On my way back from lunch today I noticed a noise on my front right side. Its almost like a break squeal but it would pulsate fast or slow depending on my speed. When I applied the breaks theres a horrible almost "metal on metal" sound but the stoping power isn't any different. So me being the guy that I am wit my tools already in the trunk, parked her at the job, jacked her up and removed the wheel.

I could't see anything that could be causing this. I did notice my shimmy and the little wire thing that fits in the backs of of the break pads are gone. Im notorious for forgeting to put these items back on during brake changes, but no prob, I do it when I get the chance and haven't had issues with this practice. OK! Long story short: didn't see anything that could cause problem, no shimmies or anything stuck anywhere, so I Put everything back and sound is gone.

Just took car to the post office and on return trip, sound is back again. Any ideas on what this could be?

Thanks in advance.

Capitone

 

Bump for Capi in 2006

 

sounds like you need pads and roters. The metal to metal sound could be your wear indicator on the pads hitting the roters...telling you to change your pads. The pulsing is probably warped roters. I would either get new ones or take your old ones to the shop an have them cut/resurfaced.

 

Does the sound only start after you've been driving for a while? (30 min or so)

I had a similar problem 2 years ago on my front passenger side.
Changed all the rotors, brake pads, calipers...still the noise.

It turned out to be one of the wheel bearing seals. I guess it was coming loose as the hub warmed up from driving.

After I had the wheel bearing and seals replaced, all was silent again.

 

cardana24 - My pads are fairly new, not more than 3 months or so old and there is still a lot of pad left. My rotors are factory so maybe, but not sure how that would account for the “metal on Metal” sound when braking.

JPMax – did you have the same sounds coming from your car when you experienced your problem? Im thinking wheel bearing too, but I don’t know how to check that. And as in Cardana’s suggestion, I um unsure how the bearing would account for the metal on metal sound when braking.

Thanks guys for your input. I didn’t drive maxeen to work today because so I haven’t listened or looked for other symptoms, but I think I’ll see if I can figure out a way to check my bearings. i know when I left work yesterday it was still there so no, it didn't seem to need to "warm up" before acting up. Anybody with input on checking bearings, please share.

Capitone

 

you may want the check the shims on your pads too. I had one come out recently and it was causing a scraping noise.

Have you tried putting the front end on jack stands (for the love of god make sure the car is secure) and cranking the car...while it is in the air try to find what is making the noise.

also just for a dumb thing, make sure your wheel lugs are tight.

 

I didn't have any shims on my pads. Im sure I forgot to put em when I changed the pads. Didn't see anything which may have slipped and got stuck either.

Lugs were secure and if they weren't they were when I replaced the wheel the first time.

Leting the wheels coast while on jacks is a good idea! ….Im just a little apprehensive about doing it though. E-brake and Sturdy jack stands and enough clearance off the ground for the wheels to rotate is about all I need to do this safely right? I dunno. I may get a partner for this one. It would make me feel better if someone were in the car to cut the engine on the off chance something goes wrong. Call me paranoid.

 

Well, when my problem occurred, it was more like a squeek/squeek/squeek kinda sound that got faster or slower according to how fast the car was goin.

I heard it best when driving next to a high guard rail or building.

Definitely check your brakes first though. Take them apart, clean them, grease the slider pins, and put it all back together.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=459238

 

Dgeesaman, thanks a bunch for this input. I've done everything thus far save for this. Will give it try.

Thanks!

Capitone

 

I got metal-metal scraping sounds when my bearing died... the rotor was wobbling so badly it was hitting my brakepad warning tab. It's the worse scraping noise ever.

Anyways, I had lotsa symptoms for a few months but couldn't figure it out. My brakes started squeeking when I got on them w/medium pressure when it was hot and/or cool. I went back, redid the shims, guide pins, guides, everything except rebuild. rotors looked and felt true/smooth. Even bled the brakes.

Then my shifting felt weird. Felt like the tranny was "clunking" as I went through the gates, but only while moving. If i'm stopped, no clunking. So I suspected something came loose in the tranny after rebuilding it.

Then the intermittent squeeling that others noted, speed related, and audible when driving next to a wall. I pulled off my wheels brakes, and rotors but nothing was lodged.

