Agh! Brake pad squeal getting on my nerves!

[nsxtasy]

My car is heavily tracked, but I don't want to switch pads for track use. I tried the Carbotech Panther Plus but the squeal was MUCH TOO LOUD for me. I am now using the Hawk HP Plus (HP+) and I am very happy with them. Their track performance is similar to the Panther Plus, but without the excessive squealing on the street. Dust is similar.

 

[asylum]

I have Carbotech Panther Plus for some weeks now (front and rear) and they are not squealing at all. Will let you now if this change after their fiorst track event.

 

[stuntman]

I've been really happy with the EBC red stuff.

They were amazing... but lasted 2,000 miles.

Granite this was on a 4,000lb Dodge Stealth RT/Twin Turbo.

 

[GOTTSPD]

They were amazing... but lasted 2,000 miles.

Granite this was on a 4,000lb Dodge Stealth RT/Twin Turbo.

Granite? Are you referring to the Stealth being made out of granite? I've heard that they were heavy, granted, I don't think they are as heavy as granite would be.

 

[latzke]

Also, there has been some confusion in my mind about brake fluid boiling versus pads fading. I was once told by one person that the soft pedal I was experiencing was brake fade and by another that it was brake fluid. Changing the fluid seemed to have solved the problem so I assumed it wasn't fade. I may have been wrong.

It can be hard to distinguish by pedal feel without having experienced both separately while paying attention. Boiling will make the brake pedal softer as you're compressing fluid with some gas (the state of matter, not to be confused with fuel) in it instead of fluid (mostly) void of gas. Fade of the pad will make the brake seem softer as you have to push it harder/further to get the same amount of stopping power...and the gases coming off the overheated pad surface against the rotor may also contribute to a soft feel.

Feel should really be just one of a few senses you're using to look out for both. Smoke and/or smell is a great tell for fade, and if you boil your fluid enough you may hear the ABS pump running constantly and/or notice between sessions that fluid has escaped from one of the two reservoirs.

Neither should be ignored or taken lightly.

Oh, and "Changing the fluid seemed to have solved the problem so I assumed it wasn't fade." may be faulty logic. In the time it takes to change fluid (even if you're REALLY fast) I'm sure your pads would have cooled enough to not produce fade any more. If you changed fluid and were then just as hard (if not harder) on your brakes and heated them up just as much and the problem didn't come back...your logic would make sense.