Brakes or rearend?

[moexplorer97]

Bear with me here while I describe my situation. This last weekend, on the way back home, a terrible metal on metal sound started coming from right rear wheel. Pull over, take off the wheel, lugnuts are so hot, you can't hardly touch them. See nothing wrong whatsoever. No leaks, brake pads don't appear to be dragging. Put wheel back on, try to come on home, nada, sound still there. 3hrs later, after a trip on a rollback, a Ford service manager looks at it. Only thing found is that the emergency brake pads have disintegrated on right rear, and on left rear are paper thin. He removes them, no more sound...or so we thought. The sound is no longer constant nor is it anywhere near as bad, but is now random. Seems to only occur for about 50-75yds, and after driving at least 5-6 miles, may not happen until 100 miles, but it takes at least 5-6 miles before it seems to occur, if it occurs at all. Also, if you apply brakes while you hear the sound, it changes the pitch of the sound some, but does not stop it. Had it looked at by another mechanic today, he says he sees nothing wrong, calipers work, pads & rotors look good. No grinding when spinning the wheel.

Anyone here have any ideas? I'm baffled. Any light you can shed is appreciated.

 

[radman]

You might check the axle bearing on that side.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Agreed...

 

[drbenz]

While not likely on an intermittant noise, try taking the rear pads out and see if a small rock or such falls out. If something gets stuck on the pads or between the rotor and the backing plate it will make a heck of a noise.

 

[jremington59]

Being as hot as it was I'd assume the caliper was sticking. But if the pads fine it wouldn't account for the grinding. But the bearing would.

 

[moexplorer97]

Replaced rear brake lines. NO noise since.

 

[my98nnj]

That makes no sense at all...

 

[deweyville65]

Odd fix, but I can see how that could work. Foreigh material keeping the fluid from allowing the caliper to retract. I've not seen that before, Learn something new all the time.