Hey everybody, The '07 Shelby Gt has about 22,000 on the odometer, and the brakes are squeaking. After pulling a front and rear wheel off to check the pads, as well as checking the other side with a flashlight, the pads still seem to be pretty meaty.. They are by no means in need of replacement.. The squeaking started about 2-3 weeks ago, and only occurs when slowing down from highway speeds (80, 70, 60, etc..) - this is not something that happens around town, or when stopping from slower speeds. What is interesting, however, is that the squeaking happens right when I press the brake pedal.. and seems to dissipate as the car slows.. I am used to brake squeaks where they always happen- regardless of speed, etc.. basically, if the pads are shot, the brakes are going to squeak. My '04 Mustang (auto) had 24,000 on the brakes without and issues; the Shelby is a manual, so I do rely on the brakes a bit more - I am not too fond of downshifting.. except maybe from 5th to 4th.. sometimes down to third. So, have you guys had any issues with squeaky brakes that have plenty of life left? Any thing else I should be aware of? CLIFF NOTES: Brakes squeak when stopping from highway speeds, but not at lower speeds. Car has 22,000 on it; pads are still very thick. Thanks!
Your rotors are glazed as expected at that type of mileage and either the glaze or there may be a small groove (can be very tiny) that only resonates at a certain speed, temperature and pressure applied. Noise is a harmonic vibration from the rotor.
Provided the pads are not worn down to the wear tab, most brake "squeeks" are the result of the back side of the pads vibrating against the caliper retaining plate or pistons. I would remove the pads and apply a thin coat of "anti-squeek" (available from any auto parts store) or a thin coat of high-temp disc brake grease to the back side of the pads where they come in contact with the caliper. It just takes a thin coat so don't put it on too thick. In my 40+ years of wrenching on cars this has been the cure 80+% of the time.
I took off the passenger side rims and thoroughly inspected the brakes.. Compared to every other wheel, the rear passenger rotor was very 'shiny' - as far as being a reflective surface, you can pretty much see your face in the rotor.. The other rotors are not so shiny... If any of the brakes are glazed, is that reason enough to replace everything? Or just re-surface them?
