OK I have told people many times that I will use nothing but OEM pads and have been doing that since 1985 on my Volvos. Well I talked Jeffrey and fcpgroton and he said he likes the Akebono ceramic pads and that's what he has on his car and several other on here have said they have them and no squealing. Well mine are squealing and I can not stand that noise.

I did not do the rotors this time cause I did them last time. I first just put the pads on and didn't do any cleaning or anything. When they squealed I took them all off, cleaned everything real good and then put that red Brake Squeall stuff on the back of all the pads. Didn't squeal at first, but started again. It's not real bad and stops once you get going. Pretty much makes noise pulling out of the garage and when I first start up when everything is cold.

Any suggestions? I really don't want to trash the pads and buy OEM, but if the squealing gets worse that's what I'll do.

 

I will try to explain whats happening and a rough way to overcome it.

Cliff Notes:
The pads are skipping along the rotor. The movement causes a vibration on the back of the pad against the caliper. That contact point makes the squeeking noise. Its not the pad against the rotor, thats a misunderstanding a lot of people have.

What you need to do is control the skipping. I will use a bicycle as an example. You can test this if you have a bike with the type of brakes that squeeze the rim.

Take a look at my attachment, the concept here is the point at which the brake pad meets the rim or rotor. If you make the pad contact at the rear point of the pad first you will control the skip as the pad will lay down on the rotor/rim first and not chatter. On you bike, bend the pad so the contact is the front part of the pad and take if for a spin. This is a very good test as you will see as you start to put on the brakes it will chatter and sqeal like crazy. Bend them so they contact in the rear first and the problem is gone.

If you look at the rear pad on your Volvo you will see small shims that only cover half the pad back...notice where they are along the lines of the rotation of the rotor. They make is so the contact is in the rear first. Take them out and you have squeal.

So, what can you do? Put a chamfer on your front pads so the contact is in the rear of the pad first. This is an ever so slight chamfer and typically takes a belt sander to do. Second, apply stop squeek on the rear of your pad where it contacts the caliper piston and any other contact points so it cannot make the noise.

Stop the vibration, stop the noise.

 

wait, wha . . . THAT'S why the rear shims are notched?!

Wow, learn something new everyday!

 

I already have the half shims on the rear and if they are not there then I get that bass vibration sound. The way the half shims go on, it would make the front hit first. Maybe I'll try removing them and see what happens.

I can not figure out if the squealing is coming from the from or back either. When my wife and I try to figure which wheel is squealing it stops squealing and when it does squeal it's hard to tell where it's coming from. I have a good bit of the stop squeal on all the pads right now.

 

Hello all - I have had endless problems and now all is well with regards to my squealing rear brakes - I've tried everything suggested on the forums and the answer is simple - the rear brakes on my 850 Estate needed shims, that should be fitted with the arrow pointing in the (forward) drive direction (Not as in the 'Mathew's Photo) They should be fitted between the piston and the rear of the brake pad using a copper compound heat resistant grease. Apply the grease on the (rear of the pad !- and both sides of the shim) May the neighbours now sleep in peace - Good Luck www.wammy-uk.com - Back in buisness.