Recently my 2003 Corolla AT LE with 75K miles starts to make some scratching noise that seems to come from the front brakes. I was told in the most recent checkup a couple of months ago by the dealer that the original stock brake pads still had enough (10/32 " front, and 3/32 " back) left. The scratching noise occurs usually after braking or when making a turn even without braking, and it feels like the brake pads still touch the roter when the noise happens. What could be the reason for the noise? Thanks in advance!
It could be a rust ridge buildup on the edges of the rotor. I have to remove rotors to knock it all off once in a while with a wedge hammer or cold chisel and hammer. Same for the rear drums. Brake pads usually have a metal tab that squeals when not braking to indicate that there is little pad material left.
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If you have an '03 with the original brakes and you have 10/32" in the front and 3/32" in the back then they didn't measure them correctly. I think you have that backwards.
The rear brakes on these almost never seem to wear and the fronts are usually good to about 50,000-60,000 miles.
I think you're into the metal somewhere on your front brakes. Time for some pads and maybe some rotors...
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I agree with MT up there. Just take a look at the front pads that should tell you your answer, and when you do a brake job.. go back with some good ceramic pads.
__________________
57_Belle
(06 Corolla 90k)
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Thanks a lot for all of you for the suggestions! It turns out that one of the four pads (the one at the outer side of the roter at the driver side) had been worn out at one corner of the pad. It was so bad that it had reached the metal part of the pad, and that was reason for the screeching noise. Apparently the dealer didn't do a good job in inspection. The other three pads were still OK. I managed to installed four new pads today (first time for me).
1) What could have caused the uneven wear for that pad?
2) Now there are circular grooves on the roter that spread about half of the pad width close to the edge of the roter on the outer side. I didn't change the roter since I was not prepared for the situation. After the installation of the new pads, I drove the car for a few minutes, and heard some constant noise from the brakes when driving without braking. Was the noise because of needing an adjustment period for the new pads, or because of the grooves on that roter? I didn't feel any shaking when braking, though. Is it still OK to drive with this grooved roter on one side?
You have to get the rotors turned. Most oriellys will turn them of a small fee.
The brake calipers get worn out causing uneven wear to the pads. Replacing the calipers with new/rebuilt calipers will solve this uneven pad weaing.
I had to take my front brakes apart today to clean and regrease the backs of the pads. The pads had a build up of what Im guessing was the coating on the new rotors. The brakes were whump whump whumping on braking. I almost thought it was the new cv shaft acting up so I did the grease clean up on the brakes first and sure enough those pads or the rotor coating was the cause. Time will tell.
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I really appreciate your help, alligatorgar! The damaged rotor is still making a lot of noise today. Should I resurface it or should I replace it with a new one? If I decide to replace the grooved roter on the driver side, should I also replace the other one which still looks good?
They'll use a micrometer to measure the rotor's thickness at its thinnest point to determine if it'll still be within allowable spec (usually marked on rotor) after it's resuraced. Rotors overheat more easily when thinner. Rust also tends to build up all over except where pads touch, further increasing their overheating and fading tendency in more demanding conditions. You can get new quality rotors for little more than having your original ones resurfaced... Your rotors may be seized on tight and hard to remove.
If you went metal to metal it is almost guaranteed the rotor is destroyed. For people who DIY it is almost never worth it to resurface the rotors. You have to disassemble the car. Drive the rotor somehow to the machine shop who will turn them. Wait. Pay 20 bucks a rotor. Drive them back and install them. This is all if the rotor is good. All when a decent quality rotor from Autozone is around 20 bucks a piece new. I would also venture to say the new pads are bad from braking on that destroyed rotor.
As for why the pad is wearing unevenly this is almost guaranteed to be caused by the slide pins having lost their lubrication over the years. The Corolla has a floating caliper meaning when you apply the brakes the piston presses the inner brake pad on the rotor and as the pressure is applied the caliper slides on 2 pins and then evenly distributes the piston force onto the outside pad. If those 2 pins are dry and without proper lubrication then the caliper wont slide and just wear out the inner pad.
When you took apart your brakes to replace the pads you should have had to compress the caliper piston to install the new pads. At that time you should have removed both pins and lubricated them with a slide grease.
If you do not know how to do this follow these instructions to do a proper brake job.
Things you will need.
Jack with jack stands
Ratchet
14MM Socket
17MM Socket
Big F-ing Hammer
Block of wood
C Clamp or caliper compressing tool
Torque Wrench that goes to at least 100Ft lbs
Brake Parts Cleaner (at least 2 cans)
Brake Slide Grease (Sil Glyde works well)
Brake backing Grease for the antirattle shims (I usually just use a dab of the silver antiseize stuff that comes in a tub or the 41 dollar tube of Toyota brake grease part number 08887-80609)
Small bottle of brake fluid
Small Wire brush (tooth brush kind works well)
Rags
1. While the car is on the ground loosen but do not remove all 10 front lug nuts.
2. Jack the car up and lower it on jackstands.
3. Remove the loose lug nuts from both front wheels and remove both wheels.
4. Now you can see your brakes. Look at the brake assemblies towards to front of the caliper(front of the car) and make your way to the inside of the brakes (towards the engine).
