Squeaky ... something ...

[Tyler]

Alright, so I've had this little problem .. well, my car has had this little problem for a while now. We got the car from Rowe Ford in Auburn a few years back, but maybe in the last year or two, every once in a while I will hear a squeaking noise coming from what sounds like somewhere around the front drivers side tire. Now, it's not a squeal, just a *squeak squeak squeak squeak*, yeah, you get the picture. It's not really loud, but if I touch my brakes, it'll stop, and then start right back up, but if I press on them nice and hard, it'll stop for a while ... usually a long while. I've changed pads, I've bent the wear indicator back, I've used brake cleaner, I've done a whole bunch of junk, and the couple times I mentioned it to Ford to take a peek at it, they "found nothing". It's more of an annoyance than anything, but I would like to be sure it's not serious as well ...

Anyone?! ???

 

[soposube]

I won't have an answer, but since the next post is a given I thought I'd ask it.

What kind of car is it?

 

[Tyler]

Hahaha, whoops .. I knew I forgot something ..

97 Subaru Impreza L

 

[Shorty]

A couple of possibillities: One of the brake pads is sticking in the pad bracket. The pads should slide nice and easy, if they don't, they drag ever so slightly, heating up and causing a squeek.

Or the pads are worn down so the squeeler is touching the pad. The squeeler is made to make noise when you don't have your foot on the brake. When you apply pressure, the squeeler makes full contact and the noise stops. Oh, the technical term is brake pad wear indicator. I'd assume your problem is #1 if Rowe checked your brakes and found nothing wrong. Unless you pull the calipers and check to see if the pads slide freely you won't find the problem.

 

[Shorty]

Man am I long winded!

 

[Tyler]

Haha, jeezzz ... I could pull them off to check them, but .. I don't know what I'm looking for ???

 

[bd5]

A couple of possibillities: One of the brake pads is sticking in the pad bracket. The pads should slide nice and easy, if they don't, they drag ever so slightly, heating up and causing a squeek.

Or the pads are worn down so the squeeler is touching the pad. The squeeler is made to make noise when you don't have your foot on the brake. When you apply pressure, the squeeler makes full contact and the noise stops. Oh, the technical term is brake pad wear indicator. I'd assume your problem is #1 if Rowe checked your brakes and found nothing wrong. Unless you pull the calipers and check to see if the pads slide freely you won't find the problem.

...subarus are known for this too... you have to lube those pads up! anti-sieze works great... both my GT and my OB have given me this back-talk a couple of times...

put a thin coat one everything that doesn't actually *touch* the rotor. not too much though, or it gunks up...

if its not pads, however, it could be a failing bearing... not to be the bearer of bad news and all. or, it could be a dust shield bent a little bit... a myriad of things really...lol

 

[redlinerally]

My Mazda RX-7 did this exact thing before my front right bearing went. Basically, the small amount of brake pressure keeps the rotor straight enough so no squeeking happens, and the hard pressure beats the snot out of it for a while so it doesn't do it.

My advice, start saving just in case it is the bearing. What do those run on the subie's? Joel? Anyone?

 

[gearsoup]

more than most want to spend. just ask evan....

 

[Tyler]

Well if it's more than most want to spend, then it's definatly more than I want to spend .. thanks for the info guys, I'll start saving. It's been doing it on and off for say .. at least a year and a half ... could that still be possible?

 

[redlinerally]

Has it gotten worse or any better?

I don't know... a year and a half is awhile for it to be happening without furthering the problem... difficult to say.

 

[Tyler]

About the same ...

I've noticed that while it's doing it, or about to do it ... and I'm on 295 .. when I hit the little bridge connector things, it makes like one loud squeak

Also, it seems when I turn my wheel a little bit it tends to stop too, until it's stright again ...

 

[redlinerally]

... ... ...

bearing. :-

 

[Tyler]

Blah

 

[Shorty]

Hey T, Did you modify your post or did I totally miss the part about you pulling the squealers back and replacing the pads?

 

[Evan]

you can get a new bearing pressed in or get a used hub w/ bearing for under $100, then you just need to pull/reinstall the hub/knukle yourself.

 

[Tyler]

Haha, nope .. I'm pretty sure I didn't edit it. You said that and I was like, "I think I said that" haha

 

[Tyler]

Okay, so .. it seems to be getting a little worse. When and if it does happen, what is going to happen? Am I going to fly is some random direction like in the movies?

 

[redlinerally]

hmm... worse case scenario? you'll feel a major vibration in your steering wheel, and you'll slow yourself to a stop.

Back me up on this guys?