Diagnose the brakes

[speedhop]

There is a very distinct squeal coming from the back right (i think) that sounds it is rotating with the wheel. It happens at all speeds from slow to fast, except when I apply pressure to the brakes it stops.

Possibly warped rotor?
Ebrake shoes?

I'd appreciate your insight on this as I was looking into getting ATE rotors (powerslots?), new pads, and ss brake lines anyways. :)

What do you think?

[PiercedE30]

does it sound like a metallic spinning sound? may be bearing (especially since it is the rear right)

[speedhop]

i guess you could call it metallic...it sounds like metal on metal.

Wheel bearing? Any way to diagnose that visually?

I'll take off the rear wheels tonight and see what I got going on...

Thanks and keep the suggestions coming!

[PiercedE30]

take the wheel off, get a stethoscope, or a long screwdriver, and listen to the bearing/hub and see if it is making a metallic spinning sound.

[etxxz]

if it occured all of the sudden one day then its your brake pads man...does the noise change when you lift your e-brake? if so then its something else and i suggest you take off your caliper and rotor (easiest of things ~ 10min checkup)

don't know yet, jack up the car by the diff so you lift both wheels of the ground, wheels off, car on, put the car on drive/1st/2nd gear and listen and play around....keep fumes in mind...

good luck

[speedhop]

good idear...on the way home it was 100x worse.

embarrassing in LA traffic. I'm guessing it's a wheel bearing because of the symptoms.

-Loud as metal squeal
-Louder when moving slow (esp in reverse)
-brakes on or off still squealing

...oh well time to spend the time

[Jparkr]

umm rare but... sometimes the pistons can be too free and vibrate loose causeing the pad and rotor to barley make contact on one little area and make noise, then when you brake you recreate full area contact which makes the noise go away...

OR,
if its really loud it could be the opposite and growl because the piston is locking up and not letting the pad to relax off the rotor, but that would USUALLY cause a light pull and growl constently.

[redhatpat]

A bad wheel bearing is normally a growling noise. Squealing is more likely to be brakes.

Jack up that wheel, spin it and try to track down the source of the noise.

[Charlie]

good idear...on the way home it was 100x worse.

embarrassing in LA traffic. I'm guessing it's a wheel bearing because of the symptoms.

-Loud as metal squeal
-Louder when moving slow (esp in reverse)
-brakes on or off still squealing

...oh well time to spend the time

Your ebrake shoe is about to shit the bed.

-Charlie

[speedhop]

well for all who cared....i fixed it and the outcome is hilarious

somehow someway a rock/pebble flew up behind the rotor but in front of the dust plate. the rock got wedged between the two in the little rivet on the plate....

what the hell or the chances!



....oh and my ebrake shoes are shot and I have a cracked rotor

[Charlie]

....oh and my ebrake shoes are shot and I have a cracked rotor

Told ya.

-Charlie