Car makes squealing noise while braking at low speed to a stop.

The squealing noise sounds similar to a fork or knife, scraping along a glass cup.

Before this squealing noise began, I removed the front left tire, so I could rotate the crankshaft bolt, as seen in this thread. I was thinking the way I placed the tire and then place the nuts back on, may be the cause.

The noise arises when I slow to less than 15 (or 20 miles an hour).

I was thinking of inspecting the brake pads, but I may need to spend $50 to $100 on equipment, such as brake cleaner, C clamp, and a breaker bar. I have never performed any brake work before.

I've google searched, and can't get to a definite answer.

K3Ntegra said:

The squealing noise sounds similar to a fork or knife, scraping along a glass cup.

Before this squealing noise began, I removed the front left tire, so I could rotate the crankshaft bolt, as seen in this thread. I was thinking the way I placed the tire and then place the nuts back on, may be the cause.

The noise arises when I slow to less than 15 (or 20 miles an hour).

I was thinking of inspecting the brake pads, but I may need to spend $50 to $100 on equipment, such as brake cleaner, C clamp, and a breaker bar. I have never performed any brake work before.

I've google searched, and can't get to a definite answer.

Click to expand...

Seeing as how you've never done brake work before I would take it into a shop... wouldn't want to mess up the one thing that helps stop your car.

It really sounds to me like your brake pads are close to worn out. There is a wear thingy that makes this type of noise when the pads are close to being worn out. It is by design so you will know when it is time to replace them. A little piece or metal on the side of the pad. starts to scrape on the rotor when the pads wear down, telling you it is close to time to replace them. As for the 50-100 dollars to check them out, I think you are shooting a little high. brake cleaner (not totally nessesary but good to have) is about 5 bucks. A C-Clamp (unless you go to the Snap-On truck) shouldn't cost more than 8 bucks. A breaker bar is not really needed as long as you have a regular ratchet/socket set. A set of pads are probably your biggest cost. A set for both front wheels will cost between 20 and 40 dollars. 20 for a standard set - 40 for ceramic pads. I recommend Ceramic pads as they wear better and dont get dust all over your rims. I would say just over 50 bucks and you would have a new set of brakes for the front. Disk brakes are quite easy to do and the 50 bucks will be less than half of what you will pay taking it to a shop.

Thanks for the response RichW.

Unfortunately I forgot to mention in my first post, that the front brakes are HPS "ferro-carbon" brakes. I've had them for 24,000 miles now. Also the rotor has been noticeably warped since owning them 3,000 miles of usage. They were replaced at the same time with the brake pads. These past 24,000 miles were mainly highway miles, and alot of traffic jams.

I can't find on Google, how long ferro-carbon brakes last.

Okay, lets do a few things first.

1. try to push back your dust shield behind your rotors, that might be the problem.

2. if its not, inspect the brakes, you can easily inspect the front brake pads through the rim, at least the outter most ones.

3. Autozone rents tools but you should just invest in tools yourself.

Heres what you will need to do brakes on your integra:

jack, jackstands, breaker bar (or use whatever to remove your wheels), ratchet or wrench with the following sizes: 17, 12 (ls, gs, gsr, rs brakes) 14 (ITR). and a c clamp or a brake caliper compressor (autozone rents these). I would also flush the fluid (you can do this by yourself by gravity bleeding).

Brake pad life depends on how you drive. I go through race pads every 2 years doing 8-10 events a year. They are a ware item and should be checked occasionally, you cant just say they will be ready to be changed in x miles. Dont cheap out on brakes, unless you want to cheap out on your safety in which you should just probably not drive.

Thanks for the response Samurai_Blue.

Would it be okay to use the warped rotor?

When the mechanic first noticed the warped rotor; he not only suggested getting a new rotor, but getting new brake pads as well.

If I do keep the warped rotor, is it worth the cost of having them resurfaced? They're worth $40 brand new.

I'd like to keep the front rotors for another 25k miles. They're 24k miles old now.

This Youtube video, helped: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYcoQCVw3Ts

Any other alternatives to HPS Ferro Carbon brakes would be appreciated. Although me, buying the brakes from an unrepeatable seller may have played a part in the quality.

Ive never ran into an issue with warping mine, i usually get new ones after they crack. A good rotor from autozone with whatever street pad should be fine for 2 years 24k miles. But again, if you pound on your brakes and do canyon runs they arent going to last that long... You shouldnt really put a millage limit on them.

Thanks again for the response.

Unfortunately, a C clamp can't be used to compress the rear brake piston. I came across the following cube socket (link), and unfortunately they all come in 3/8" drive, instead of 1/2". I searched on ebay aswell.

