Let me start out by saying i love the site and people, if you need help - you get it.
I'm in the midst of upgrading my brake system. I know have all the parts except for the rear disk e-brake assembly (for the drum->disk swap). I have brembo drilled and slotted rotors all around, and ceramic pads all around, as well as stainless braided lines. I've already installed the front rotors and pads and i come to this problem: lots of damn squeeling. Now i read the istructions in the mods menu of the site (well after i started th project mind you) and twards the end it was said that it was normal with a performance setup. But it is really?? I mean, yeah, with this setup i should be able to stop on a dime and have high heat resistance and all that good stuff, but why is there squeeling at low-medium (normal driving) stopping. It's really anoying! All of my friends keep saying "dude, you need new pads" and the only repsonce i can give is "No, it's sapose to do that....i think". any suggestions/thoughts?

did you buy some brake grease and grease the shims and back of the pads? That seemed to be what caused my squeeking.

nope, just a basic swap out, nothing fancy. there was a few times some of the grime or soot got on the pads from the old parts, but i thoroughly cleaned/wiped the pads before finally putting them in their place. but even if there was some stuff still on them, wouldn't it wear off in time?

If they are ceramic pads, I believe they will do this all the time. I run carbon metallicon mine and they occaisionally squeak when cold. It's something that I have gotten used to hearing.

damn, oh well. I'll have to explain that when i sell the car. i'm getting sick of some of the problems and i might just get a celica.

i retract my previous statement, i was VERY tired

I have ceramic, i also have carbon metallic, i have semi mettalic, i have 3 DSM's and none squeek as bad as you describe. NO THIS IS NOT NORMAL. The shims are supposed to keep the pads from squeeking. The old practic was to put anti squeel on the back sides of the pads. You still need to do that, the shims are not 100%. You cant just put grease on the back sides either. Go to autozone and ask for antisqueel for the back sides of your brake pads. They will have it in a single use packet that should be free.

Also, make sure you sprayed the entire assy down with Brake-Clean when you were done. If you have any light film of grease on the pads or rotors from handling them, they can pick up metal particles from the brakes and create brake dust squeek. You cannot see all the grease from your hands so dont argue they looked clean. Rotors are sprayed with an anti-rust agent when packed.

Terry

Sounds like you either didn't use the pad-backing shims, didn't properly let the anti-squeal paste dry on the back of the pads, or have a mis-aligned rotor (dirt behind the rotor, improper torque values or pattern). Also, if you have aftermarket rims without concentric rings (plastic spacers) you will get squeal.

The only pads that are supposed to squeak while cold are hard-compound racing brake pads, which are unsafe to use on the street.