brake squeal

[s14slide]

O.K., i'm a descent mechanic(good enough to work on military aircraft), and have been working on vehicles for about seven years now.  I've been chasing my brake squeal problem for about five months now.  The rear brakes squeal whenever they feel like it(no certain circumstance), mostly when just driving and not on the brakes.  I mostly hear it when I'm in city traffic as the wind is too loud on faster roads.  If I tap the brakes lightly they sometimes stop but to no avail usually come back after a few seconds.  My ears are going crazy hearing this all the time and I've tried sanding the pads, using three different antisqueal compounds and cleaned EVERYTHING out.  Thanks if you know something I don't.
Sorry for such a long post, just wanted to let you know all the perameters of the situation.
Tanx for the replies.

[Jeff240sx]

You might wanna look at the calipers.  One could be seized.  I am assuming that you have checked the pads and re-apply anti-squeal to the backs.  If not, do those first.  Then the calipers.
-Jeff

[Tyler Durdan]

I have the same damn problem.  From what I figured out as I have been in the brakes off and on for weeks, it's the cheap pads.  My brakes squeel due to the brake dust that comes off these autozone pads.  Solution is to get some good endless (or any other good aftermarket pad maker) pads.  Or, you can do like me every weekend and spray some brake cleaner all over the brakes to clean out the brake dust.  Also, the stuff you put on the pads for anti-squeel is the same as petreoleum jelly (this according to my local autozone guy).  He's right from what I tested so far....save some cash instead of paying the buck for the little tube.

[adey]

are you sure it's not your bearings? I have a similar problem with my front driver's side wheel/brake/bearing. I'll be changing *all* brake components (less master cylinder) this week, and will see if that fixes it or not. If not, it's probably my wheel bearing, which just means more trouble. &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>

[GrindingHalt]

Dont know if this is relevant to your situation, but I had the same problem on my 280Z. &nbsp;Figured out that there was a seperate "brake hardware kit" that was required to keep the pads positioned correctly in the calipers. &nbsp;I have'nt replaced the pads on my 240 so I don't know if this will help. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/eh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':eh:'>

Good luck!
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Tod

[Jeff240sx]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (GrindingHalt @ Oct. 09 2002,09:56)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Dont know if this is relevant to your situation, but I had the same problem on my 280Z. Figured out that there was a seperate "brake hardware kit" that was required to keep the pads positioned correctly in the calipers. I have'nt replaced the pads on my 240 so I don't know if this will help. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/eh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':eh:'>

Good luck!
Tod</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
The 300zx calipers and pads need the brake hardware kit (bunch of shims), but the 240sx pads clip into the caliper. &nbsp;So it shouldn't need or have a kit.
-Jeff