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MG MGA - My Front Brake Squeal Is Back

I thought I had cured my front squeal, but over the recent weeks it's returned to the front left.

I converted my drums to discs several years ago and have had a resident mouse down there most of the time. I have tried everything I can think of including shimming the MGB calipers to within a thou of absolute centre; different pads; anti squeal compounds; roughening pad surfaces; cleaning the rotor and pads. You name it and I think I have done it.

I can get some temporary relief by applying the brakes fairly hard with my left foot while accelerating with my right foot, but the squeal returns after a period of 'soft' applications, normally in traffic. It is the soft applications that tend to bring the mouse to life. Hard braking is okay. If I was to fault my driving I would say that I am generally quite light on the brakes.

I have run out of ideas for a permanent cure.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, I live with a rear brake squeal, done all the remedial things and it still persists. My answer was to become zen like and live with it. Medically its a syndrome. This state of mind works until your passenger keeps asking 'what's that awful squeel' and despite having rebuilt the whole car a feeling of total inadequacy creeps over you.
J H Cole

John

I know where you coming from. I can live with a squeal around the country lanes. Most of the time I can ignore it or simply turn the radio volume up (good for hiding tappet noise as well). But the mouse senses other people and makes a point of doing his best in high streets, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights. I look on it as a public declaration of my poor engineering/maintenance.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve

I have never had squeal issues. Could it be the pads themselves? Maybe try a different set.
dominic clancy

Steve,

I cured the squeal on my TR6 with anti-squeal strips. Unlike the stick-on foil ones that Moss currently stocks, these are very thin sheets of steel applied to the back of the pads with high temperature (RTV) sealant. Unfortunately, I don't know where they are available. When I replace the drums on my "A" with discs I'll probably be looking too.

Ken
k v morton

A brake "expert" told me that some pad materials are more prone to squeak than others. I put up with it on my "road" car for many years, during which time I tried all sorts of "cures" (including anti-squeak spray, shims to "cant" the pads, etc) but when I switched back to Bendix pads the problem disappeared.

Barry Bahnisch

I did try a new set of pads because the old ones were getting a bit near to limits. However, it is highly likely they were same type as the previous (bought from the same supplier - Bob West). Anyone recommend a make available in the UK to go for? MGB callipers.

Steve
Steve Gyles

I notice the MGOC offer 'green stuff' and 'Red Dot' pads.

Any good?

http://www.mgocaccessories.co.uk/acatalog/MGOC_Accessories__Brakes_25.html

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,
I use green stuff pads and they are dead silent and effective. I did copperslip the rear of the pads when fitting them. Years ago i also cut two horizontal and one vertical groove(s) in the pads of my Vitesse which, prior to that, squeeled. I used two hacksaw blades together in the hacksaw and cut just about halfway down. That silenced the squeel also. You can get greenstuff pads from British Motor Heritage vie their "motoringclassics.co.uk" web site.
regards
Colin
C Manley

Thanks Colin

I will try the 'Green Stuff' (sounds like the kiddies slimy gunk you can get in toy shops).

If they squeak, then I can only put it down to resonance set up between the callipers and their alloy attachment brackets.

Steve
Steve Gyles

I have a theory that brake squeal is the vibration, or "rattle", of light contact, magnified to a great degree -- it usually only occurs when light pressure is applied. That's what happens on my car. When I press hard there is no squeal.

Colin, (above) has perhaps overcome this by the application of copperslip.

Barry.
Barry Gannon

I was reading an article last night on the current designs of disc brakes as used on motorcycles. This stated that while motorcycle disc brakes do squeal, its at a frequency that can't be heard by the human ear. Now there's a solution for you!

George
G Goeppner

George

You mean I need to go high tone deaf?!

Barry, Tried copper slip and other anti-squeal compounds. Bob West told me that some others who bought the, then new on the market, MGB alloy calliper adapters, have suffered similar squeals. For me, that does not mean there is no cure. I will get there.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve
Try Barney's suggested cure in the other thread running nearby under "Squeak diagnosis". Seems some high temperature RTV behind the pads might work.
Bruce
Bruce Mayo

Bruce

I tried that. It seemed to help for a day or 2, then the squeal returned.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,

As I mentioned above, a very thin sheet of steel stuck on the back of the pad with high temperature RTV cured the squeal on my Triumph. I salvaged the steel from the old pads after the new pads squealed. As I recall, it was a bit more than a heavy foil, and had a bit of spring to it, like a thin feeler gage.

Ken
k v morton

Steve,

I use Green Stuff pads with copper grease on the back without any problems, although I don't do as many miles as you.
John Bray

I have ordered a set of 'Green Stuff' pads, based on what has been said above and, also because they will presumably be a different compound to what I have been using.

I will start off with them 'dry' and see how it goes; then one remedy at a time thereafter - if the squeal persists.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, I have "Green Stuff" pads on my car, std mga calipers, unservo'd. They are superb brakes with really great "bite" from cold at low speeds and excellent stopping power at high speeds too.
The bad news for you is that they do have a very slight tendency to squeal when they are hot.
It is more of a loud "humming" noise that kicks in after hard braking and gets louder as I brake to a halt.
But it isnt what I would call an irritating sound and I kind of like it.

It is probably something to do with the fact that our MGAs are one of the first production cars to have disc brakes fitted as standard and therefore havent had the benefit of 50 years of development that modern cars have.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

Just got my Green Stuff pads. They come with self adhesive fibre anti-squeal shims. They have to be trimmed to cover piston contact points.

I will report back after road tests.

Steve


Steve Gyles

First test drive of about 10 miles most encouraging. No squeal - yet.

Steve
Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed between 01/11/2010 and 05/11/2010

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