and rotor, seems like it would have happened allready though. I have sand in every nook and cranny under my car![:@][:@] I can't complain since I do drive like Bow Duke sometimes.

05MustangSally

You might want to do the sand paper trick. I suggested taking off the wheel and cleaning it because I tried just squirting a hose in there and that didn't fix it. There was just too much hiding I guess

05gtdriver

Hmmmm, I'd rather stomp on the brakes than downshift(for sake of slowing down in normal driving), replacing brake pads is much cheaper than replacing a clutch assembly........JMHO