Anyone got squeaky brakes?

The (modified) 330mm discs on my GTA are squeaking, but only when Im NOT braking. Its got a lot worse since the weather has warmed up a bit. Talking to a mech friend, he said its common on big brakes, especially 4 pots. Its the calipers not quite being level when the brakes are released. Not much you can do about it apparantly. (My old GTA had the same thing). Anyone else have this problem? (and are the GTA brakes 4 pots?)

Coupes suffer quite badly from squealing when braking from a slow speed (and mine does this very occasionally).
I have heard something mentioned on the Coupe forum called 'anti-squeal shims'. I don't know what these are, or how they work, so whether they are
a) available for your car
or
b) in any way relevant to the problem you have

I'm not sure, but it's something you could try looking into.
Happy to help

Why can't we go back to the days where the brakes on my BMX used to squeak, so I just toed them in a bit?

The Brembos I have are the same 4 pots as the 330mm GTA calipers only slightly smaller. The term 4 pots comes from the fact that they have 4 pistons per caliper - 2 on each side.

I get hardly any squeal from my brakes - only when using very light pedal pressure but pads should NOT squeal when the brakes are released - this would indicate that the pad is still in contact with the disc.

My 4x4 also has big 4 pot calipers and these never squeal - these also have a shim fitted between the pistons and the back of the pad as has been mentioned about the Fiat Coupe.

Its not so much a squeal as a slight squeak, and this disappears when turning right or braking with any force at all (ie very light right up to emergency stop type), which does suggest some contact between pad and disc. The car seems to freewheel ok though and fuel consumption is (relatively!) ok.

It could be brake dust building up on the part of the caliper the pads slide on, holding them on the disc slightly.
I know this has always been an issue with the Brembos on the GTV V6 & Fiat Coupe, if it is that a good clean should sort it out.

I used to get a squealling sound from my front brakes when on full lock stopping from <10 mph - especially when parking or doing a 3point turn. Really embarrassing sound, but seems to have gone after 2k miles of driving. Mayve the brakes were 'running in' from new?

Originally Posted by FredBloggs

I used to get a squealling sound from my front brakes when on full lock stopping from <10 mph - especially when parking or doing a 3point turn. Really embarrassing sound, but seems to have gone after 2k miles of driving. Mayve the brakes were 'running in' from new?

have the same problem

Originally Posted by Ruffian

have the same problem

Just checked and noise still there - do you know what the prob is?

Originally Posted by FredBloggs

Just checked and noise still there - do you know what the prob is?

Pads not gripping at low speed?

Originally Posted by FredBloggs

I used to get a squealling sound from my front brakes when on full lock stopping from <10 mph - especially when parking or doing a 3point turn. Really embarrassing sound, but seems to have gone after 2k miles of driving. Mayve the brakes were 'running in' from new?

I get exactly the same.... only at parking speeds, and with lock on. I will clean the brakes and try some copper grease on the backs of the pads... it is v embarassing!

The Fiat Coupe answer is shims between pad and caliper piston.........

http://www.fiatcoupe.net/howto.php?ID=4

same as you 2 -- its an alfa thing !!

Haha,

I know what you mean about it being embarrassing.

I get asked all the time by my passangers why the brakes squeal. I just tell them that these are competition style brakes and are meant to sound like that.....just listen to the cars at Le Mans when they come into the pits for a pitstop.

Both my Impreza Stis hat 4-pot Brembos, and my M3 had 4 pots as well - from what I've been told, this is a very common "problem" among high performance brakes. With the weather getting hot and humid, I am now experiencing the same thing with my GTA, but not nearly to the same degree as my previous cars - my guess is that by the time Alfa put out the 330mm revised rotors, they had things pretty well sorted out...

I have to say that in my case this is very occasional - it only does it when slowing to a stop very gently with some steering lock on - unfortunately this is usually outside my house (it happens maybe once a week). Not an issue just a tad annoying because in the UK at least people seem eager to criticise Alfas (thanks to the mags probably) and jump at any opportunity... I don't want to give them any ammo!