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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Front brake squeal


Hello All.

I've trawled the archive here and the some of the WWW & know this is a common issue. In the past I've used copper ease on the back of the pads but refreshing the copper ease would not cure my recently acquired squeal - occurs when breaking and at slowish speed.

I already had new discs so I replaced them & checked for true. I was going to try new cheap (£15.00 odd) pads from Moss but the bedding in instructions were onerous so I put back my Mintex 1144's with nominal wear instead. The 1144's had a thin anti squeal pad attached but a had removed these. I purchased the thin metal anti squeal shims to go with the new discs and current 1144's.

I'm still getting the same issue which occurs only after the brakes are fully warmed. I'm not thrashing the brakes just normal road use.

Any suggestions most welcome.

GN Rowles

"The 1144's had a thin anti squeal pad attached but a had removed these"
what was the reason you did that?
David Smith


Hello David - I was planning to bin them & they were half off already in a gloop of copper seal.
GN Rowles

You might try deglazing the pads - I used a sheet of P80 Mirka double sided onto glass, and then chamfer the leading edges. That fixed it for me.
Fergus

You say you removed the anti-squeal pads - but they are there for a reason! The metal shims can do the same job but IME need a good coating of coppagrease on both sides.
Agree with de-glazing the pads and try again. Also use the brakes a bit harder (drive faster) to prevent them glazing over again.
David Smith

Yes, drive it, drive it, drive it.

My shims were kn*c&ered so I left them out and put on the grease. Passed MoT OK and now fine. Standard original disks and standard pads.

My car is no sprinter but I do keep up and brake hard. No noises. Just burning paint fumes for a short time until all gone :-)
Dave Squire

I have read somewhere that the brake pad metal itself nowadays acts in lieu of shims/anti squeal pads. Certainly when replacing the pads on my (modern) Toyota, no shims or extra pads were present - although granted in the book, there are 2 shims per pads shown. I replaced with Mintex pads with no shims or extra pads, but gave them a good coating of coppergrease on the mating surface with the piston - no issues so far...

IIRC on the midget, I have Mintex pads, the retainers and Mintex discs. A little squealing occurs coming up to a rapid stop, but nothing significant. However, before assembly, I did bevel the leading edge of the pads, roughened up the pads and discs, and gave the piston mating face a bit of dressing off.
Oggers

Indeed Oggers, My standard pads were new and had a sort of 'pad' under the paint on the back. I did wonder if that was anti squeal. Perhaps it is.
Dave Squire


Thanks all.

Will add copper grease, chamfer & deglaze then give the brakes a hard time.

Will try to find time this weekend.

Gavin.
GN Rowles

Another thought - If squealing persists, remove the caliper slider/guide pins, give them a thorough descale with emery cloth or something - stick them into a drill chuck - finish with wet/dry, smear on some silicon grease and replace.

Sometimes the caliper picks up on the pins, does not allow the pad to release properly after braking or causes a slightly uneven force distribution on the pad which in turn may be the cause of the squealing.
Oggers

"Caliper slider/guide pins"?


The caliper is fixed with 2 moving pistons.



It is good policy to make sure the pad retaining pins are rust free and the pads can move freely to and fro.



Cpoaslip has always worked fine on my 1500.



Regards Steve
Steve Smith Midget 1500

Steve

Quite right! Was thinking of the Toyota!

Oggers


Hello all.

All greased up, chamfered off, deglazed & pins all shiny. Sounds a bit like the start of a rom com!

Anyway no squealing to report so thanks all.

Gavin.
GN Rowles

This thread was discussed between 26/10/2016 and 31/10/2016

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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