Do your brakes make that squeaking sound? Yes, it may be grating, and you constantly wonder how to silence the noise. However, avoid going to the workbench to get the WD40. The worst error you make may be that. Find out why the brakes are squeaking and what you can do about it before making an ill-informed choice.
Four Common Causes of Brake Squeaks
- Moisture: Overnight rain, moisture, or dew may be to blame for your brakes squeaking in the morning.
- Brake Pad Wear: Another cause of brake pad wear is brake pad thinning. Some automobiles feature a wear indicator that makes them squeak.
- Lubrication: The metal parts of the rear drum brakes can make noise if they aren’t oiled.
- Rusty Rotors: The wintertime may make rotors a little bit rusty. As you brake in this situation, you can hear a squeaky sound.
Two Types of Brakes
Even while drum brakes are still used on certain modern vehicles’ rear wheels, disk brakes are more common in today’s cars. Drum brakes need lubrication, and you may do this by using a particular brake lubricant. Regardless of the kind, corrosion, dirt, and debris may sometimes cause brake rotors to require lubrication. In addition to this corrosion, there are additional causes of brake squeaking, such as:
Brakes Squeak in The Morning
The car’s brakes often squeal after being left overnight. Dew or other moisture in the air that condenses in the brakes is often to blame. Rust and dirt are two potential culprits. Particles from the rust that are scraped off by the pads stick to them and produce a sound. Put your automobile in the garage or climate-controlled storage space to stop this noise.
Thinning Pads
Another cause of brake squealing is worn brake pads. When the brake pads deteriorate and become thin, the noise begins. This is an urgent call to get the pads changed. Little metal pieces at the brake pad’s tip start to contact the rotor before the pad is completely worn away. This acts as both a notification and a warning that it’s time to change the brake pads.
This occurs before metal-to-metal contact, which is undesirable since it results in poor braking and rotor scratches. As a result, a more costly rotor replacement is required.
Lubrication
You may need to oil the contact places where the metal joins if the brake rotors have corrosion or if your vehicle has rear drum brakes. There is a particular brake lubricant you want to apply since this region may dry up and start to screech as the wheels turn. The use of normal WD40 is not recommended.
Avoid Lubricating Your Brakes With WD40
A common lubricant suitable for household usage is WD40. However, the petroleum distillates it contains might damage the rubber used in automotive brakes. Despite this, it is unlikely that a modest WD40 application would result in significant harm.
WD40 is a lubricant, although it’s not a very effective one. It is formed of a solvent combined with light petroleum oil. Only a very little greasy film may be left behind after the solvent has evaporated. Therefore, if you apply WD40 to stop your brakes from squeaking, you temporarily cover up the issue.
If your brakes deteriorate, you continue to imperil your vehicle and your safety, as brake pads with poor performance can cause the driver to lose control. In any case, WD40 frequently loses its effectiveness after the first drive.
As a brake lubricant, WD40 is not particularly effective, and if you accidentally put the whole can on your braking system, you run the danger of getting it on the boot and below the pad. If already damaged, it may seep into the hydraulic system and the caliper sea, causing issues that might lead to leaks in the seals.
Use brake system lubricant, designed for this kind of issue, as an alternative to WD40. You want to grease the rear drum brakes correctly if you do decide to do so.
Never apply lubrication to the area where the pads make contact. This might prevent the pads from functioning and is risky since it makes the brakes squeal. Use brake lubricant on the backing plate as an alternative. Find the little ridges where the shoe is located. These may be gently sanded to remove the rust and then lubricated.
Additionally, because the adjustable star wheel (the region between the pads) is prone to freezing, you should lubricate it.
The parking brake often uses rear drum brakes; lubricating the cable and other moving elements helps prevent corrosion. Additionally, you should apply brake oil to any brake components that come into touch with other metals, as this will stop corrosion. Avoid overlubricating to prevent lubricant from dripping into plastic components.
Rusty Rotors
Your rotors may squeal when you use the brakes if they are rusted. Once again, this issue may be resolved by using a suitable cleaner to clean and lubricate the rotors. By applying brake cleaner to the rotor, you may eliminate the noise or rust.
Ensure the rotor is dry and wipe it with a dry towel before applying brake cleaner. Apply brake cleaner, then scrub the area with steel wool or a wire brush. If there is still rust on the rotor after the first cleaning, spray some additional cleaner. Once you’re done, clean the rotor.
Conclusion
You need to deal with your squeaky brakes, whatever the cause. Noisy brakes are a sign of trouble. As with everything else, addressing small issues as soon as they develop is often advisable to prevent bigger issues and more costly repairs.
