Brake Pads

[Dragonheart]

Got a horrible noise out of my front left wheel during the weekend, sounds like grating metal, I'm thinking its the brake pads are gone, but there was no squealing which I would have expected from the warning clip which I experienced before. The sound happens when going very slow, in traffic, or coming to a stop and just as I'm pulling off. It stops then as I pick up speed or if I just lightly touch the brake. So is it the caliper isn't releasing properly as well or what could it be? Going to get pads this evening anyway and try and fit them if my caliper bolts allow me to take them off nice and easily! Just wanted to make sure its the right part number as well, getting MR389546, as per the parts section onthe forum.

[witcher]

your pads are probably gone, metal on metal sound shall be heard when the pads are gone and when you step on brakes no matter the speed. Alternatively there might be a piece of metal/stone jammed between brake pad and disc, it will make similar sound. get the car to car wash and treat your brakes and disks with powerwasher, if that does not help, your brakes are truly gone.

[Dragonheart]

Thanks Witcher, just bought pads so going to have a lash off them later. The brakes don't feel like they are performing at all, just drove home from work at about 60kmph the whole way cause I don't trust them, the quality is gone dramatically down hill even since this morning. Hopefully it'll do the trick!

[Dragonheart]

Its not the freaking pads!! Took off the tyre and had a look at everything and it all seems good, was a bit doubtful about the pads as I didnt get the warning screech but was sort of hoping it was them cause at least then I'd know. Must be a caliper sticking cause theres no other thing I can think of. Its only on one side, the passenger front, its a lot louder from inside the car than outside, and I'm at a complete loss plus its wrecking my bloody head! I hate noises in my car that I dont know what they are!! Aaaargh!!!!!!!

[Dragonheart]

Whats the best way to free a caliper? WD-40? Or am I being very optimistic?

[CJ]

Slap a vice grips onto the piston and remove it (don't deform it in the process, go easy), make sure the pistons are extended as far as it possible beforehand by depresseing the brake pedal slightly. Use some wet and try to clean the piston, remove any debris and then inset back into calliper.

CJ

[Dragonheart]

Cheers CJ. Had a feeling it wouldn't be a simple case of a bit of greasing. Now for the painstaking task of trying to remove those bloody caliper bolts again!

[CJ]

Now for the painstaking task of trying to remove those bloody caliper bolts again!

Use the opportunity to apply coppergrease to the threads and hi-temp grease to the bolt body, will make for easier removal (and better caliper travel)....

CJ

[Dragonheart]

Aye, I put coppergrease on them the last time I had them off, (after the infamous torching incident!), and should have really learned my lesson and replaced them with new ones which didnt look as if they were going to shear under pressure, but I didnt, so now I have to suffer again. Hopefully the grease helped some bit though and they'll come off easier this time, I'm just afraid to use brute force on them.

[witcher]

If the brake piston is sticking the whole caliper shall be hot. and I mean seriously hot, you shall feel it if you get your hand near. I would also recommend changing the rubbers and ring on the piston (something caused the piston to stick, it is usually the case when the rubber washer breaks and water gets between piston and cylinder wall, causing the piston to rust), camskills sells repair kits. Check the piston for rust and uneven surface, if it is bad replace piston otherwise you will have the same problem in no time.
@ my previous post - so much for diagnosing the problem over the net .
Good luck Dragonheart
W

[Wildhound]

My front right caliper was stuck and had to be replaced as the rubber gromit had worn and there was no way to free it. Fortunately, they're not that expensive! Picked one up for 50 quid, it's an easy job to replace too, just don't forget to bleed the brakes after.

Interestingly, my pad also wore down to metal (due to the caliper being stuck) and never screeched at all. If it's a stuck caliper you'll notice the wheel will be much hotter after driving and you'll hear those characteristic ticks of hot metal cooling.

[Dragonheart]

I was listening for the ticking but never heard it but the wheel is a lot hotter than the other side so all points points towards the caliper sticking.
Thanks for the help guys, hopefully will get it sorted quickly.

[gt94]

warped disc maybe

[Dragonheart]

I HATE BLOODY CALIPER BOLTS!!!!!!!!!!
Its a stuck caliper for sure, its the inside one, the brake pad is stuck to the disc and the inside of the disc face is scoured with little ridges all over it. Even worse than the outer face of the disc! Thats only in a couple of days!
And of course now my old nemesis decides to raise its ugly head, the damn caliper bolts, they just will not budge, looks like I'll have to go to a mechanic to get it done, what a bloody disaster!

[witcher]

Sorry to hear that Dragonheart
On the other hand (always look on the bright side of life) it may be good opportunity to upgrade your brakes. If the discs are really bad (deep groves and check the edge of the disk if the ridge on the edge is more than 3-4 millimeter) it is time to change the discs or at least have them skimmed in the machine shop. But if you can spare few bobs you can replace disks for something like this
http://www.hostileperformance.co.uk/HPi ... URBOGROOVE
or something similar.
DO NOT go for the fully drilled discs, these have tendency to crack around the edges of the holes (seen it many times) and added cooling effect is often neglected because holes are becoming caked with the pad dust. Grooved discs are much better
Also, have a look in the buy and sell section, perhaps somebody has calipers for sale, it might work out cheaper than repair kit from camskill (note also that these might have caliper bolts that actually are easy to unbolt ).
Good luck Dragonheart

[Dragonheart]

Thanks Witcher, I was hoping to upgrade the brakes in time, but I was hoping to put in a GTO or Brembo brake upgrade. However if I needed new discs I think I'd go grooved as you say as I also feel that the drilled discs eat the pads very quickly. Will hopefully get the calipers free tomorrow or Friday and put the new pads in and see how they go.

[witcher]

I do not see a point in doing brake conversion unless you increase power considerably or just want it for the wow effect. Cheaper to upgrade brake discs decent quality pads and install braided brake lines. For the wow effect you can paint brake calipers with some heat resistant paint and maybe put a brembo decal on it

[Dragonheart]

Nah I want them cause they look good and in time I plan on putting in a VR-4 engine but thats a long way away, no harm in putting in a nice set of brakes now anyway.

[witcher]

True