I noticed when I was driving today my front left wheel started squeeling like a granny car. I get to parents home pull the wheel off and notice the lil tag on the pads appeared to be close or maybe touching so I bend it so I could drive to my place. I get in drive and its still squeeling. It does stop when I apply the brakes it didnt make noise when I was in reverse only when moving forward. Could it be the brakes are shot? I noticed that the rotor is still smooth..no signs of metal rubbing. Also how do the rotors come off? Do I need a puller or can I use a rubber mallet after the caliper is removed?

sure sounds like the little tag, which is a wear indicator, whose job is to squeel when it's time to check the brakes. Are you sure you bent it back enough?

Changing the pads is easy. You can do a search in the brake topic on this site and find a ton of advice.

The rotors come off all as a single unit with the hub snd lug nuts. Behind the center cap, which you carefully pry off, is the main wheel nut. Better be learning about that, if you replace it wrong you can wipe out your bearings, or much worse. It is a critical fastener and adjuster. You don't just tighten it up.
Do a search on this subject, easy to do here on the site.
All-in-all, the whole deal is a piece of cake to do, but you have to have studied it a little first if it's your first time.

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Aero80

Don't want to sound like a wiseass, but brakes are important. If you get them wrong, you got big troubles. Find a buddy who's done this before and have him help you do it. Like Aero said, it's pretty easy but you sure have to get it right! (edit) Also note that if you take it to a brake/alignment shop, chances are they will try to sell you everything under the sun to get into your bank account.

[This message has been edited by tom3 (edited October 23, 2003).]

Speaking from a really bad personal experience, don't drive it until you know what's wrong! I had the same problem and it turned out my outer bearings were shot. The inner bearing race got overheated and actually FUSED to my spindle. Needless to say I had to get a whole new spindle. see if your bearings are worn or the cage is broken. If they're fine, then move on to the brakes.

Ive did a ton of brake jobs but all were fwd cars. So its the nut that hold the rotor on then on these cars? thanxs for the help

There should be a bearing cap in the middle of the rotor assembly as Aero 80 said, pull that off and you will see a castle nut with a cotter pin. Take that castle nut off and the whole rotor will come off. You shouldn't need to force it, or use a puller.