[dljpdx]

OK. Had my front brake rotors and pads replaced by the dealer about 5 weeks / 300 miles (of mostly city driving) ago. They squeaked since replacement, had abated somewhat but still quite noticible and occasionally very loud and very shrill.
Brought back to the dealer - they re-seated them but said SAAB doesn't guarantee their pads not to squeak.
Further, their re-check said most likely the calipers are out of spec allowing pads to move in the caliper, and the only solution may be caliper replacement.
How true is this statement? Is there nothing else that can be done? I don't mind an occasional squeak but right now they always squeak once below, say, 10 mph...

The other issue is a metallic rattle in my rear driver's brake, when traversing rough roads, that goes away when I apply the brakes. Dealer said the sliding caliper is loose - again - only solution is to replace the caliper.

Otherwise, the braking system seems to work fine, but noise when I drive, noise when I'm stopping - it's driving me nuts!

I'm not much of a wrencher, so if the two solutions are 1) for me to rip the calipers apart myself and fiddle with them, or 2) get new calipers installed, I'll opt for the latter - just let me know!

Thank you.

-Daniel

 

[eggsngrits]

I had/have the same issue with some new shoes. However, my squeak went away when I realized that my rotors needed turning after all. When the rotors were resurfaced, the problem went away.


Additionally, my Saab guy said that he could spray some kind of cleaner on the shoes and discs to clean the dust off and that would help some. I don't like that kind of stuff generally, so I turned him down.


Just two additional options.

If your calipers are out of spec, I would probably opt to get them fixed when you can just so the brakes work properly. Last time I checked, they are pretty essential for safety.

 

[woywitka]

try some copper greese on the back of the pads as well.

 

[REDTURBO84]

On mine ,I just swaped the brands of pads and the squeal left forever. I just wish I could remember the brand that I got . Pat

 

[dljpdx]

I had/have the same issue with some new shoes. However, my squeak went away when I realized that my rotors needed turning after all. When the rotors were resurfaced, the problem went away.

Well, considering I had new pads as well as new rotors installed, I'd hope they wouldn't needing turning new out-of-the-box!

Additionally, my Saab guy said that he could spray some kind of cleaner on the shoes and discs to clean the dust off and that would help some. I don't like that kind of stuff generally, so I turned him down.

I did ask, actually - - the shop said they don't do this anymore, as it tends to let things loosen up too much and just get further out of spec (as it invariably will get on the calipers), on the older years.

If your calipers are out of spec, I would probably opt to get them fixed when you can just so the brakes work properly. Last time I checked, they are pretty essential for safety.

Well, by "fix" I suppose my options are - have them rebuilt, swap with rebuilt ones, or swap with new ones. Rear new calipers aren't too bad, price-wise, but as far as I can tell, front new aren't even an option anymore - NLA...

But I suppose I'll have to - aside from the safety facor, the noise is making me nuts.

try some copper greese on the back of the pads as well.

Might be worth a try - did something similar for the squeaky pads on my '75 Volvo 164e - it was a "rubberizing lubricant" sort of thing; don't recall the brand...

On mine ,I just swaped the brands of pads and the squeal left forever. I just wish I could remember the brand that I got . Pat

I hear that ceramic pads are virtually, if not entirely, squeak-free, as well as generate a fraction of brake dust that standard pads do. (My front rims get coated with brake dust pretty quickly).

I truly don't believe that I need new calipers in front, to stop the squeak, as suggested by the dealer. Just needs some tweaking / different pads, in my opinion...

Thank you.

 

[hfdtaylor]

Had major squeak related problems with my front brakes, mostly when the brakes weren't applied. IT WAS SO ANNOYING! - tried cleaning the pads/ discs with brake cleaner, copa-slipping the back of the pads etc, but with no joy.

In the end, I ordered a couple of rebuild kits from partsforsaabs.com (only £20 for the pair - don't know what that is in dollars, but not probably not much...) and rebuilt and thoroughly cleaned the front calipers & pistons.

I found the cylinders were full of black sediment, which I suspect was causing the pistons to stick a little and not allow the pads to back off from the discs properly when the brake was released, causing the squeak.

Anyway, it was an easy job and only took a couple of hours. Since I did this rebuild, I have not had a single squeak and the brakes have a lot more 'feel' at the pedal, which is a winner. Well worth doing!:cheesy:

 

[Matthew]

The other issue is a metallic rattle in my rear driver's brake, when traversing rough roads, that goes away when I apply the brakes. Dealer said the sliding caliper is loose - again - only solution is to replace the caliper.

A friend of mine had that problem on his 900T, but on the front brake.

The cause was a loose anti-rattle spring, worth pence. No new caliper required.

The anti-rattle springs rot away, but news ones can be purchased cheaply. Carefully apply a little copper grease to the back of the pads (where they are in contact with the caliper) and install new anti-rattle springs - my bet is that both the problems your car has will disappear.

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