Then my brakes got mushy... the distance the brake pedal traveled was unpredictable. Very very very scary in emergency situations. As the rotor wobbled, it pushed the pad and piston back into the caliper, requireing more pedal movement to engage.

Then my steering felt off, as if squirmy and maybe positive camber. My intended line would change mid-turn. This time, as I started taking off my wheel, I noticed major vertical wobble in the wheel and rotor. After taking apart the knuckle, sure enuf, the bearing's dead. Funny how it never wobbled this bad each and every time prior when removing or mounting the wheel?

Anyways, hope u figure your stuff out. PM me if u think you got something related to mine.

Jae

 

Your brake pads are most likely worn down and the wear indicator is now in contact with the rotor.

Change your brake pads.

 

If he's done his own brake jobs before, I would expect that he'd know to look for pad wear.

However, I got caught by a little gotcha recently - I had a seizing caliper, and it wore very heavily only on one end of the pads. Thru the peek window in the caliper it looked fine, but when you removed the caliper to look at the pads one side was badly worn.

Dave

 

Here's a question for you--when you say you had a seized caliper, I guess you mean the piston was not retracting? In such a case, does the pad tend to wear on the piston side, which would be the inside pad? I'm curious if one can tell whether the problem is a piston or caliper pins just by looking at uneven pad wear.

 

Since a technician changed the pads, I don't have all the details. I did see the old pads though, and it was wearing hard on both pads. From the top to bottom it went from 60% material to 5% material(!). (Or bottom to top, since they were off the car). My old caliper did not have any slider pin issues, so I assume it was the piston.

I imagine a sticking slider pin would create a different wear pattern but I won't guess what that might be.

 

Its a wheel bearing. Anyone know where I can instructions on how to work with this? Motorvate.ca is offline or something. I know that would have been an excellent reference for a job like this.

Comments on difficulty welcome. Pepboys want to charge 210 bucks for the job, with NO alignment. Actually doesn't sound to bad, but it's been a while since I've had to have anyone outside of myself work on my car.

Capitone

 

Bump for the morning crowd.

info on wheel bearings please. Motorvate website is down.

Capitone

 

what do you need to know. They need to be pressed in. So unless you own/have access to a press then you will have to pay a shop to do it. When I had this problem I bought a spindle off someone who was parting their car. So I took a chance replacing it with a used part, but it has worked out fine for me. If it was your driver side I could help you out because I have an extra one.

 

Well that’s about what I needed to know. If this was a job a DIY'r could handle. I don't have a press and the bearing is on the passenger side, so looks like I'll have to have Pepboys take care of it…..unless theres an alternative method which can be used.

Cardana, what is this "spindle" you speak of? Is this another term for bearing? Is it a tool? Sorry, but you sort of threw me off with that one.

Thanks for your input by the way!

 

The spindle is the the assembly that the hub is hooked to. Its the peice that the strut bolts to, the tie rod end goes thru, and the ball joint goes thru the bottom of it....that peice

 

You can remove the entire spindle assembly yourself and take it to a shop for the pressing work and save some money, but you'll need a 36mm axle nut socket and a tie rod puller. (I did the job this way and borrowed those tools from Autozone).

The press work requires a pretty heavy press, I'm told, so if you know someone with an affordable hydraulic press I wouldn't count on it working for this task. The affordable ones are great for tranny, bushing, and engine work, but wheel bearings are meanass *****.

Dave

 

Who Hoo!! Thats what Im talkin about. I can at least try right? Im going to give this a go. I may need to check the Haynes manual to make sure Im messing with the right thing though.

Dave, you rock man. Your input is very much appreciated.

lata fellas!

Capitone

 

Cardana, thanks for this thorough explanation. I may not need Haynes now, because I believe I know EXACTLY what your talking about now.

Thanks again guys for all your input.

 

I forgot that you'll also need to pop the balljoint loose from the spindle, similar to the tie rod end. I was able to use the pitman arm puller (or tie rod puller, I forget) on both the tie rod and balljoint. But it barely fit. Don't use a pickle-fork separator or else you'll kill the boot on the balljoint.

Dave