Brake Squeek - Taking Front Pads Out...

[leeds2592]

Hi all,

Really quick, easy question.

My brakes are squeeking and it's doing my head in, pretty sure some copper grease will help as I don't think there's much on. If I take the pads out, will I need to push the piston in to fit them back in? Obviously they'll be the same size so I don't think I will?

And just for future, if I take the top off the brake resevior to push the piston back, will the brakes need bleeding?

Thanks muchly

 

[Budgie]

The copper grease brigade will be coming shortly, i can hear them.

nope, normally you can get away without pushing the piston in. no need to remove the reservoir cap even if you do push it back. No need for it to be bled unless you break the system (which you don't need to do to take pads out and re-fit...

 

[Stay Puft]

I thought this when my pads fell out when I was doing my shocks. As the piston doesn't move they'll just slot back in.

 

[leeds2592]

The copper grease brigade will be coming shortly, i can hear them.

nope, normally you can get away without pushing the piston in. no need to remove the reservoir cap even if you do push it back. No need for it to be bled unless you break the system (which you don't need to do to take pads out and re-fit...

Copper grease is my first port of call, if it's not that then I'll probably just leave it.

Thanks dude, that's why I asked as I've read loads of old threads, all with contradicting info. One said that the reservoir cap needs to be taken off otherwise the piston will be really hard to push back. And then I thought, well if I take the cap off, it'll loose pressure (not a clue if that's true, I'm not mechanically minded) so will get air in it needing to be bled.

If worse comes to worse, I'd keep it on the stands and get @dann2707 to rescue it haha.

 

[dann2707]

You won't lose pressure if you take the cap off. It's not under pressure in that way.

You can push the pistons in by hand on the front - I did it just before Cadwell the other month as I had new pads to fit and no G-clamp. It hurts a bit but you can do it.

Copper grease and you're away.

 

[Amos91]

Just get a gclamp from wilko or something for around £3 just in case. No need for caliper rewind tools etc.

 

[leeds2592]

You won't lose pressure if you take the cap off. It's not under pressure in that way.

You can push the pistons in by hand on the front - I did it just before Cadwell the other month as I had new pads to fit and no G-clamp. It hurts a bit but you can do it.

Copper grease and you're away.

Thanks mate, was going to message you but didn't want to feel like I was bugging you with stuff all the time haha. My Dad's got a G Clamp in the garage I could use if worse comes to worse.

Looks like it's got a load of crap on the back of the pads, I assume I'd be better cleaning all the off before putting the copper grease on?

 

[dann2707]

Thanks mate, was going to message you but didn't want to feel like I was bugging you with stuff all the time haha. My Dad's got a G Clamp in the garage I could use if worse comes to worse.

Looks like it's got a load of crap on the back of the pads, I assume I'd be better cleaning all the off before putting the copper grease on?

I never see it as bugging mate. Just don't try and whatsapp me as still phoneless.

Yeah I'd wirebrush all that crap off then put a nice layer of grease on the back.

Don't grease the pad, jus' sayin'!

 

[RS Charlie]

I guess I am part of the brigade...

TBH if the pistons are free you can generally push them back enough with the caliper in situ by hand. That is with the caliper still on the disc with the pads in place.

I have always preferred ceramic grease in place due to some cars having the grease congeal. But I was doing an insane amount of mileage back then (almost 10,000 miles a month ; oil changes soon became second nature)

They could be squealing for a variety of reasons including:
1) Copper grease congealing (I've had this before)
2) Someone using Copper on the slider pins (it's called anti-seize grease for a reason...), and it congealing ; two of my pins were nearly seized in because of the damned shite!
3) Cheap pads ; Sometimes I have changed the pads for better ones and been fine. But I have also been caught out. I tend to avoid Vetech if I can now...
3) Corrosion beneath in the slider plates. Some people bin the plates but end up with rattly pads. I ground away the corrosion with a wire brush and then etch primered them (Hammerite or paint would be OK) and then put some ceramic grease in place with new sliders there. The pads have never seized up again and my discs are fine a year and 7k later.

This is something which did not happen the time when the last owner changed the discs and pads. A set of good Brembo Max discs and pads were ruined. When I cleaned out the carriers beneath the pads and checked the pad around 5 months later they were still very free to move around.

Here's my experience:

http://www.cliosport.net/threads/chas-daily-172-thread.778035/

 

[alistairolsen]

You'll only have to push them back if the disks have huge lips on them, otherwise they should slot out and back in.
I found my squealing was worn carriers and slider pins and the whole caliper was 'chattering' on the slides in spite of grease.

 

[leeds2592]

I guess I am part of the brigade...

TBH if the pistons are free you can generally push them back enough with the caliper in situ by hand. That is with the caliper still on the disc with the pads in place.

I have always preferred ceramic grease in place due to some cars having the grease congeal. But I was doing an insane amount of mileage back then (almost 10,000 miles a month ; oil changes soon became second nature)

They could be squealing for a variety of reasons including:
1) Copper grease congealing (I've had this before)
2) Someone using Copper on the slider pins (it's called anti-seize grease for a reason...), and it congealing ; two of my pins were nearly seized in because of the damned shite!
3) Cheap pads ; Sometimes I have changed the pads for better ones and been fine. But I have also been caught out. I tend to avoid Vetech if I can now...
3) Corrosion beneath in the slider plates. Some people bin the plates but end up with rattly pads. I ground away the corrosion with a wire brush and then etch primered them (Hammerite or paint would be OK) and then put some ceramic grease in place with new sliders there. The pads have never seized up again and my discs are fine a year and 7k later.

This is something which did not happen the time when the last owner changed the discs and pads. A set of good Brembo Max discs and pads were ruined. When I cleaned out the carriers beneath the pads and checked the pad around 5 months later they were still very free to move around.

Here's my experience:

http://www.cliosport.net/threads/chas-daily-172-thread.778035/

Thanks for the in depth reply. Interesting on the copper grease, never knew that.

On my last MOT just under a year ago, the slider pin on my driver side was siezed so they sorted that out. Wonder if they used copper grease? I've got Brembo discs and pads on the front so I don't think it's the actual pads. Will have a proper look tomorrow as when I tried to sort it last time it was 9pm at night, pretty dark and I was freezing!

 

[mantis946]

I've seen a few seized slider pins from copper grease that hasn't faired well, apparently it causes rubber seals to shrink, which on the sliders would cause water ingress etc

I use silicone paste, it's expensive from what I recall, but it'll last for any future jobs