Brakes - Squaling like a pig
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Joined: Apr 2008
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2004 C230 Kompressor Sport
Brakes - Squaling like a pig
Alright guys... *PLEASE* help..... 
So, this weekend I peeled the wheels off my 04' C230K.
I replaced the brake fluid, with a full bleed of fresh DOT-4.
I replaced the rear brake pads with EBC Red-Stuff compound brake pads, and cleaned everything up nicely.
I sanded the rotors lightly just to knock the mirror shine off of em, and put Anti-Squeal paste on the backing of the pads. I greased the pad-holder pins, and where the "spring clip" mates against the caliper body.
Well, after driving about 100 miles, the damn things squeal like a howling banshee. What can I do to shut these things up?!
I just did the exact same procedure on my brother's 03' VW Jetta GLI, which has a very similiar setup. (Solid rotors, and pad holders).
His brakes make NO noise what so ever.
What can I do?
Thanks, and I'd really appreciate all the help I can get.
-Matt
So, this weekend I peeled the wheels off my 04' C230K.
I replaced the brake fluid, with a full bleed of fresh DOT-4.
I replaced the rear brake pads with EBC Red-Stuff compound brake pads, and cleaned everything up nicely.
I sanded the rotors lightly just to knock the mirror shine off of em, and put Anti-Squeal paste on the backing of the pads. I greased the pad-holder pins, and where the "spring clip" mates against the caliper body.
Well, after driving about 100 miles, the damn things squeal like a howling banshee. What can I do to shut these things up?!
I just did the exact same procedure on my brother's 03' VW Jetta GLI, which has a very similiar setup. (Solid rotors, and pad holders).
His brakes make NO noise what so ever.
What can I do?
Thanks, and I'd really appreciate all the help I can get.
-Matt
Last edited by WorstNightmare; May 10, 2011 at 04:10 AM.
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From: 1 hours drive north of Sydney Australia
2007 W204 220CDI Classic Sedan
Some people put a strip of emery paper behind the pads to stop the noise.
Are the pads extra hard ? they may not suit the rotor material.
Are the pads extra hard ? they may not suit the rotor material.
Thread Starter
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2004 C230 Kompressor Sport
Anyway, what other routes might I take? What causes the chatter??
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2008
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2004 C230 Kompressor Sport
I'm not really sure.. I'm the 2nd owner of this car.
The one I own is actually Mars Red. The grey one in my sig I sold 2 years ago...
The front pads are currently toast, yet the front rotors look brand new.
The rear rotors are in great shape, but the pads were toast.
The car has 83,400 miles on it.
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From: fort worth, tx
06 C230 SS 6spd
Try getting some brake cleaner and spraying it. I would've gone with akebono pads. Some reviews on EBC pads on mb weren't so positive. Have you done the proper bedding procedure for the pads?
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From: Washington DC
1999 E320 4matic Wagon, 2005 C55 AMG - sold, 1998 VW Jetta TDI - sold, 2006 C230 Sport - Totaled :(
+1 on the akebonos. i just put those on mine about 2 months ago and it's real nice and quiet. my wheels stay clean too.
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C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
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From: Washington DC
1999 E320 4matic Wagon, 2005 C55 AMG - sold, 1998 VW Jetta TDI - sold, 2006 C230 Sport - Totaled :(
-pop out the pins, remove the clamp with a small hammer and flat pointed chisel that fits in the hole
-uncap the brake fluid reservoir, it helps the pistons push back easier, take a couple screwdrivers and put one in each hole on the pad and wiggle it out
-once the pads are out, take a small wedge or block of wood and use it to push back the pistons, but ONLY A LITTLE, if you push back the pistons too far, you will have a brake pedal that goes to the floor, you only want it to go back far enough to get the new pads in, and make it a tight fit. what i did was put in one side with the piston barely allowing room, then when i pushed back the other piston, the piston clamped on the pad and i had to squeeze the second pad in to make sure the pistons were tight on them.
-when you put the pads in, i used "disc brake quiet" just some orange stuff you can get from auto zone or something, you spread it on the back of each pad evenly, not too much, just enough to create a thin layer. this will keep your brakes from squeaking.
