scratching noise from wheels???

[alphabets13]

i get a scratching noise from my wheels when they are in motion. when i apply the brake it goes away. is this brake dust or what? but it only happens when the wheels are moving and the brake is not applied.

 

[Robb]

It is kinda on and off like:

chsssss.........chsssss..........chsssssss.........chsssssssss

and the fequency increases with speed?

sorry for the crudeness, I can hear that sound in my head, just don't know how to spell it

 

[alphabets13]

robb, yes that would be the sound. at least as close to it as i would say. i'm not sure if it increases with speed, but it is noticable as hell when your going through the drivethrough at mickey d's or something. except when you apply the brake to slow down or stop, then it goes away.

 

[Robb]

See if you can drive faster by some sort of wall.........like a road right next to a building or a Jersey curb or something like that.

I would guess that the scratch increases with speed. An on and off, scratching noise is usually the indication of a warped rotor(s). The on and off is caused by the rotor making contact with the pads, then not, then so, etc.

Are the rotors stock? Ford isn't known for its quality rotors.

 

[alphabets13]

i'm not sure if the rotors are stock. once i get my swaybars(hopefully soon), i was planning on getting them installed, getting tires rotated and balanced again, and having my brakes and rotors, whatnot, checked out. maybe they are warped.

 

[alphabets13]

it seems worse. i gotta get this checked. it's so damn annoying. it goes on and off. uuggghhh

 

[mrboyle]

It sounds like it may be time to get the brakes inspected. Like Robb said, the noise is from the rotor being warped. The louder it gets, the worse the warpage. The main cause of this is thin brake pads. The thinner a pad gets the less heat it can absorb from the rotor. Eventually the pads will get thin enough that they super heat easily. This causes the pad to transfer heat back into the rotor. When you sit at a stop ligt/sign with the brakes applied the presure the caliper puts on the hot rotor is capable of distorting the rotor's runout (warp the rotor). Once warped the rotor will contact the pads (with the bakes relased) as the high spot passes, thus creating the sound you described.

 

[alphabets13]

ya, i'm gonna call monday and get them checked. thanks guys.

 

[TheRookie]

Super easy thing that happens.
Check the dust shields behing the rotors. I had a chevy in today that had a dust shield rubbing. Simple fix and quick to check. more likely to be the rotors but its easy to check the shields

 

[alphabets13]

well, i took it to the carwash and blasted the rotors and brakes to get any build-up off. it seems like it may have worked but my X is still going in on monday or tuesday to get checked. thanks.

 

[91eddie4x4]

i have the same problem

Yeah, i have the same damn noise coming from the brakes. i washed it out thinking it might be dirt or brake dust but it just came back again. i left it alone, it doesnt seem like it is hurting anything. my dad said some brakes just make noise but i dont think they should. the brakes are still in good shape. let me know how u fixed it.

 

[alphabets13]

it turned out just to be my brakes. i got them and the rotors replaced and everythings fine. thanks.

 

[FLYIN 5.0]

That noise is there to let you know you need brake pads! There is an little piece of metal on ford pads that scrape the rotor when the pads are worn. This is a built in warning device.