Several cogent points here: Cheapo pads that don't wear the rotors wear out super fast and don't usually stop the car nearly as well as the OEM pads. Learned that lesson 25 years ago -- stick with the OEM ones, rotor wear is normal, and they are cheap. Much cheaper than rear-ending someone because your cheapo pads overheated and quit working right.
Second, if the ceramic pads (or any other for that matter) do not have the heavy anti squeal coating on the back of the backing plate, you MUST use an anti-squeal shim or they will scream. Also make positively certain that the slots in the calipers are completely clean, otherwise the pad will stick, causing both drag and squeal. Another cause of squeal is tired caliper piston seal not retracting the piston enough, allowing minor drag and hence uneven wear. Last, when installing new rotors, use some heavy sandpaper to rough them up (not the newest ones where you dont' remove the coating, though) -- most of them are turned these days, not ground, and if you don't rough up the surface, the spiral groove left by the manufacturing process will cause them to groan for quite a while, even after they wear it some. Not pleasant. Peter -----Original Message----- >From: Loren Faeth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Jun 6, 2007 1:51 AM >To: Mercedes Discussion List <mercedes@okiebenz.com> >Subject: Re: [MBZ] [ SPAM ] brake anti-squeal paste > >Buy softer, and cheaper pads. The cheapest ones at NAPA work >fine. Pads are a place where more expensive is NOT >better. Expensive ones are hard, and designed to wear the rotors, >not the pads. That is why they usually come with a lifetime >warranty. Your rotors will fall off first. > >I have never used ANY anti squeal anything. My pads never squeal, >and my rotors last a long long time. AFAIK over 400k miles on the >SDL. and they are still ok. > >Loren > >At 12:59 PM 6/4/2007, you wrote: >>Is this anything like the sunroof lube in that it is quasi-magical and >>has no equivalent in the 3rd party market? >> >>I recently updated the brakes on my 300D (new calipers and pads all >>around, new rotors in front) but did not use the MB anti-squeal paste. >>Lo and behold, my brakes are now squealing quite annoyingly. >> >>Can I get something locally that will address the issue, or do I need >>to use the genuine MB paste? >> >>Allan >>-- >>1983 300D >>1966 230 >> >>_______________________________________ >>http://www.okiebenz.com >>For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ >>For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >>To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >>http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > >Loren Faeth > > >_______________________________________ >http://www.okiebenz.com >For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ >For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com