Brakes have mind of their own.

[jdub07]

First is there a brake section of the forum I couldn't seem to find one. Forgive me if this is in the wrong area.

My problem:
Couple weeks ago the front brakes on our 2000 mounty were in need of replacement. Well the passanger side more than anything. In any case after replacing both rotors and pads the passenger side is again making the same metal on metal sound as it did before I replaced them...only, when inspecting the rotor there is no indication there is a metal on metal occurance. What would make this sound on the passenger side...sounds like the wheels is going to fall off...also it doesn't do it all the time. Happends only when braking.

Again if this is in the wrong section of the forum feel free to let me know.

Thanks,
j

 

[monkeydude3]

Okay check several things. Check to see if the indicator on the pad is bent and rubbing. There is an indicator on the pad that scrapes like that when the pad is low, and It possibly got bent.

also, check your backing plate. Is that bent at all? I did my mom's F 150 brakes and it made that sound, and her backing plates were mangled so I bent them back and the sound went away.

Also, on the rears of your pads, did you put anti squeal? Let me know if I was any help. I have had lots of brake problmes on my 1994 exploder.... and I passed the ase brakes test :-D

keep me posted!

George

 

[Creager]

what about the rear brakes?

yeah check that clip like what monkey man was saying.

maybe something is rubbing the inside of the wheel?

 

[jdub07]

Great information about the backing plate...I'll check as soon as I get off work. I don't think the low pad indicator is bent but I will for sure check that too.

Some more information that I failed to mention:

This is the front passenger not rear.

The old pads had good meat on the bottom but worn down on the top, does this mean maybe one of the pistons is getting stuck? If I remember right the pistons are up and down correct? If the top piston is getting stuck maybe that is my culprit.

Thank you for the quick responses

 

[jdub07]

Update still need help!

Pulled the fronts off and see nothing wrong. Pistons, calipers, pads, rotors, brake sheild and low pad indicators all look good as new! So I pulled the passenger rear off and the pads, rotors and everything in there look good too. What could the metal on metal sound be coming from? You can feel it in the passenger floor when it does it. Again it only does is 'sometimes' when brakeing only. My wife drives this with out 1 1/2 year old son so I really need to figure this out quickly. Are there bearings that could be bad? Wouldn't a bad bearing be making noise all the time or at least sometimes while driving and not brakeing? I'm so confused.

 

[Tony H]

wheel bearings usually do make noise during turns and constant. So I think I would rule that out.
Still making the noise with new rotors and Pads makes it a mystery alright. If you Jack the tire off the ground can you rock the tire top to bottom? that is an indication of either Ball joints or Bearings. Ball joints isn't this issue though.

Any scratch marks on the inside of the Rim?
Can you hear it coming specifically from the Front Pass side? Noises like that travel. does it do it at very slow speeds? can you walk along side the car as your wife idles and brakes to verify the wheel that is the real problem.

 

[jdub07]

I did check the inside of the rim...zero marks, clean and no indication of anything wrong. I also did try and move the wheel up and down with no movement. Then tried left and right...no movement.

As for the sound it really doesn't happen all the time. Maybe once or twice a week and only once that day it does do it. I've not heard it since I replaced the front pads and rotors, I'm going off what the misses said. Yet if it is making the same sound it did 'before' I replaced those items then I'm really worried cause it was a terrible grinding sound.

When it does do it she says it is at slow speeds when braking only and sometime when braking at slow speeds while turning. I do understand sounds travel in crazy ways with cars so it may actually not be where I think its comeing from,...thus why I'm removing all rims and inspecting everything. So far everything is very clean and seems to be in order. I've heard maybe a excluder seal may be the culprit but I thought those made a sqeeling or siren noise more than an metal on metal wheel going to fall off and crash on the freeway sound.

I may just have to put everything back together and drive the mounty for a week and see if I can duplicate the sound. This is buggin though...only has 45,000 miles on it and was never beaten on or taken off road.

Sorry for the long respons maybe I needed a little venting. I do have to say that replacing the brakes and rotor on this beast is easier than any vehicle I've owned!

 

[Tony H]

You certainly sound like you are mechanically inclined enough to find the problem. Sorry, but you ran through everything I would have done.

 

[jdub07]

You certainly sound like you are mechanically inclined enough to find the problem. Sorry, but you ran through everything I would have done.

thanks for trying... I'm sure someone will chime in or I'll end up figureing it out. I just hate not knowing and throwing money at it when it might be something as simple as a $10 part. I'll keep searchin the board too in hopes of finding any similar problems with other peoples rides :roll:

In my searching I've read a lot about wheel bearings...could this be my problem? Would I be able to "see" symptoms of this? Will continue to search the board

 

[Creager]

In my searching I've read a lot about wheel bearings...could this be my problem? Would I be able to "see" symptoms of this? Will continue to search the board

Worn wheel bearings can be difficult to determine. A very bad wheel bearing typically makes itself heard with great clarity; it's the bearing that is going bad, but not destroyed, that is hard to find. Turning back and forth from hard right to hard left can identify the culprit; however, I've been fooled by right-front wheel bearings that make noise when turning right (which heavily loads the inside-left-front wheel bearing, but also loads the outside-right-front bearing).

- Randy's Ring and Pinion.

More information (that might be helpful)

Driveline vibrations can be caused by several problems. Worn universal joints or a driveline that is out of balance are often the problem, but driveline angle can cause a balanced driveline with good U-joints to vibrate. If the U-joints are bad, they can cause several different noises from squeaking, to clunking, to grinding, to vibrations. If the driveline is out of balance, it will vibrate with a steady pitch that increases as the vehicle speed increases.

- Randy's ring and Pinion.

 

[jdub07]

well I've pulled everything off the truck and have found nothing visible that is wrong. I inspected all four corners of this thing and nothing. I then put everything back together and took the mounty on a rigorous 20 min. trip to see if I could duplicate this grinding noise. NOTHING...guess I'll have to leave it at that for the time being. Thanks for the help and suggestions. I'll be back when and if this thing acts up again.

been a member for a while but don't post much,...yet when I do very helpfull people here!