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Changed front brakes and rotors, now scraping noise?

253K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  rqjoe 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I did my front brakes and rotors on my 05 wrx wagon over the weekend. I used hawk pads and centric rotors and replaced both sides. I did the driver's side first and the passenger side. On the passenger side, after I put in the new rotor and pads, I turn the wheel and noticed a scraping noise (like metal to metal).

At first, I thought it might just be because of the new pad and rotor so I mounted the tire and test-drove the car. When I was driving, there was the same scraping noise even when I'm not pressing the brakes. And I think the noise actually goes away when I press the brakes. I was concerned but proceeded to bed in the brakes anyway. I did a few 30-5mph and 45-5mph but the scraping noise is still there (may be a tiny bit quieter). I stopped doing the bed in but didn't have time to take off the tire to do a check. I have a couple of questions:

What do you think is causing the noise? New pad/rotor not bed in, pads not seating correctly, dust shield bent (didn't seem so when I was mounting the rotor) :mad:
 
#2 ·
Check the thin metal "U" shaped bushing/shim part that sits between the end nub on the end of the brake pad and the caliper bracket. I had a scraping noise on both the cars I've changed brakes on (my bugeye and an F150), and in both cases, that thin little bushing/shim was either installed crooked or bent against the rotor somehow. Just open the caliper back up and ensure everything is seated properly and there is no metal contact against the rotor except the pad surface.

Take off the wheel and slowly spin the hub to try to isolate the source.

Did you use brake lube on the back of the pad surface?
 
#3 ·
Im actually having the same problem...
After a long drive yesterday and just as i was getting home i had that metal on metal sound from the front left.

This morning i took the pads out and checked the dust shield, pads are smoothing. Put it all back together and the noise is still there but just not as loud now.
Now they only thing i did notice was, that when i was pushing the pistons back the inside bottom one i couldnt push much at all, maybe just a few mm so that could explain when its not as loud.

So im wondering has one of the pistons sized and that sound is just coming from the pad rubbing all the time?
oh and when i tip the brakes even very lightly the sound stops and then returns a few seconds later..

Not sure what to do next?!?!?
 
#8 ·
It could also just be that the pads and rotors are so fresh that they actually touch, barely, even without the brake pedal being pressed in. I had that with mine and it took a couple days just to get them worn in enough to not graze each other
 
#10 ·
Here's my bet. I had the same issue but never with the front, but the backs on my wrx. It took a while but they finally wore enough to be fine.

I have a feeling that the QC on some pad MFG's isn't that good, so the pads end up being thicker dimensionally than OE spec. I have only ever ran into it with less expensive brands like Axxis.
 
#11 ·
finally had some time today to get the front end off the ground and spin the wheel, looks like its rubbing on the rotor near the hub side and its about an inch wide. "I can see the wear marks on the new rotor" I took off the new rotors and pads and swapped it with the old ones and hiss hiss hiss is still there. The hiss noise is there when I spin the wheels with the front end up, I can hear it on both sides but its louder on the passenger side. I took it for a spin with the old rotor/pad installed and the sound was gone for about 2 miles and then came right back. Maaaan its beer time!!!!!
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
Your rotor is going to start wearing the second you start driving on it regardless of how new it is.
Try bending your backing plate back away from the rotor to start.

If it's making that same noise even with pads with lower life that's what's telling me is your backing plate.

When you put the old pads and rotors back on did you depress the brake pedal to seat the piston correctly so you coud stop? If not, then it's not your piston since it's not pushing the pads in.

If the piston is holding the pads to close to the rotor when releaing the brake pedal something could be causing your pads to drag. This could be overfilled brake fluid or an obstruction in the brake lines and hoses somewhere not allowing the fluid to return to the master cylinder.
 
#14 ·
New Brake pads and rotors at Meineke car care center in Caldwell, Idaho

Your rotor is going to start wearing the second you start driving on it regardless of how new it is.
Try bending your backing plate back away from the rotor to start.
If it's making that same noise even with pads with lower life that's what's telling me is your backing plate.
When you put the old pads and rotors back on did you depress the brake pedal to seat the piston correctly so you coud stop? If not, then it's not your piston since it's not pushing the pads in.
If the piston is holding the pads to close to the rotor when releaing the brake pedal something could be causing your pads to drag. This could be overfilled brake fluid or an obstruction in the brake lines and hoses somewhere not allowing the fluid to return to the master cylinder.
Eve before Thanksgiving 217 got new brakes and rotors on my 2001 Mercedes-Benz Kompressor, they have been doing this same thing since. My money was now gone (almost $500 they charge) and I remembered that it was closing time Thanksgiving Eve when they were finishing my car, probably in a hurry! so I took my car back to them to be sure I was safe the following day, they told me I was crazy that they do great work. They kept my car the entire day parked out back and refused to look to see what the problem was, so now they have my money and not sure what to do, they were so rude to me and I do not have a guy to help me. So thanks for this information so that I at least know that I am not crazy!
 
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