# Lousy stock brakes



## 1BadGoat (Nov 28, 2004)

I have a question concerning the brakes, on my 04 GTO. The question is has anyone had problems with brake squeal,on there cars. My GTO has 6,300 miles on it. I had all 4 roters resurfaced, wich only temporaly stopped the noise. I now have the noise back as loud as ever.I am not sure if new pads will stop the noise. My dealer has not been too much help. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. :confused


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## ftlfirefighter (Jun 6, 2005)

I upgraded my brakes the first week with AP's kit which is the same as the HSV GTO optional. They're 14.25 front with 6 piston calipers and 13" rears with 4 piston calipers. Expensive yes, worth it... OH YEA! There are a number of cheaper kits out, Wilwood, Baer and Stoptech all have avail.


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## SJAndrew (Sep 28, 2004)

I have a 1998 GTP with a similar problem.

I changed to ceramic Raybestos silent pads and haven't heard a peep.

I'm not sure if these are harder on the rotors (a distinct possibility), but they're absolutely silent.


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## GA_GTO (Jun 1, 2005)

ftlfirefighter said:


> I upgraded my brakes the first week with AP's kit which is the same as the HSV GTO optional. They're 14.25 front with 6 piston calipers and 13" rears with 4 piston calipers. Expensive yes, worth it... OH YEA! There are a number of cheaper kits out, Wilwood, Baer and Stoptech all have avail.


What $$$ are you talking about ?


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## Groucho (Sep 11, 2004)

The '04's brakes do, indeed, suck.

I put PowerSlots all around, with Hawk Pads up front. It still doesn't stop as deciseivly as I would like, but the car does slow and stop with way more linearity and confidence than stock. I cooked a rotor or two at around 15k miles, so I decided to upgrade.

Not as great a solution as bigger rotors and more calipers, obviously, but it only cost ~$450 or so.


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## ftlfirefighter (Jun 6, 2005)

GA_GTO said:


> What $$$ are you talking about ?


For the front and rear kits from Brake Pros www.brake-pros.com was $5300 shipped from west to east coast.


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## GA_GTO (Jun 1, 2005)

Cough... Ahemm.. I better get that Valentine1 first to obtain speeds that justify this kind of expenditure... 

What size wheel do the AP calipers require ?


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## ftlfirefighter (Jun 6, 2005)

I run 19's but 18's fit they said. Harrop has a kit with 15" fronts and 8 pot calipers! 

The Stoptech kit with 13's is $1995, with 14's is $2595. Here's the Wilwood and Baer kits at TByrne.com http://www.ls1gtoperformance.com/gtointro.html


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## Xman (Oct 31, 2004)

brake squeal is usually caused by vibration in the pads against the calipers. anti-squeal inserts or adhesive you apply to the bakc of the pads and let cure should minimze and or eliminate the squeal. If you don't have C5 Corvette brake pads installed, I would also suggest doing that to improve braking - they have the same backing as the GTOs but close to twice the surface area. Then bleed and flush the brake system with Valvoline Synthetic brake fluid. GTOs are notorious for having air bubbles trapped in the brake lines. Took me two bleeds/flushes to get them out.


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## 1BadGoat (Nov 28, 2004)

I tryed the anti squeal spray, it did not work. I did order ceramic pads for both front and rear. I hope they will help. I will keep everyone posted when I put them on. Thanks everbody.:cheers


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## SJAndrew (Sep 28, 2004)

Also, when you install then - make sure you put the anti squeal goo on the back of the pads.

Here are the pads I got for my GTP - scroll down, the QS pads.

The anti squeal goo might come with the pads (I can't remember). I bought a bottle of it from an Auto Parts store. It's a blue goop that dries to plastic. It basically damps the vibration between the caliper and the back pf the pad. 

I have not heard one single peep from my brakes since I installed these pads with the anti squeal goo. That being said, I thin it's more the pads than the goo as I have _always_ put the goo on, and only with these pads has it been this quiet.


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## TorridGoat (Oct 31, 2004)

1BadGoat said:


> I have a question concerning the brakes, on my 04 GTO. The question is has anyone had problems with brake squeal,on there cars. My GTO has 6,300 miles on it. I had all 4 roters resurfaced, wich only temporaly stopped the noise. I now have the noise back as loud as ever.I am not sure if new pads will stop the noise. My dealer has not been too much help. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. :confused


The dealer should NOT have turned your rotors as a cure for squealing. Now your rotors are more likely to warp later, and won't be covered by warranty. GM does not like to warranty rotors beyond 13K miles or so.

I would immediately complain that they did not fix the problem, and that you want new rotors and pads. If they still squeak, then change the pads to ceramic on your own. At least you won't have to pay for replacing warped rotors later.


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## westell (Oct 4, 2004)

I took the car to 145 mph this weekend. Got a five mile stretch of nothing on the way to the local circle track. Very smooth, still accellerating.

Tapped on the brake a couple times to start slowing, and then braking a little harder, I get a vibration like a warped rotor, shaking in steering wheel, so let off, braked again, same type vibration, came to stop, went up to about 60 mph, and braked, not hard, but same hard vibration.

Raced our dirt cars and went home. Brakes were fine. Hasn't happened since.

Maybe the ABS was talkin' to the computer, someone said. ???


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## 1BadGoat (Nov 28, 2004)

Hey guys just put the gm ceramic pads on all four corners. Totaly flushed the system with synthetic brake fluid. So far so good no noise.


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