Squeaky Loud Noisy Brakes Fixed

[wasthatacop?]

I finally got the brakes to stop making noise when using the brakes going around 5 mph. A ducted cooling system. I know its overkill but the noise was driving me crazy. I drive a 2010 SS and have used this great forum to read everything available to fix the problem but none of it worked.

Here's a list of the parts I put in:
1. High temp brake duct (rotor side) https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaf-all42150
2. Brake ducts https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaf-all42116 , https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaf-all42117
3. Brake duct intakes https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaf-all42140
4. Four (4) metal hose clamps https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...6595/202309381
5. Four (4) 14" zip ties https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commerci...0STB/203531913
6. Two (2) mending plates to bridge gap between generic brake ducts and caliper connections... ghetto, I know. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...3509/203103415
7. small machine screws to fasten intake ducts to existing plastic

Tools used:
1. wrenches to get the wheel and caliper off
2. power drill to ream out holes in mending plates, and drill four (4) new holes in brake ducts (rotor side)
3. utility knife
4. pliers
5. snipper pliers
6. screwdriver
7. vise on workbench to bend metal, and secure metal while drilling new holes

I was able to jack up the car, crawl under and cut the existing plastic baffles that lie behind the sides of the lower grill. I used a utility knife, and yes this was the longest and most painful part of the install. I was able to not have to remove the front bumper/body work. From the inside I cut the sides of the baffle...
https://parts.campchevrolet.com/oem-...Y4LWdhcw%3D%3D

and left some plastic around the perimeter to screw the new intake ducts into it.

Thoughts?

[marklsx]

I think the brake ducts should feed to the center of the rotor, that's how the air flow naturally happens. The vanes built into the rotor move air sort of like a centrifugal supercharger does - in from the center and out to the edges. The duct work can help a lot with cooling when pushing the brakes hard like at a racetrack.


My guess is removing your pads and calipers and reinstalling them caused the noise to go away.

[InFiD3ViL]

Maybe I am reading this wrong, but I don't see how you needed brake cooling for 5 MPH braking. I agree with the previous post about it possibly quieting down due to removal/reinstall of the pads/calipers. But as long as it's quiet now, who cares?

Nevertheless, nice setup. If you ever decide to track her, you are a step ahead.

[wasthatacop?]

Originally Posted by InFiD3ViL

Maybe I am reading this wrong, but I don't see how you needed brake cooling for 5 MPH braking. I agree with the previous post about it possibly quieting down due to removal/reinstall of the pads/calipers. But as long as it's quiet now, who cares?

Nevertheless, nice setup. If you ever decide to track her, you are a step ahead.

Yes I did not word it well. In stop and go traffic (0mph-30mph-0mph-30mph) my brakes squeal like a banshee. And once they are warm they will continue to squeal the entire ride home.

[wasthatacop?]

Originally Posted by marklsx

I think the brake ducts should feed to the center of the rotor, that's how the air flow naturally happens. The vanes built into the rotor move air sort of like a centrifugal supercharger does - in from the center and out to the edges. The duct work can help a lot with cooling when pushing the brakes hard like at a racetrack.


My guess is removing your pads and calipers and reinstalling them caused the noise to go away.

I was not able to find a good selection of the brake ducts/hardware that would feed to the center of the rotor.

I have taken off my wheels, calipers, and rotors about 7 times to put "Brake Quiet" on the pads, resurface the rotors, clean all components, try different pad/rotor setups, and re-grease the caliper hardware. None of this would stop the noise. When I recently put on the drilled and slotted rotors I thought I'd fixed it, and even took time to brake in the new pads and rotors. No such luck. The noise continued. Chevrolet dealership told me it was normal and there was nothing they could do.

[SlingShot]

Originally Posted by wasthatacop?

Yes I did not word it well. In stop and go traffic (0mph-30mph-0mph-30mph) my brakes squeal like a banshee. And once they are warm they will continue to squeal the entire ride home.

That's because you are riding your brakes, with Brembo's you have to use a firm pedal when braking. The cooling looks cool and all, but will not help in the long run.

[wasthatacop?]

