BuckBlu110 wrote:

Back in The spring I had my 110 in for a bit of a check over, by a local garage, for a long journey up to the highlands. the rear pads were changed as they were a little low. When I got it back the rear brakes were squealing like holy hell under even the slightest of pressure. Long story short, rather than take it back to this garage to get it sorted, (as every time I took it to this place it seemed to come back with more wrong with it than when I took it ) I decided to sort it myself as I would know of it being done properly, I usually do as much work on it myself but I was particularly busy with work this time so got someone else to do the graft.
Any way, after about a week or so trying to bed the things in a bit, got fed up with the deafening sound coming from the brakes, so bought a set of new mintex pads and discs, for the rear. Got them all fitted and working fine, and the squeal had gone! Peace at last! Unfortunately it only lasted a week and the squeal was back and as bad as ever! Took the pads out and liberally applied copper slip to the rear of the pads and all was well again for about a week, and yep, you guessed it the squeal came back, although not anywhere near as bad and now intermitent. It was just about bearable and so I lived with it up until about two weeks ago and now the squeal is as loud as ever, but still intermitent. I can be driving down a long hill and have my foot on the brake the whole time, and at no point does it even let up!
I've done a bit of research on it and am at a bit of a loss I've looked into brake shims but can't find anywhere that sells them, and by the sound of it only do as much as what the copper slip does and stops vibration.
It's a 94 110 300tdi, so with the Salisbury rear axle. Any one got any ideas what might cure it?
Thanks

Personally I've never ever had a problem with any Mintex product and they're my product of choice because they offer excellent value for the average user, they're not the best but not many vehicles require high spec braking systems. Defender rear pads are asymmetric and they may have merely been fitted incorrectly. Isolating shims do help and sometimes are the only answer as they allow the pad to move in relation to the caliper and caliper piston without vibrating or at least at a frequency only a Labrador would hear. I'd start by checking the orientation of the pads and fit shims, shims can be fabricated from shim stock if you can't find the correct ones. Some people swear by copper slip and some by ceramic grease, personally I've tried both and so far not found one to be above the other. Brake squeal is more of a problem since asbestos was banned as asbestos free products are notoriously abrasive and produce a lot of dust and prematurely wear discs which causes squeal but normally more with life expired components rather than new. Good luck  I started with nothing and still have most of it left!

Pickles wrote:

I'd always be trying to use O.E. Pads.
But seeing as how you've changed the pads & still got a squeal, it may not be just the pads.
Could it be possible, that if you've not had the discs machined, there is a "residual/film/deposit" etc on the surface of the disc, which would cause the squeal.
Maybe you'll have to machine your discs & fit new O.E. pads?
I'm not sure what the bedding in procedure for these pads will be, because they're all different.
With our C63, we were told to do 10 quick stops from 100KPH, BUT NOT TO STOP, get 'em smokn, they said,...and I did!!....never had a squeak. But that was a performance pad, probably different to O.E Defender items.
Pickles.