After 10,000miles (started at 5k) i was so annoyed by the brake squeal that i decided that i just had to do something. I also had the low speed snapping noise there was a tsb issued for but i decided to do it myself rather then bother the dealer.

Materials are the same for both Jobs:

3-4 rolls of paper towels
Gojo for you hands
Torque Wrench
CRC Multi purpose Lube
CRC Anti Brake Squeal GOOP! not spray on stuff.
Greased Lightning Degreaser
#100 Sand Paper
21mm and a 12mm sockets.

Low Speed Snapping Noise

Step 1
Jack the car up into the air, remove the Lugnuts i suggest a nice torque wrench for this you can purchase a decent one for $40 and the better ones run $80, you'll need it later anyway. Lugnuts are 21mm sockets. REMEMBER which rim goes to what wheel, chalk on the tire works RR LR etc..


http://www.polakgraphics.com/images/DIY/Rusty%20Hub.JPG

Step 2

Place 2-3 layers of paper towels on the ground and Spray CRC Penetrating Lube to dissolve the rust.

http://www.polakgraphics.com/images/...Penetrator.JPG

Step 3
Take #100 sand paper and rub the hub vigorously. Then spray on a Degreaser and wipe off.
http://www.polakgraphics.com/images/DIY/Degreaser.JPG

Step 4
Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the back of each wheel. CRC first then degreaser... Wonder how much unsprung weight i took off :p
http://www.polakgraphics.com/images/DIY/DirtyRear.JPG
http://www.polakgraphics.com/images/DIY/CleanRear.JPG
http://www.polakgraphics.com/images/DIY/DirtyFront.JPG
http://www.polakgraphics.com/images/DIY/CleanFront.JPG

Step 5
If your not going to do your brakes then remount your rims, and torque the lugnut to 108ft-lbs using a torque wrench. I did mine to 120ft-lbs and they were fine as well. Make sure each nut is equally torqued, if their not they could warp the rotor causing irreversible squealing.

 

Stopping Break Squeal

Step 1
Jack the car up into the air, remove the Lugnuts i suggest a nice torque wrench for this you can purchase a decent one for $40 and the better ones run $80, you'll need it later anyway. Lugnuts are 21mm sockets. REMEMBER which rim goes to what wheel, chalk on the tire works RR LR etc.. Demount the caliper, the NOTE: bottom nut works better then the top nut the socket is 12mm.
Remove the pads and clips that hold them in and use the degreaser on the caliper and wipe.


Step 2
Lay out the pads on a paper towel and clean out the dust vent in the actual pad with a flat head screw driver. Then use the penetrating lube and degreaser on the pads and shims, basically make them new again.



Step 3
Apply CRC Brake Disk Quite to the surfaces the shim applies too wipe off any excess that comes out let dry for 10mins before reinstalling.



Step 4
Remount your rims, and torque the lugnut to 108ft-lbs using a torque wrench. I did mine to 120ft-lbs and they were fine as well. Make sure each nut is equally torqued, if their not they could warp the rotor causing irreversible squealing.

 

Nice DIY post. It should be upgraded to the DIY section.

Please, do keep us up to date if the squealing or snapping comes back.

I tried similar brake goop first and it did not work. Then hi temperature caliper grease was suggested, so I cleaned all the goop off to put the grease on. My brakes still squeal.

If I recall correctly, the squealing did stop for a very short time after each fix was applied.

I have not heard the snapping noise from my car, so I've not bothered with the fix - but now I know the DIY solution to fixing it .

rx8cited

 

Yes, great DIY. Keep us posted on the results (if, and when, the sounds come back).

 

Nice work, great write-up!

Only one warning - the TSB recommends 108 ft-lbs for the lugs to eliminate the low speed snapping noise, BUT that is at the very upper end of the spec range for the lug stud bolts. 120 ft-lbs is too high - you'll be close to exceeding the elastic limit of the lug studs, which means permanent stretching of the lugs, which could actually result in the lug bolts loosening, or the lugs themselves snapping (off)! Too much torque is worse than too little; when Mazda advised using 108 ft-lbs, that really is the upper limit.

Regards,
Gordon

 

Thx i plan on moving it over there once it sits here for 2 weeks just so it get some views as teh DIY section doesn't get to many.

