anyone else?

 

Maybe your pads/shims are not lubricated

If your pads are still good, spray them with brake cleaner, and then then put anti-sqeal compound in between the pads and the shims, then re-install the pads and you should be good to go.

Brake pads can be ran down to 3mm's before they should be replaced. If you took out your pads and one or more pads measure 4mm's, it would be your call on if you want to replace them.

 

I already ordered new pads. And my friend and I are doing car stuff this weekend anyway, so I will probably swap my pads anyhow since they are down around 5mm and soon it will be too cold for car work.

I am just concerned about it being something worse (like in the driveline) or metal on metal messing up the rotors.

Plus it is annoying to drive with them making all kinds of noise.

 

driveline's don't usally sqeal.


If your pads have 5mm of friction material, there is no metal to metal contact at this point.

 

thanks for the info. the other guy i drive to work with is just going to drive all this week so I can avoid putting any more miles on the car till i change the pads (just to be on the safe side).

 

Until you remove the pads it is impossible to correctly suggest a direction for your efforts. Indicator contact with the rotor can explain your symptoms, and if it isn't the pads, you'll know to look at other possibilities. It is possible that the outer, visible pads still have good thickness, and the inboard pads are worn out. Usually this does not happen, but if the sliders in your caliper are sticking, inboard pad wear can be greater than outboard pad wear.

In any case, the lubrication of the sliders should be on your "to do" list during the pad replacement. With 55k miles and 5 years on your car it also wouldn't hurt to check your pistons to make sure they aren't sticking in their bore.

 

Will I be able to check the pistons when I remove the calipers? Will any damage be visible?

 

If the pads have relatively simular wear, the pistons should be fine.

 

Plus, you will need to retract the piston into the bore to fit new pads, and during compression you will want to feel the piston smoothly slide in (with resistance).