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[jonintownsville]

Hi there.
I have spent a lot of money on new front and rear brakes on my 1987 33 and there is still very bad squeal on the front brakes. I took it back and they "greased the back of the pads and also roughened up the pads a bit". This made no difference, so I took the front wheels off and noticed the brake pads have no metallic shims behind them like they had when I first bought the car. Would this be the cause of the problem? Are the shims generic parts or must they be bought espeically for the series 2 33? What other functions do shims do? Thanks guys!

[Guest]

if they are racing pads you'll have to live with the fact that they are sensitive to squeeling.
Maybe you can try to cut a cupper plate in the shape of you brakepad and put on some clips that hold it on place in the calliper. If cupper grease and rubbing up the pads didn't help wouldn't really know another miracle solution. Maybe try another compound of pads? And sure nothing touches the disc except the pad when braking?

Regards!

[Chris Notsis]

THe shims you describe are anti-squeal devices that should normally be fitted, however if the vehicle is serviced regularly, then pad wear can be noted. It is better to have them though.

Either way, get hold of a brake pad adhesive (can be a thick silicon-like paste, or spray) that can be applied on the backing plate of the pads.

If the pads have previously worn down to below the minimum limit, it is possible the pistons in the calipers have canted to one side in the bores. They can still slide back in but do so at an angle, using the piston seal as a cushion. THe piston therefore won't retract slightly with the brake off; the pad will rub - relative to the angle of the canted piston, so that that part of the pad constantly rubs the disc (also causing drag and a hot spot). THe result is the disc can get a blue spot on its surface (where the metal hardens) leading to superficial cracking, pad grabbing (not unlike clutch grabbing) and premature wearing of the pad and disc - and more often than not, the noise you describe.

If the caliper piston has canted as a result of the cause I have described, then a seal kit will be needed, plus new pads and disc rotors. In other words, the problem will NOT just go away. NEw pads alone won't fix it, nor will rubbing grease on the pads! It's the old issue of mechanics fixing a symptom, not a cause.
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Chris Notsis