Ok, I got a little problem that's starting to drive me batty. For the past couple weeks, I noticed that my MINI is emitting a squealing sound and its been getting louder and louder. My brake pads are fine as are the rotors. I noticed the sound stops as soon as I hit the brakes, but let them off and the squealing continues. It only needs a tap on the brakes to get it to stop.

I can't tell if its from the front or rear. But I decided to put a stop once and for all, and I jacked up my MINI, removed the front wheels, applied CRC Disc Quiet to the back of the pads--the red gooey stuff, then I closely examined how the rotors were spinning against the calipers, and everthing looked fine. On the right front wheel, I discovered that one of my Caliper bolts the 7mm Allen had backed out--I've got the Inexpensive Brake Feel mod using the brake stiffeners and the brash bushings.

I tightened everything down, and let everything sit overnight before I went out for a test drive. The squeal stopped and only squealed slightly when the brakes were applied. That was fine. But now a week later the squeal has returned.

Does this sound like a brake pad to rotor issue? Does anyone know?

I've got Mintex Redbox pads with around 10,000 miles on them.

Thanks

Richard

 

With most brake pin adapter kits the dirt caps are discarded or there is no provision for use.Try taking pins out and relube with a good caliper pin lube.Reassemble,I bet sound will be gone.

 

I forgot to mention I cleaned and relubed the front pins when I did the front brake pad goo stuff. I haven't done the rears yet. I'll give it a try as well..thanks.

 

Maybe your MINI is squealing because it thinks you should have applied the brake sooner and it's scared?

I'd check to make sure that the bolt hasn't backed out again. If it is try using some of the lightweight lock-tite on it. If retorqueing the bolt worked last time, it may be the problem.

 

Hhahaha, yeah he definitely feels more comfortable when I ride the brakes! LOL

Yeah I'll recheck and get back..thanks.

On a different note:
I once lost a wrench after bleeding a friends brakes. She did a full day at SOW, and like a month later, another friend pulled off her wheels to do a mod, and there was my wrench---still sitting on the bleeder valve. LOL.

 

Hah Hah thats a good one

 

Unless you got a rear brake caliper dragging cant see anything else you havent checked.

 

Richard,

Did you ever figure out what your noise was? I am having the same problem.

 

Or maybe you took it on a canoe trip & encountered some banjo playing, inbred hillbillies (you got a purty grill) Sorry Richard, couldn't resist - are you digging your new MCS?

 

i'm getting a rubbing sort of noise i think from my rear calipers (when i'm not on the brakes), i can hear it very well in underground carparks. Are the rear brakes sticking?

Secondly, my front brakes squeal like crazy at low speeds. I used wheel bearing grease to lube the pad backing plates and calipers, should i have used plastilube instead?

 

I have the same issue I believe. Mainly at slower speeds it squeals. Touch the brakes ever so sightly and it stops, let off and the squealing continues. Find out what it ended up being yet?? Let use know when you do, it also drives me nuts, yet my dad doesn't hear it at all he claims....

 

nah my rear ones rub when i'm not braking, but my fronts ones squeal like hell when i do brake.

 

Sorry for the delay--working a tradeshow in Las Vegas right now.

Yeah, the problem was simple. My rear inside brake pad was rubbing against the rotor. Turned out that I didn't properly clip the pad onto the piston, so after it compressed, it just stayed there. When I tapped the break, they would compress again, and when released sometimes would pull away far enough to not squeal again.

So remove the rear wheels and check the inside pad for premature wear. In my case, you could see a lip forming from the sticking.

Richard

 

Well that might do it, I do not remember cliping the pad to the piston...Should have read your write up better. Going to do that tomorrow.

 

I'm not sure if I mentioned the clip in the original writeup. I know there was a discussion in that thread about the clips.

One discussion went the way of removing the spring clips and using a spray on antisqueal "glue" to attach them. I did that and it worked, but most recently, I had to install new pads on my MCS and found that those clips can be left in place, and you just slide the pad down, with the clips riding in the groove of the piston. For some odd reason, I didn't try sliding it onto the piston during my early tries, and couldn't figure out how to make the clips fit after the fact.

Let me know if that's not clear.

Richard

 

Doesnt make any sense to me. But it may when I am looking at the peices. I am going to look at the write up and see if I cant find out whats going on. Between the pictures and my memory, I should be able to come up with something...

 

One more thing. Remember on the front brakes, there is a spring clippy thing that fits inside the piston. If you will recall it took some effort to remove the old pad and put on the new one.

The rears, have a 3 wire clip. If you don't utilize these, then the pad just floats on the carriers. I brought up the example of the front pads only to remind you that the rears need that same sort of rigid attachment to the piston, but since they can't fit inside like the fronts, they are clipped around the outside.

 

That makes sense. I do remember the fronts, wonder why the rear didnt have any, but then went along and forgot.

I did find some pictures on Randys site refering to the clips...I should be able to do that!