-after that you hold the clamp in place, make sure you don't put it on backwards, and slide one pin just enough to catch around the clamp. if you do it all the way, it's a lot harder to get the 2nd pin in. then pull back the clamp so you can get the 2nd pin to catch it. then you can push both pins into the holes all the way and you're done!
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From: Washington DC
1999 E320 4matic Wagon, 2005 C55 AMG - sold, 1998 VW Jetta TDI - sold, 2006 C230 Sport - Totaled :(
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From: queensland australia
2009 C 63
hi petar
us aussies from down under use diff. terms when u fitted new pads did u break them in by stop start hard brakeing 8 or 10 times or just drive normaly avoiding hard brakeing for first 500 miles or so there seems to be 2 schools of thought on correct method just don"t want to screw things up thanks again.
regards
george
us aussies from down under use diff. terms when u fitted new pads did u break them in by stop start hard brakeing 8 or 10 times or just drive normaly avoiding hard brakeing for first 500 miles or so there seems to be 2 schools of thought on correct method just don"t want to screw things up thanks again.
regards
george
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From: Washington DC
1999 E320 4matic Wagon, 2005 C55 AMG - sold, 1998 VW Jetta TDI - sold, 2006 C230 Sport - Totaled :(
hi petar
us aussies from down under use diff. terms when u fitted new pads did u break them in by stop start hard brakeing 8 or 10 times or just drive normaly avoiding hard brakeing for first 500 miles or so there seems to be 2 schools of thought on correct method just don"t want to screw things up thanks again.
regards
george
us aussies from down under use diff. terms when u fitted new pads did u break them in by stop start hard brakeing 8 or 10 times or just drive normaly avoiding hard brakeing for first 500 miles or so there seems to be 2 schools of thought on correct method just don"t want to screw things up thanks again.
regards
george
to answer your question, after i installed them, i got in the car and turned it on, then i pressed the brake pedal down hard and released maybe 10-15 times just to get the pistons seated on the new pads. then i drove it around the parking garage and a little bit outside and just slammed the brakes hard a few times, 1) to make sure they were good and 2) break them in a bit like you were saying.
hope this helps!
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Pad break in.....
First understand the theory behind breaking in new pads. I doubt you can get the proper material transfer if you change pad composition and use the old rotors.
http://stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml
http://stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml
Thread Starter
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2004 C230 Kompressor Sport
First understand the theory behind breaking in new pads. I doubt you can get the proper material transfer if you change pad composition and use the old rotors.
http://stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml
http://stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml
I *did* however sand down the rotors, pretty good.
I also did basically what that article describes.
I guess I'll just wait till payday and order a set of new rear rotors.
at $41.00 a piece, they're not that bad.
Are they hard to change though, or do they just pop off the hub assembly after removing the torx bolt?
Thanks
-Matt
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
Can you recommend a particular product? Maybe they have it here in Australia too.
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From: Metro ATL
2001 E55 AMG (sold)
The chlorinated ones actually work better because they evaporate more cleanly. Just make sure you are in a well ventilated area, which is important for any solvent. If you choose the non-chlorinated ones, beware that they are very flammable.
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Use 120 grit wet/dry to develop a cross hatch pattern.....lay rotor flat, use rubber block, use fore and aft motion, rotate rotor about 15 degrees and repeat all the way around. That's worked for me before. Also, when I got my Porterfield pads they came in a kit that suggested doing it even to new rotors!
Remove caliper assembly, remove keeper screw, MAKE SURE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED! Easy. Try sanding again, the backs on both sides (are you sure it's the back that's squealing?) and you might get lucky bedding them in again. It sounds like you're doing all the right stuff though. I won't put up with noisy brakes, drives me nuts. Since I started being careful with bedding them in I haven't had the problem.
Remove caliper assembly, remove keeper screw, MAKE SURE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED! Easy. Try sanding again, the backs on both sides (are you sure it's the back that's squealing?) and you might get lucky bedding them in again. It sounds like you're doing all the right stuff though. I won't put up with noisy brakes, drives me nuts. Since I started being careful with bedding them in I haven't had the problem.
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From: Washington DC
1999 E320 4matic Wagon, 2005 C55 AMG - sold, 1998 VW Jetta TDI - sold, 2006 C230 Sport - Totaled :(
that was an interesting write up. so it seemed like it was talking about when you change both pads and rotors. is the process similar if you're only changing out the pads?
