(Bumping &) Grinding

BX Tech talk
Post Reply
wannab-x
Confirmed BX'er
Posts: 95
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2006 1:14 pm

(Bumping &) Grinding

Post by wannab-x »

Good morning. Don't know if anyone can help me with this:

Went for a 120-mile round trip to the beach yesterday and, as usual, the car behaved fine. However, just as we were turning into our street last night, the front right wheel area made a lovely metallic grinding noise when I braked, which it then did whenever I braked (getting slightly quieter) until we’d parked up. Left me thinking that the brake pad had suddenly got to the wear indicator, there was some gravel stuck between the pad & the disc, or the lining had fallen off… Set off this morning, and the same thing again until I got on the main road, at which point the brakes were fine for the 5-mile commute, including stopping & starting.

Until, when I got to work & went over a speed bump, and the noise started again!

I’m a little confused at to what might be causing this – if the noise had only happened while the car was warming up from cold, I’d say that the pads just needed changing (which is fine, as I’ve got some Citroen pads I was going to get put on anyway), but the noise coming at the end of the journey has confused me a little. Does anyone know what might be causing the problem? I’m supposed to be driving to Bedford & back in the car on Thursday, but I don’t want to do it if it’s going to knacker the car in some way. Would go in our Smart, but that seems to have developed a steering issue which is going to cost a bit to put right…

Thanks very much!!
User avatar
Way2go
Over 2k
Posts: 7279
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:15 pm
Location: RCoBerkshire
x 2

Post by Way2go »

First thing is to examine the obvious ie osf disc & pad as this noise is brake and movement related. Only really worth considering obscure causes after you have done this.
1991 BX19GTi Auto
User avatar
AndersDK
BXpert
Posts: 537
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2005 4:41 pm
Location: Denmark West
x 1

Post by AndersDK »

If one sides caliper is stuck on the slide bushes, then only the inner pad in that caliper is providing the brake force for that side and consequently wear down much faster.

The grinding noise starts when one end of the pad has worn down to the metal base. The pads never wear down completely even. Result is a sort of intermittent noise that gradually over a couple of days gets worse whenever it sets in as more and more of the friction materiel is worn comlpletely away.

You MUST service your brakes ASAP.
C U / Anders - '90red16riBreak - '91GrisDolment16meteor - Project'88red19trsBreak
dead cars : '89white 16RS - '89antrasitTRDturboEst - '90white19triBreak
wannab-x
Confirmed BX'er
Posts: 95
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2006 1:14 pm

Post by wannab-x »

Right then. Thanks for the info, guys - I've got the car booked in for a pad change tomorrow morning. No noise at all on the way home...

Luckily I had a set of pads ready to go, and was planning on getting them fitted anyway - shame I can't do them myself, but don't have the knowledge/tools.
Post Reply