2005 MCS.

Megan Coilovers.

17x7.5 wheels (factory tire height)

Coilovers are cranked down. Natural 2.5% of camber.

I had my rear pads replaced (I work at a Toyota dealership) by a tech I trust. The brakes now squeal/squeak/whatever you want to call it when I turn left or right. Straight line I might get the occasional peep or grind. I've had them check, twice, and both techs swear everything looks good. No hot spots. I also had the rotors machined. They are perfect and have good wear left.

Is the camber causing an unnatural angle on the brakes? I haven't tried raising the car yet -- I don't really want to. Would adjustable control arms help? Fix it?

I've searched around -- anybody went through this?

 

This is not camber related....

Your tech did not get the inboard rear pads in correctly. There is a little wire dealy (non-tech term) on the inboard pad. That part slips over the grove on the piston for the rear brake calipers. If that wasn't done & I'd bet that is it, it will behave exactly like you are experiencing. It's an easy fix.

 

Camber has NOTHING to do with break squeel...the rims are bolted to the rotors/bearings, etc...the camber adjusts this ENTIRE unit as one subassembly........guess you have never gone near a car with the tire/rim off....

 

When I have techs who have been techs for 25 years telling me -- 'It's the camber.' I start to question it. I will put it on the rack tomorrow and pull them apart. I assumed they were just telling me that so they didn't have to f with it anymore.

To clarify the clips are physically on the pads, yes?

 

Check the wheel bearings... The axial load shifting is causing the pads to scrub the rotors. Yes, you can try to add more shims/anti squeal/clips to the brake pads... But this is often only a short term fix.

* note

This is not Mini specific. I've seen it on a few other vehicles.

 

yes its part of the pads.... also make sure to slobber antisieze all over the back of the pads to keep it from making noise. and slober the guid pins while your at it to keep them from seizing. its happend to me multiple times. then i used silver antiseize and it works flawlessly i dont have seize claipers anymore and the pads dont make squeels.

oh only the rears have these clips. and you HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THREE SPRINGS ARE IN!!!!

 

^. +1

My first thought was wheel bearing. It explains why it only happens when you turn. The rotor to caliper relationship angels *should* be the same all the time, but if it shifts when you turn, extra play in the wheel bearing would cause that.

 

I'll check them in the AM. 50k miles is a little early for wheel bearings right?

 

Thanks for the replies, btw.

 

Depends....
Folks that have run auto-x and really heated up their brakes tend to cook them kinda early...
Big potholes with low profile tires/rims can also shorten their life.....

 

Took him to a shop close to my house. Tech drove it. Pulled off the wheels. He said without digging deep he guessed the calipers were locking up. The rear wheels wouldn't spin freely. I'm ready to lose it. He REALLY acted like he didn't want to start pulling it all apart. I could see and he pointed out hot spots on the rotors that my tech told me weren't there. I really cannot afford taking this thing to the Mini dealership 2+ hours away.

 

The brakes are basic....
Any shop can work on them.....
Rotors are so cheap...no sure why folks turn them...but for about $30 each that is fixed...if the calipers are locked up...you can get remanufactured units...plan ahead....order them through the location of your choice...then grab a new set of pads...get your buddy to do them...simple swap and bleed...heck about an hour on the lift for a pro...couple six packs maybe for your buddy at the dealership... Kinda surprised he missed a siezed caliper...but crap happens I guess...
Just to reiterate...
The brakes on a mini are standard things....no reason to get a dealer to do them...an Indy shop that charges HALF the dealer rate for labour will do the job just as well...and can get cheaper parts (remsn unitd ..so do OK, some had issues).... even OEM parts if you wish... for less than the dealer charges for the same parts....