Rear brakes on truck

[Doug Dawson]

It pays to use good grease to lubricate the caliper pins and the grooves in the calipers the pads set into.

Back in the 70’s some Datsun dealerships used Dow Corning 111 for this purpose. It rocked, and I still use it to this day. it’s an industrial steam valve lubricant, BTW.

[Myk Rian]

Had corrosion and dragging brakes so I took it to a well known mechanic. Getting some squeaking back there after the total rebuild. They texted me to see if everything was ok and I told them I might have to bring it back. I asked if they used anti-squeal and they said no. I don’t get it because most brakes will squeal without it. Anyone have a brake job where it got left out and no squeaking?

Never got squealing or squeaks. Never have used anti-squeal anything.
They might have gotten dirty fingers all over the pads.

[Dan McGonigle]

Thought I'd share my two cents. I've been a dealership tech for 10 years, ASE master, etc. What I've found is squealing is usually caused by low quality components or overheating or glazing of the brake rotors (both of which affect coefficient of friction), or in some cases, brake hardware contacting the rotor, which is less of a squeal and more of a dragging sound. Another important thing is brake pad shims, which fit onto the backside of the pad with a little lubrication between the shim and pad. This helps to absorb vibration and allows the pad to be able to move slightly independent of the caliper. If a customer comes in with a brake squeal and the pads are OE, in good condition with all shims and hardware intact, resurfacing of the brake rotors typically takes care of it. Adequate lubrication of the slide pins is also important, but a seized or sticking slide pin will usually cause a low brake pedal and not usually noise. I've never used any of the anti-squeal compounds, so I can't speak to them. I believe using OE parts and proper shim lubrication is best for noise free braking.

[michael langman]

Sounds like good lubricant for o rings and anything that moves and gets wet Doug. I'll have to get some next time I order some things.

I looked up the grease I mentioned. It was StaLube synthetic brake and caliper grease. Made by CRC. Not Stabila. There are so many good products out there today that can make a big difference in how long mechanical things will last, and how well they work.

[Bruce King]

The shims I’ve seen are already secured to the back of the pad.

Thought I'd share my two cents. I've been a dealership tech for 10 years, ASE master, etc. What I've found is squealing is usually caused by low quality components or overheating or glazing of the brake rotors (both of which affect coefficient of friction), or in some cases, brake hardware contacting the rotor, which is less of a squeal and more of a dragging sound. Another important thing is brake pad shims, which fit onto the backside of the pad with a little lubrication between the shim and pad. This helps to absorb vibration and allows the pad to be able to move slightly independent of the caliper. If a customer comes in with a brake squeal and the pads are OE, in good condition with all shims and hardware intact, resurfacing of the brake rotors typically takes care of it. Adequate lubrication of the slide pins is also important, but a seized or sticking slide pin will usually cause a low brake pedal and not usually noise. I've never used any of the anti-squeal compounds, so I can't speak to them. I believe using OE parts and proper shim lubrication is best for noise free braking.