So far i haven't had squeaks in 400miles.

 

PoLak,

Still free of brake squealing and wheel snapping noise I hope .

Do you know what your wheel lug nuts were torqued to before you did the brake squeal fix?

I'm wondering if the torquing the lug nuts to the higher value specified in the "Wheel Snapping Noise" TSB is a factor in make the brakes stop squealing. If you (or anyone else) were already at 108+ ft-lbs and and experienced squealing, that would be a data point to negate my idea. I'm reluctant to torque my wheels to 108 ft-lbs.

rx8cited

 

If it had anything to do with the torque of my wheels it would have to be that they are all torqued evenly. I've already gone down to 108ft-lbs as per Gord's opinion.

And yes still no squeals.

Gord quick question whats the formula for figuring out how much lets say 1lbs is at 15mph.

 

PoLak,
Lemme try again .

Do you know what torque setting your wheel lug nuts were torqued to before you did the brake squeal fix (i.e. when you last hear them squeal) ?

rx8cited

 

FYI:Mazda says brake squeal fix to be available in October.

rx8cited

 

Not a clue what they were torque too but most defiantly not evenly. Because prior to buying a nice torque wrench my method to determine what 100ft pounds was applying 100lbs of my body weight on the 12inch bar.. :o(i know i know)

 

Nice little DIY! Moving this to the DIY forum.

 

Probably not what you meant but people might get the idea that you're saying to spray the pads with penetrating oil. You should never get oil or oily products in contact with the pad material. Even if you subsequently use degreaser, the oil will have soaked into the pads.

Interesting that you mentioned cleaning out the slot in the pads. It's hard to tell from your photo -- how well packed with dust were the slots when you removed them? Were they completely filled? The one common element for a lot of people who get the squeal is that it didn't start for some thousands of miles. I'm wondering if enough brake dust is accumulating in the slots to where it's compacted and having something to do with squeal...

 

I felt a difference because of the penetrating compound in break feel. But it wore/rubbed off after 100miles, the product says spray on friction surfaces to prevent squeals.

They were packed; probably 80% full, I put the degreaser spray nozzle right in the grove to blast out the crap.... it was pretty cool

 

Ah, I guess if the product is brake-specific it may be cool. Just didn't want someone making assumptions based on the description of "penetrating oil" and dousing the things with "liquid wrench" or WD40...

 

Squeal is back on a consistant basis, mileage without squeal 1000-1200.

 

DAMN! Sorry to hear this after all the work you put in, but the same thing happend to me too. I was hoping yours would not come back since you used different brake goop.

Thanks for the update,
rx8cited

 

Yeah I have that low speed snapping noise. i took it to the dealer twice to get fixed! The first time they told me that it was a common problem and that Mazda had posted "Bulletin #2" to fix this issue. Well I didnt correct the problem so I eneded up bringing it back to them a few days later and they still couldnt fix it! So they then told me that the low speed snapping noise is common and that I "just need to break the brakes in". Personally I think they all full of it and just dont have a solution to resolve the issue. Have any of you guys addressed this issue to the dealer? And if so what did they do and did they fix it?

 

The new models, starting with the 05 have different front rotors. Per the parts dept. the new rotors won't wont fit the oler Rx 8's.

I wonder if he's full of it or if they actually tried the new rotors on the older 8's.

 

I dont mean to take anything away from this write up it was a great post, but I just wanted to note. Your not really supposted to use a torque wrench to loosen nuts or even to start tightening them. When installing a nut your suppost to use a wrench until they starten to tighten up, then use the torque wrench to tighten to specs.

 

I installed my winter wheels yesterday and the constant squeal that I've been living with completely abated. Ideas?

 

Unevenly torqued wheels can cause it to squeal but I was under the impression that once they are like that for a while it won't go away simply by correctly torquing or changing wheels.

 

same thing. ive been squeal free since thanksgiving.

polak, great diy and super pics. sorry it didnt solve the squeal for longer than 1500 miles

 

The thread that wouldn't die!

BTW, I've noticed that the squeal goes away completely in the winter time, when the windows are up and the music is loud...

 

yea THAT got me a $500 speeding ticket!!!! lol