Originally Posted by SlingShot

That's because you are riding your brakes, with Brembo's you have to use a firm pedal when braking. The cooling looks cool and all, but will not help in the long run.

Nah, I dont ride the brakes. I've been downshifting with the paddles for years now to try and negate the brake noise. Haha, I've gotten pretty good at it and can slow the car to a near stop in all situations. It's working now.

[Aqua Blue RS/SS]

Pretty interesting setup. I’ve been able to get mine to quiet down by matting the pedal at around 60-65 and taking it to about 5 before releasing and getting back to 25-30 for a a minute or two, letting them cool a little before coming to a complete stop. (Obviously the highway isn’t the place to do this) I hit it hard enough that the abs is about ready to come on. Any time I start to get brake shake or noise this has taken care of it.

[wasthatacop?]

Originally Posted by Aqua Blue RS/SS

Pretty interesting setup. I’ve been able to get mine to quiet down by matting the pedal at around 60-65 and taking it to about 5 before releasing and getting back to 25-30 for a a minute or two, letting them cool a little before coming to a complete stop. (Obviously the highway isn’t the place to do this) I hit it hard enough that the abs is about ready to come on. Any time I start to get brake shake or noise this has taken care of it.

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to try this if they get noisy again.

[AJCamaro]

I do something similar to what Aqua Blue does. I'll stop from 60 down to 5-10 and repeat 4-5 times and then park the car to let the brakes cool off. Works every time.

[InFiD3ViL]

Originally Posted by AJCamaro

I do something similar to what Aqua Blue does. I'll stop from 60 down to 5-10 and repeat 4-5 times and then park the car to let the brakes cool off. Works every time.

Kinda sounds like a sort of bed-in process...but shorter.

Which makes sense for why it would work.

[Rogue Leader]

The stock Brembo pads are always just squeaky, even when broken in properly, they also produce a ton of dust if you look at them the wrong way.

I use Hawk HPS which also can squeak sometimes, but if you very diligently follow the break in procedure

https://www.hawkperformance.com/how-to

You should be fine. That said there was a reason GM had those balancers on the pads (and stuck tape weights to the calipers) and so there is unfortunately an inherent vibration in the system that causes this squeal. It will never be perfect.

I will tell you one thing though, you did a great job on those brake ducts, they will help quite a bit on track, but there is no chance they did anything for the noise.

[rockclimbermi]

Originally Posted by Aqua Blue RS/SS

Pretty interesting setup. I’ve been able to get mine to quiet down by matting the pedal at around 60-65 and taking it to about 5 before releasing and getting back to 25-30 for a a minute or two, letting them cool a little before coming to a complete stop. (Obviously the highway isn’t the place to do this) I hit it hard enough that the abs is about ready to come on. Any time I start to get brake shake or noise this has taken care of it.

I am having the same issue with brake squeal. It isn't happening when they are hot, it just happens a lot of the time. I have noticed when i hit the brakes hard it sometimes goes away. But I tend to notice it more when I'm driving slow or coming to a slow stop. When I first heard it I thought it was time to change the pads, but I took a look at them and they seemed fine. I recently had new tires installed (firehawk Indy 500's, so far I like them), and had the shop take a look to see if they saw anything, and they confirmed that the brakes looked fine. Hopefully your method works for me. The squeal is really annoying and makes my ride sound like a hoopty when I stop. Thanks for posting this tip. Fingers crossed.

[CamaroFred]

Originally Posted by rockclimbermi

I am having the same issue with brake squeal. It isn't happening when they are hot, it just happens a lot of the time. I have noticed when i hit the brakes hard it sometimes goes away. But I tend to notice it more when I'm driving slow or coming to a slow stop. When I first heard it I thought it was time to change the pads, but I took a look at them and they seemed fine. I recently had new tires installed (firehawk Indy 500's, so far I like them), and had the shop take a look to see if they saw anything, and they confirmed that the brakes looked fine. Hopefully your method works for me. The squeal is really annoying and makes my ride sound like a hoopty when I stop. Thanks for posting this tip. Fingers crossed.

I have never had much in the way of squeal but I often do the hard stops. When the pedal begins to feel spongy I have at it. Brings it right up.
Bleeding them twice a year when I change the tires over helps as well.