audi49

I recently replaced my front rotors (only) with Porsche OEM pads and Zimmermann Z-coated rotors. I also replaced the damper things on each side. I've probably driven about 100 miles or so.
I get an annoying brake squeal at very slow speeds, as i'm about to stop or crawling along. I've replaced rotors and pads on many other cars before and never had any brake squeal.
Any thoughts on what may be going on? (I have a 2008 Boxster base model.)

LexVan

Try bedding them in.

xsbank

Did you use anti-squeal spooge on the back of the pads? Like that pink stuff?

daylorb

+1, that was my first thought.

audi49

I can bed them more. I did make about 4 brakings from ~50mph down to 10mph. May need more?
I'm not familiar with spooge… I did use that lube that goes on the hard pts/contacts of the pad's backing. Where does the spooge go?
And maybe it'll just go away with time?

MyNameIdeasWereT

Pad grease goes on the back of the pads. Pads are free to move in the calipers, so the grease gets tacky once dry to help hold them in place and provides a soft surface to eliminate the metal to metal contact that creates squeal.

ekam

Pad grease/anti-squeal spooge/pink stuff - is it this?

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/p...-0381412p.html

audi49

These pads have the brake pad dampers that physically stick to the backside of the pads. With the top hat looking things inserting into the pistons. So I don’t see how this grease would be used?

https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_In...51-088-01-M100

MyNameIdeasWereT

I just applied the grease to everything but the pad compound itself and my brakes don't squeal.
People say it's overkill on the grease, which it is. But when I'm running my street pads, I'd rather they not make noise on the first install attempt.

nb1234

Given there are many scientific and industry journal papers written on this subject, and that the problem still exists in some situations, it seems this can be a very complex problem.

But, my personal, purely anecdotal approach to minimizing squeal is this:

• When things are disassembled, clean every contact surface as much as possible. I have a theory that brake dust is similar to chalk on a chalkboard. Get rid of it as much as possible.
• Lube everything that has metal to metal sliding contact - grease, moly grease, "brake caliper" grease, silicone grease, something other than plain nothing
• For piston the piston to backing plate contact zone (not sliding), use an anti-squeal compound like the pink/orange spooge or the bluish spray on stuff from Permatex. Both work well in my experience.
• Bed in the pads as best you can. Sometimes a minor case of the squeals can be fixed with a good, aggressive bedding process.
• Early morning surface rust on the rotors can make things squeal. A good hard stop will usually clear this up.

Track / race pads are exempt. They're just gonna squeal at times. That's OK. Personally, I don't see the point of running such pads (or pads that "approach" those compounds) on the street. What sort of "high-performance" braking are you doing on the street? And why?

Finally some pads are just naturally more quiet than others and they will all play somewhat differently with different rotor types (plain, slotted, drilled, coated, etc...) It's a bit of a crap shoot, frankly, but I find that solid rotors with a good, clean setup (above) is least likely to have noise issues.

Pmorritt

Done my own pad replacement on cars and bikes for years. Never a squeak. A small amount of copper paste on the back of the pads is used.

Code

nb1234

The summary of that video from Porsche: brake noise is normal.

(I tend to agree, but you can do things to try to minimize it. It often helps, but not 100% of the time)

daylorb

Good explanation in short video here:

SpeedFreaksUSA

You need to bed them further and the noise will go away or at least reduce greatly.

-Matt M.