We can’t think of many things that are more annoying than hearing a high-pitched squeak every time you hit your brakes when driving. It’s not like you can just stop using your brakes, because then you’d have an even bigger problem on your hands. But you can take steps to remedy the situation so you can travel down the open road in peace and quiet on your next RVing adventure. If squeaky RV brakes are driving you crazy, read on for help! Your first step should be to identify the type of brakes your RV has—disc brakes or drum brakes. Most RVs (and cars) are built with disc brakes on the front and drum brakes on the rear. This is because most of the braking needs to be done in the front as the weight of the vehicle shifts forward during braking. Disc brakes are superior to drum brakes in many ways. Due to their design, they are less affected by water on the road, and they wear better (and thus last longer) than drum brakes. However, they are both susceptible to squeaking, so let’s look at the causes of squeaking and how to make them stop.
Disc Brakes
Disc brakes can start squeaking for a number of reasons. One common culprit is sticky calipers or those that clamp down harder than they should. Go around and check all of your RV brake pads to look for one that is worn down more than any of the others. If you find one that is more worn down, this is probably causing your squeaking. Another reason disc brakes start squealing is because the friction material on the brake pads has worn away and it’s alerting you that you need new brake pads. The wear indicator is coming into contact with the disc and creating the squeaking noise so that you know it’s time to have your brake pads replaced.
Drum Brakes
Drum brakes, which are usually found on older vehicles or only on the rear, normally squeal because there is poor contact between the brake shoes and the drum, the shoes are just plain worn out, or the brakes need to be cleaned free of dust and dirt. You can easily clean the brakes yourself by disassembling each one, spraying them with brake cleaner, and then applying silicone grease to the backing plates. However, if your brake shoes need to be fixed or replaced, it’s best to have a mechanic do it.
If you like doing work on your vehicles, YouTube has millions of videos on how to inspect, repair, clean, and assemble/disassemble brakes. If you’re handy and have the time, you can save so much money doing the work yourself. However, if you’re at all skeptical of the quality of any work you would do yourself, don’t risk it—make an appointment with a mechanic and rest assured that the work will be done right. Brakes are nothing to mess around! Without them, there’s nothing stopping you!
If you’re sick and tired of listening to your RV’s squeaky brakes and just want to trade it in for a new one, come see us at Hamilton’s RV in Saginaw. All of our new and used RVs have whisper-quiet brakes for the ultimate RV vacation! Can’t come to us? No problem—we deliver worldwide so you can take advantage of our unbelievably low prices no matter where you live!
