loud squeaking

cdnp6

cdnp6

Member
My federal dual circuit car has just developed a loud squeaking when stepping on the brakes.
The sound intensifies the harder I press on the brake pedal.
I was having the same sound every now and again while selecting gears, but it would go away after depressing the clutch and reselecting the gear.
Occasionally it would take several attempts at reselecting a gear.
It is the same sound with both scenarios.
 
When I had the car in to the restoration shop last year, I had new brake pads installed front and rear in fully rebuilt calipers.
New, meaning never used in the original box, bought by the previous
owner in about 1986.
The shop rebuilt the front calipers, and I bought rebuilt rear calipers
from a reputable supplier.
When the engine was out, everything forward of the gearbox was
checked, and parts replaced as needed.
The restoration shop says they would have checked the release bearing when reinstalling the engine.
The brakes were making noise when driving slowly so, with light load.
My restoration shop said the brake pads can get glazed "if not used enough". They suggested I remove the pads and roughen them up.
Regarding the noise with gear change they thought that sounded like the clutch might be dry from not enough use, and suggested I drive the car more.
Not sure if this is the case or not, but I'll take any excuse I can to drive the car more.... Honey, we have to take the Rover, The clutch needs to be used more!
 
I can't think of how the exact same noise would be coming from both the clutch and the brakes, and my guess would have been the brake pads. As well as deglazing, put a 1/8" chamfer on the inner and outer edges of the pads.
 
The Mercedes dealer I was aprenticed to used to make us put Copperslip on the back of the calipers where the piston pressed and carefully along the edges where the pad slides in the caliper.
Squealing is caused by the pad gripping and releasing very rapidly and that manifests as a squeal. The copperslip acts as a lubricant and stops that squeal.
 
unstable load said:
The Mercedes dealer I was aprenticed to used to make us put Copperslip on the back of the calipers where the piston pressed and carefully along the edges where the pad slides in the caliper.
Squealing is caused by the pad gripping and releasing very rapidly and that manifests as a squeal. The copperslip acts as a lubricant and stops that squeal.
Click to expand...
This is similar to the anti-squeak compound we used in my Dads Rover garage years ago. Unfortunately some cars still had the problem, so to save comebacks (money lost) we, as Harvey mentioned, used to chamfer the pads leading and trailing edges and we used to add a slot down the centre. Never had any further issues :) Most pads come slotted now, but I still chamfer pads on any vehicle now out of habit :wink:
 
A "running in" observation for if you drive the car gently. You'll find the best fix for the brakes will be to do a few emergency stops from high speeds. Ideally you should get smoke off the discs! Similarely a heavy work out for the clutch sounds in order. Both components don't like being used gently! Copperslip or disc brake grease as previously noted is also a good plan if the sqeaks return in an unacceptably short period. If still no joy see if you can get hold of a set of anti squeal shims to go behind the pads - basically thin slivers of steel shim.

Chris
 
Thanks everyone for all the advice.
Yes Chris, as I have been running in the rebuilt engine, I have treated the car gently...
Obviously too gently...
I will try the high speed stops this weekend.
What do you suggest I need do to work out the clutch?
 
Out for a ride today to try a few of the suggestions.
I made several hard stops from 50 - 60 mph. Seems to have put an end to the squeaky front brakes for now.
I still have an occasional loud squeaking when releasing the clutch and selecting a gear - usually 2nd or 3rd- but goes away if the clutch is depressed and the gear is reselected...
Roy
 
I'll have to check the previous owners bills.
From what I recall, the clutch was described as "new" around 1984. DPO put on about 2000 miles before the car was parked in 1986.
I haven't tried any hills in top gear yet, but I haven't noticed any slipping with top gear acceleration.
The restoration shop said they would have recommended a new clutch if there was any noticeable wear when they put the engine together last December.
It happened again this morning, and instead of reselecting the gear, I depressed and released the clutch. It took 2 tries but the sound did go away with this as well. I am still paranoid about breaking the car, but I am tempted to let it make the noise and vary my speed to see what happens.
 
Do you think you could give us another try at describing this clutch noise. I'm beginning to think you're describing a gear selection noise rather than a clutch noise?

Chris
 
If you can, get someone else in the car with you and video camera / mobile phone with video (with sound of course - which is all we really need) then record the experience of the squealing, upload it to YouTube and post the link here.

Then we can all share the experience and help with the diagnosis! :wink:

Bri.
 
I'll see what I can do.
I had a mechanic friend help me with my heater motor the other night. We went for a 20 minute drive and do you think it would make the noise while he was with me?
The cars getting trailered to the panel beater on Friday to get the sills sorted, so It might have to wait until I get it back.
 
Squeaky Rover brakes :LOL: I have always had some form of noise from mine mostly squeaking/ squealing, mostly i alleviated the problem with an anti slip compound on the back of the pads, most recently after a complete brake rebuild (by a brake specialist workshop) I have ended up with a rapid thump from the front left brakes caused by pad pickup and drop, I guess you just can't win and hence the expression "Rover brakes" has entered my vocabulary. my feeling on the subject is you can manufacture cures to the problems, but why didn't they just design them properly in the first place :roll: I have never had any of these problems with my Japanese cars or for that mater even British cars i have owned in the past.

Graeme
 
Don't the springs that you get on some cars that hold the pads to the retaining pins prevent pad pick-up ? Should be easy to find some and try
Problem seems to be that the pads are a fairly loose fit in the calipers
 
harveyp6 said:
I can't think of how the exact same noise would be coming from both the clutch and the brakes, and my guess would have been the brake pads. As well as deglazing, put a 1/8" chamfer on the inner and outer edges of the pads.
Click to expand...

The chamfer sounds like a good idea. Although. I have always used copper-grease when fitting pads, I have sometimes still suffered squeaks not long after fitting new pads on various cars. I think some pads I have fitted haven't had chamfers on the inside/outside edges but on the leading and trailing edges. I will certainly try ther chamfer trick next time - thanks.

I once knew someone who said that he used to put a little oil on his brake discs after chaning pads/discs!!! He said this helped to bed the pads into the discs!! After doing the job, he would slowly drive around the neighbourhood with left foot on the brake pedal and right foot on the accelerator in order to hasten the process. I would not suggest anyone tries this!!!
 
I wonder if the pad compound itself causes a lot of these problems, especially now they seem to use a lot of steel in them, rather than Asbestos. Are there any carbon based pads available ?
 
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