Front Driver side Brake grinding

[mrnowak]

Hey everyone,

I have a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport and after a brake job I noticed that while under braking at slow speed there would be a grinding sound on the front left. I replaced the brakes and wheel bearings the first time. After a while I ended up replacing the caliper itself but it still grinds. I don't notice any wheel shaking, pulling and it hasn't locked up although once I did notice a some smoke under hard braking but only once. I also don't hear any grinding while not braking. Thoughts?

 

[Ratpackr]

Check the brake hose going to the caliper. A faulty hose can cause a pressure problem @ the caliper & give the symptoms you describe..

 

[Exproblems]

Hey everyone,

I replaced the brakes and wheel bearings the first time. After a while I ended up replacing the caliper itself but it still grinds. I don't notice any wheel shaking, pulling and it hasn't locked up although once I did notice a some smoke under hard braking but only once. I also don't hear any grinding while not braking. Thoughts?

When you replaced the brake pads, did you re-grease the "caliper slide pins" as well? When the grease dries up on them they can cause your brake pad to stick inward against the rotor as you drive and this would cause you to see some smoke or give off a burning pad smell. Carefully check and see if your rim on your driver side is getting really hot, more so than the others. They tend to hang up on one pin at a time, causing the pad to wear down more at one end on an angle than the other. It happened to me on my passenger side rear brakes last year. These are the slide pins that the caliper bolts screw into. You can pull them out by hand from those rubber boots that they slide into. Parts stores sell caliper slide pin grease in little packets for like a $1 a piece and usually can be found right at the checkout counter hanging on a rack with other types of vehicle lubricants. Just something to check out.

 

[mrnowak]

I did re-grease the slide pins although I just use lithium grease and not the checkout counter grease packets. I also replaced the hose this past weekend and it still grinds away. It also seems to me that the hose is short and stretches rather far when turning fully to the right. I did check my rear brakes today and they seem to need changing. My question is could there be a resonance that makes me believe it's a front brake when it's really the rear making the grinding noise?

 

[Exproblems]

It also seems to me that the hose is short and stretches rather far when turning fully to the right.>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You might want to double check with the parts store to make sure you got the right length brake hose.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I did check my rear brakes today and they seem to need changing. My question is could there be a resonance that makes me believe it's a front brake when it's really the rear making the grinding noise?>>>>>>>

From my experience, I can always tell if a brake noise is coming from the front or rear of the vehicle. Park next to a building wall and drive back and forth tapping the brakes and listen for the echo. You should be able to pin point front or rear that way. Yes, the rear brakes, especially the internal parking brakes can cause a grinding noise. You will have to pull the rear rotors off to get a good look at them and they will most likely be rusted up in there. Sometimes the brake hardware springs break apart from the rust and the pieces lay on the surface of the rear rotor and scrape as the wheel spins making the grinding noise. It could also just be rust flakes making the noise. The inner rotor surface usually rusts up as well.

 

[05explorer1974]

Could be the hub.