Squelling Brakes !

JUSTINBEN

MEMBER
1998 DODGE STRATUS
4 CYL
2WD
100,000 MILES

Ive Got A 98 Dodge Stratus With Over 100,000 miles, And Today The Brakes Seemed To Squell Alittle When Comeing To a stop Sign or Traffic Light ! And Im Not Sure, But Im Guessing The Caliper Is Ok. My Question is ! If I Spray Some Pb Blaster On The Calipers, Will That Free Them Up, I Just Remembered, They Seem To Be Grabing, Just A Little Bit ! And Maybe Even Stop The Squelling. I Dont Have The Money Write Now To Put Any Parts On It. Just Trying To Go The Cheepest Route For Now. What Would You Suggest ! That PB Blaster Is Real Good Stuff ! What You Thank ! Need Quick Help Or Advise Please ! Thanks Bennie !

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,873 POSTS

NO! Stop! Absolutely no lubricants on the brakes! Professionals will even use brake parts cleaner to wash their fingerprint grease from the friction surfaces. Grease of any kind on the rotors or pads can be washed off if it is done before they get hot. Once they get hot from normal braking, the grease will soak into the friction material and CAUSE a squeal. After that you can never get the grease out. The pads will have to be replaced. There are a number of things that can be done to cause a squeal, and a number of things professionals do in an attempt to prevent squeals. Squealing is more of a problem with higher quality pads.

One type of grease you can use is special high-temperature brake grease on the backs of the pads where they contact the pistons and caliper fingers. The pads are going to vibrate. That grease lets them do that without transferring the vibration to the calipers where it will be amplified. Auto parts stores have that grease from different manufacturers. It contains molybdenum disulphide.

PB Blaster is good stuff but not for anyplace in the braking system. The only thing better comes from the Chrysler dealer's parts department and is called "Rust Penetrant". It does in ten minutes what WD-40 can do in a weekend.

Caradiodoc