Squeaky Wheel (calling all cyber-mechanics, not a joke)

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

So there is suddenly a horrible screeching coming from what I think is the left front wheel. Could it be that the rotor I forgot to have replaced has broken/disintegrated or whatever old rotors do? Do you think it's safe to drive a few miles to the shop (if I can stand the noise and don't get pulled over for it)?

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Dh's car has been having a strange sound lately. To me it sounded like metal dragging. He finally checked the owner's manual and found it was the brake discs. The manual described the sound exactly.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Dh's car has been having a strange sound lately. To me it sounded like metal dragging. He finally checked the owner's manual and found it was the brake discs. The manual described the sound exactly.

I think the brake discs are the rotors. Was he able to drive it?

[scootr5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scootr5]

The brake pads have a small metal clip that will start to scrape against the rotor when the pad gets too worn. It will make a screeching noise.

The most common issue with rotors (especially now that they are making thinner) is that they warp. If your pads are really worn and the clip is scraping it will start to cut a groove in it. I've never seen one fall apart.

Can you see any marks on the rotor? I'm assuming you can't jack up the car and spin the wheel to see if you can tell where the noise is coming from?

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

The brake pads have a small metal clip that will start to scrape against the rotor when the pad gets too worn. It will make a screeching noise.

The most common issue with rotors (especially now that they are making thinner) is that they warp. If your pads are really worn and the clip is scraping it will start to cut a groove in it. I've never seen one fall apart.

Can you see any marks on the rotor? I'm assuming you can't jack up the car and spin the wheel to see if you can tell where the noise is coming from?

Nope, no jack here. The pads could certainly be worn. When I had to put new tires on it a few months ago, they showed me what looked like a rusty rotor, said it needed replacing. But I thought the quote was high - they are very competitive on tires but I felt like they were just trying to fleece me where they could, and then I forgot about it since the car has been fine. What kind of damage am I likely to do if I drive it a few miles, do you think?

[roach Member Find all posts View Profile Close roach]

Those are the breaks!!!

Hopefully you just have a rock caught in your brakes, maybe a piece of metal. If it has not been making a squealing sound when you brake hard, that is probably what it is. You can drive it forward, brake hard, then back up quickly and brake hard. This might loosen the object. If this doesn't work, I would not risk driving it.

Mark

[scootr5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scootr5]

Nope, no jack here. The pads could certainly be worn. When I had to put new tires on it a few months ago, they showed me what looked like a rusty rotor, said it needed replacing. But I thought the quote was high - they are very competitive on tires but I felt like they were just trying to fleece me where they could, and then I forgot about it since the car has been fine. What kind of damage am I likely to do if I drive it a few miles, do you think?

What kind of car? If it's the pads/rotors and it's making that noise, it's unlikely that it would damage it any more than it has - you most likely need new pads and rotors.

I do most of my work like that myself, and it would cost about $150- $200 in parts for most GM cars. I'd expect about double that at a shop to replace the front pads and rotors.

[dcwojo Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dcwojo]

Call the repair shop you use and see what they say. It sounds like a brake problem, but could be a CV joint or wheel bearing. Most likely it is something caught in the wheel or a brake pad got jammed.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Thanks, folks.
I will try roach's trick. If it doesn't work I will call the closest repair place tomorrow, but unfortch they only have two bays and won't be able to fix it tomorrow. The place that would fix it same day is a few miles away and I won't be able to have it towed there.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

I think the brake discs are the rotors. Was he able to drive it?

Oh yeah, he was driving it for several weeks as the noise wasn't all the time. He's finally taking it in tomorrow.

[scootr5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scootr5]

Oh yeah, he was driving it for several weeks as the noise wasn't all the time. He's finally taking it in tomorrow.

Yes, typically it will start with an occasional sound when braking or turning the wheel in a certain direction, and then progress from there.

[billymach4 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close billymach4]

Perhaps it is the wear indicator making noise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRz7B...9EB48C86312E01


HowStuffWorks "How Disc Brakes Work"

Also Watch ETCG on disc Brakes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAviO...feature=relmfu

[billymach4 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close billymach4]

Now can someone help me figure out why my power steering pump is foaming, and why the steering is hard to steer.

I think I have an air leak in the pump system, or need a new steering rack.

Maybe $800 in a 2001 Ford Taurus with 81K.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Try not to ride on them before getting iy fixed or it may cost you double. As it sounds now chances are they are going to have to cut the disks, If it gets worst and they need to be replace will give you sticker shock.

[dcwojo Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dcwojo]

Ford vehicles have a seal on the steering column that has been known to leak and that sounds like that might be the problem.