Does anyone know of a cheaper alternative? That's preferably almost as easy to use.

Edit:

I disassembled the braking components, and got an up close look of the pads. One of the two brake caliper / slider pin was stuck or fused with the braking bracket.

There was uneven wear on the inner brake pad (image). Here is a second image. Sorry for the blurry quality. The lower part is less than half the size of the upper part, in volume.

It seems the mechanic I used to go to, was looking for a returning customer, to charge for repeated brake installs. The mechanic, whose work shop has since closed, performed two separate installations for me about 10 months apart. The first time, the brake slider, according to him, scratched the cheap ebay slotted rotor I bought. I have vague memory of seeing the cheap / generic ceramic brakes having uneven wear, when he showed them to me.

I went ahead and had him install Brembo rotors and Hawk brakes the second time for the front wheels, 10 months after the first installations. While he was performing the installation, I noticed he let the caliper hang in the air with just the brake line holding it. I didn’t know this was a bad thing until yesterday while reading Youtube comments.

I have since left a Yelp review of the gas station where he was formerly based at. I’ve Googled his name with the business and an old “unavailable / shutdown” Facebook page comes up.

I decided to spend extra $40, and get new braking bracket, rubber bushing, & brake caliper pins for $40+ total. I’ll try and see if I can salvage the old bracket and have the jammed brake caliper pin separated, and keep them as backup.

Unfortunately I was unable to disconnect the rotor from the hub. I was only able to remove the screw. Hopefully these 2 videos are helpful: Video 1 and Video 2.

Unfortunately now, the car won’t start, as result of this inspection:
http://www.clubintegra.com/board/showthread.php?p=1387150#post1387150

After changing the car battery to get the start up, as noted in this thread, the braking on the car is very sluggish at low speeds. I was in the parking lot. I pushed in the brake pedal 7 times, after re-assembling the braking components.

Could the bad performance be result of the hammering the rotor stubs?
Is it because air got into the braking fluid?
Would resurfacing the rotor, be a good temporary fix for a rotor, that has been hammered?

I'll try to dis-assemble the brake, and make sure the compressor pushed all the way in.

I'll go to Home Depot, to find a 17mm screw of a similar size so I can try this trick in this video, to extract the rotor.

Yep, my girl's '97 Accord did the same. When we first got it, it just has a hard time stopping. After a while it started squealing when braking. By the time I got back from my trip to Miami (she stayed in Pensacola) the sound was horrible even when lightly braking. I took it to the brake shop as soon as I got back. The front brake pads were completely worn, had to replace one of the rotors.

I've done brake work before on my '99 Grand Cherokee, but that was a different set up. It took like 5 mins to get the rotors off on that car. I've heard these are a bit more complicated, I just took it in instead.

I was able to extract the rotor using the method of the video. Unfortunately one of the four wheel studs on the wheel hub has a damaged threading and can't accept any lug nuts into it.

Would it be cheaper and wise to have a mechanic out there that can replace just damaged wheel sub, instead of having to replace the entire wheel hub? I got the wheel hub 1.5 years ago with paired with Koyo wheel bearing, un-attached/un-pressed, from ebay (link).

Unfortunately for Integras, the wheel studs can't be replaced without removing the hub from the car. I'd rather not do, and risk doing more damage.
I reckon taking the the car to the mechanic for a wheel stud replacement will cost as much as replacing the rotor. I'd have to drive 7 miles.

I took the rotor to Pep Boys for resurfacing. They rejected it, because there was a part less than their minimum threshold of .830. A section of the rotor registered below .824.

I bought a lug nut from Pep Boys designated as 12mm - 1.75. I'll return them and get 12mm - 1.5.

This Nes Thread tool, seems might interesting.

The stock rotor has a hole in it which is threaded for a 12mm bolt. Forget the thread pitch but it's a 12mm head like what holds up your dash or something. Screw that into the rotor and it pops out.

Alright I'll keep that mind. This is the Brembo rotor being replaced:



Fortunately, the Nes Thread tool was able to straighten out the threads on the wheel, and can now accept a lug nut.

Unfortunately, I need to get new brake pad installation kit. One of them is loose.

Advanced Auto Parts was charging $220 for distributor, while eBay was $80. SMH.

Wtf is a brake pad install kit?

And I would go with whatever distributor had a warranty...

Samurai_Blue said:

Wtf is a brake pad install kit?

And I would go with whatever distributor had a warranty...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion, thankfully, I bought from a seller that offers lifetime warranty.

Brake pad/hardware install kit, are the 2 metallic clips that the pads rest on, in the bracket.

Unfortunately I bought rear, instead of front brake caliper pins.