I have a 2000 CR-V with rear drum brakes that make quite a bit of noise. When I press the brake pedal, they make a noise like the shoes are grinding on something other than the drum itself. Also, when I press the pedal at the right amount of pressure at the right speed, I get a loud high pitched squeal as if there’s a metal tab rubbing on the drum. I did this brake job with my dad about 6,000 miles ago (154xxx miles now) including the front pads. We did everything right and bled the brakes VERY thoroughly. We used the same drums as before (however, we replaced the front disc rotors) and everything is how it should be. I even adjusted the shoes’ pressure on the drum a bit to see if it would stop. Also, the squeal noise seems to be worse when I haven’t driven the car for about 2 hours or in the morning when it’s colder and the brakes haven’t been used in several hours. I’ve already posted about this on Honda-Tech and I’ve got everyone stumped. Hopefully, I don’t stump this forum! Anyone know what’s causing these noises?
Using the same drums is OK, provided the condition is correct. Did you have them turned? After 150K miles, there’s bound to be some sort of wear, and having them turned will ensure you’re starting off with a good surface to bed the shoes.
One more thought - maybe nothing - did you clean off all the old brake dust? That can build up quite a bit. It’s not healthy, so don’t breathe it.
Yes, we cleaned off all the brake dust and DID NOT breath it in. We didn’t have the drums turned, but I guess that would solve the issue??
Honestly, if you’ve already stumped the Honda forums, having the drums turned is just a guess. I can’t hurt, though.
Here’s my thought process: Shoes are partially hitting a worn spot and a non-worn spot, and being pressed outward (sort of like in a “V”, if you were to just pull on them). This in turn is causing part of the shoe (the metal backing) to rub against part of the drum.
Granted, it’s a WAG, but it’s better than nothing. Turning them isn’t an expensive process, and at the least will help the longevity of those new shoes.
Cahse
I recently purchased a 2006 Honda Pilot from a private owner. After purchasing I took the car to a mechanic who put new front ceramic brake pads on. After installing, my 16 year old daughter and all her friends complained of a squealing noice that no adults could hear. I called Honda and they said that it’s because I didn’t use Honda pads. When I took the car to them, they drove it and stated there’s nothing wrong and couldn’t hear anything. I told them to change the brake pads anyway. After that, my daughter and her friends said the noise was gone! Has anybody else experienced anything like this before??? Very Strange!!
Yeah, ceramic brakes are usually a bit louder than traditional brakes. I’ll try to get the drums turned and see if that helps at all.
My own guess is that you’re just getting very normal brake vibration. Brakes just naturally vibrate and unless things are done to reduce/eliminate it or the noise they will be noisy. Did you apply any kind of brake grease to the backing plates at the contact points?
The thing about time & temp probably just has to do with rust build up. Surface rust builds up very quickly. This makes noise as the shoes grind the rust off, and it also increases vibration. So when you tear them back down again, use a quality brake grease to lube the backing plate wherever the shoes might make contact.
Backing plate… of the REAR disc brake calipers that I DON’T HAVE? Rust inside the drum would make sense to me, but I believe there isn’t a backing plate on drum brakes.
The whole plate everything is mounted on IS the backing plate. You most certainly DO have one - 2 in fact, 1 on each side. Disks, on the other hand Don’t. You just got it backwards…press on…
If you look closely where the shoes sit, you’ll see raised portions the shoes actually move on. Small amounts of grease there can reduce the chatter. Just be careful not to use so much it spreads to the shoes or drum.
Double check the orientation of the rear brake shoe springs.
Just got back from getting my oil changed at my local shop (I would do it, but it’s a pain in the arse to get to the filter) and asked the mechanic about the noise. He said that all Hondas from that era are like that with the drum brakes and they just need more time because the shoes are still a bit smooth. He even said verbatim, “You’ll notice it’s worse when it’s colder.” Well, yes it is! He also said that if they persist, take some rough grit sandpaper and sand the drums a bit.