Premium Brakes squeal

[vaughan]

I've done about 8,800 Km so far. My XR6-T has premium brakes. They squeal. My dealer has machined the discs and put some sort of shim thingy in but they still squeal. I've been back to the dealer 3 times now. Last time he said there is another XR6-T with premiums that has the same problem. No fix is available. They have filled in some sort of complaint form to Ford but he explained that Ford will only look at the issue when there are sufficient complaints. He described at along the lines of say Ford get 20 premium brakes squeal issues, 50 auto-transmission issues and 300 cooling system issues then they will work out a fix for the issue with the most complaints. Eventually they might get around to coming up with a fix for the squeal. What should I do? Drive around with a placard on the roof saying don't blame me its just the lousy premium brakes or should I blame the dealer who can't / won't fix the problem?

I need some help folks.

[RAPHOON]

Vaughan,

Does this occur all the time or just on occasion?

[Guest Big Mick]

I've done about 8,800 Km so far. My XR6-T has premium brakes. They squeal. My dealer has machined the discs and put some sort of shim thingy in but they still squeal. I've been back to the dealer 3 times now. Last time he said there is another XR6-T with premiums that has the same problem. No fix is available. They have filled in some sort of complaint form to Ford but he explained that Ford will only look at the issue when there are sufficient complaints. He described at along the lines of say Ford get 20 premium brakes squeal issues, 50 auto-transmission issues and 300 cooling system issues then they will work out a fix for the issue with the most complaints. Eventually they might get around to coming up with a fix for the squeal. What should I do? Drive around with a placard on the roof saying don't blame me its just the lousy premium brakes or should I blame the dealer who can't / won't fix the problem?

I need some help folks.

Mate you are being told a big fat porky pie.

My T also has the premium brakes and they have been squealing since about 500ks, I now have 2,500ks on the car. The squeal is only noticable at light pedal pressures, which is what I generally use most of the time when pulling up at lights etc.

I have found that when I wash the car, if I give the front discs and calipers a good squirt with the hose, the squealling will disappear for a few days. The amount of dust that comes of these pads is unbelievable and the water turns black when I wash front discs. I reckon the dust build up has something to do with the problem.

Anyway, about the porky pie. Ford and FPV definately know about this issue and more through GT owners who are fitted with the same brakes. Apparently PBR are working on some permanent fix which may involve new pads and possibly more.

I have read so much of people with your experience, Ford machine discs etc. etc., only to have the squealing return shortly after.

I for one don't want my discs machined if it is only a bandaid fix. At my 3,000k service I'll notify the dealer of the issue, so there is a record of my complaint, but I don't want anything done until a permanent fix is devised.

By the way though, with the exception of the squealing these brakes are the best I have every had the pleasure to use on a street car.

Mick

[Geeseman]

The amount of dust that comes of these pads is unbelievable and the water turns black when I wash front discs. I reckon the dust build up has something to do with the problem.

That's exactly the problem. Dust is causing the squealing, so you will have to get used to it.

I have standard brakes and upgraded the rotors and pads and now have squealing to an extent. I also have heaps of black dust on the fron and rear wheels and its from the pads.

Im not sure what the differences between the standard and premium brakes are, but you might want to experiment with different pads or ask around to find one that doesn't give off so much dust. My rotors are slotted so they grind the hell out of the pads which gives off so much dust.

[ducatijb]

I'd rather have the squeal than the shudder you get with standard brakes

[QikSmurf]

Vaughan,

Mate, I know your frustration. I had the same problem and same response from Ford myself. I was not content to just sit around and accept it.

I went to a brake shop that specialises in performance brakes. Lesson one: ALL BRAKES SQUEAL. The frequency varies so the human ear cannot hear it all the time. The problem that you are experiencing is to do with the rotors having a couple of millimeters of runout in them. You can machine them over and over again with the following result...........

Once the rotors are machined, the runout may be reduced from say 3-6 mm to less than 2mm. Initially this will eliminate or reduce brake squeal. As you do more and more kms, the amount of runout increases until you are back to where you started.

THE FIX........The ONLY, repeat, ONLY, way to prolong the runout in the rotors is to get an "on-car" machining of your rotors. This way the discs will be machines to the exact level of runout that each individual hub has.

Good luck!!!

[Guest]

vaughan,do a search look for the bull terror head and youll find heaps.

Ive changed pads (got premos 20k)got after market bendix ultimates;which ,someone told me that's what ford use anyway,300 km and now they are squeeling under light braking.

I would say QFM would be the way to go once they start making pads for premo breakes, they wernt around when I needed them

Apart from the squeel I love the premos,do a bit of track work and youll see what I mean.

vik

[FORDTECH]

I've done about 8,800 Km so far. My XR6-T has premium brakes. They squeal. My dealer has machined the discs.....

Firstly,If they say they machined your rotors they're full of sh*t.You cannot machine premium rotors due to the machined grooves in the discs.

Secondly,There is a new pad being tested at the moment and awaiting verification before being released but from all the signs from testing it shouldnt be much longer before they are available.They are aware of the problem and are currently working on it so keep in touch with you service dept(not that it will do you any good as they've already bullsh*tted to you once)

[Guest]

FORDTECH,Ive got premos with grooves and had them machined and as I said at the time ,my groves aint so deep any more.They were done off car.

vik

[vaughan]

Thanks for the replies. Initially I was told they machined the rotors. Then on the next visit they said they couldn't do that as it would stuff the machining tool due to slots & holes in rotor. They then said they did an on car machining with the special grinding pads. Each occasion the squeal went for a week or so then it comes back. There is lots of black dust that makes the nice shiny 17" mags look dirty. A squirt with the hose (naughty naughty) flushes out lots of black stuff and the squeak goes for a day or so. I asked the dealer / service dept guy if they could replace the pads &/or discs "nah mate, we're waiting for Ford to come back with a solution".

The squeak happens when the brakes are warm, say after 2 or 3 kms; normal light braking, slowing for speed humps, traffic lights etc it happens all the time (when warm). If I brake VERY hard it stops until I apply light pedal pressure. If I use extremely light braking ie barely touching the pedal but also very minor decelleration there is no squeak.