5. You should see the mounting bolts for the brake caliper. There are 2 14mm bolts that connect to the slide pins and seperate the caliper from the caliper bracket. Remove these 2 bolts and remove the caliper and hang it from the strut using a coat hanger or bungee cord to prevent the brake line from being stressed.
6. Remove the brake pads
7. Remove the 2 17mm bolts that hold the caliper bracket to the backing plate
8. Remove the rotor. Usually these are rusted on and Corollas do not have to predrilled holes to drill them out. What I usually do is use my big hammer and block of wood and hit the rotor off. Some people have a way to do it using bolts and washers.
9. Now that everything is apart apply brake cleaner to the calipers, backing plates and brake area then take your brake pads and caliper brackets to the clean work table or area.
10. Remove the anti rattle shims from your original pads or use the new ones if your new pads came with shims. If they didnt come with shims use the Toyota brake grease or anti seize and put a small dab (about 1 inch) on the center of the pad backing and install the shims. Reinstall the wear indicators onto your new pads. Using your anti seize apply a very small layer to the top and bottom of the pads where it fits into the caliper bracket (DO NOT GET ANY ON THE FACING OF THE PAD!!!) this will ensure there is no noise when the pads shift during braking.
11. Using your wirebrush clean the anti rattle clips on the brake caliper bracket from all the brake dust and rust where the pad makes contact.
12. Looking at the brake caliper bracket you will see 2 pins from where you remove the 14mm bolts initially. These will have a rubber boot around them and in your car are probably dry and stuck. Simply grab the end and twist and remove the pin without removing the boot.
13. Clean the pin off completely with a rag and brake clean.
14. Using your Sil Glyde or slide grease apply a small layer of grease to the entire pin sliding surface. Reinstall the pin and pull it back and forth a few times to ensure it slides well. Do not put too much grease or the pin will not be able to go all the way into the slot as the grease will fill up the hole.
15. Spray the bracket with brake cleaner.
16. Using your wire brush clean the rust from around the hub where the rotor sits.
17. Using your antiseize put a thin layer around the hub circle.
18. Mount your new rotor onto the hub and using one lugnut handtight secure the rotor. Make sure to clean the rotor with brake clean to get all the anti rust stuff off.
19. Install your brake caliper bracket onto the spindle and tighten the 2 17mm bolts. Be careful here as you do not want to gouge the face of the rotor
20. Install the brake pads ensuring the the lube on the tops and bottoms was not so much that is contacts the rotor face. If you used the original anti rattle shims ensure the pads go back in their original locations as the shims are different. The side with the caliper is usually obvious as it will have a big circle in the middle from the piston.
21. Remove the brake reservoir cap and set it to the side. Compress the brake caliper piston all the way in.
22. Reinstall the brake reservoir cap.
23. Reinstall the caliper on the caliper bracket around the pads and tighten the 2 14 mm bolts. Do not crank these bolts too tight as it is easy to break them and destroy the pin.
24. Remove the lug nut securing the brake rotor and reinstall the wheel.
25. Tighten the lug nuts hand tight with your torque wrench with the wheel in the air.
26. Lower the car off the jack stands.
27. Torque the wheels to 76 lb ft.
28. Without starting the car hit the brake a few time to ensure you have proper preload on your calipers.
29. Start the car and hit the brakes a few times.
30. Check your brake fluid level at this point and top off as necessary.
31. Go to a proper brake pad brake in by driving the car to 50MPH and then slowly hitting the brakes until coming to a complete stop. Do this at least 3 times.
32. Enjoy your cars brakes for another 50-120000 miles.
Last edited by hardtopte72; 11-21-2011 at 04:00 AM.
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As for why the pad is wearing unevenly this is almost guaranteed to be caused by the slide pins having lost their lubrication over the years. The Corolla has a floating caliper meaning when you apply the brakes the piston presses the inner brake pad on the rotor and as the pressure is applied the caliper slides on 2 pins and then evenly distributes the piston force onto the outside pad. If those 2 pins are dry and without proper lubrication then the caliper wont slide and just wear out the inner pad.
Thanks a lot for the great help, hardtopte72! I really appreciate it.
I'm planning to replace the rotors tomorrow with a pair of Wearever brake rotors I just bought, so I don't know yet whether the slide pins are dry or not. However, the uneven wear on the old pad occurred only on upper corner of the outer (not inner) pad on the driver's side. Could the uneven wear still have been caused by a dry slide pin?
Quote:
Originally Posted by hardtopte72
I would also venture to say the new pads are bad from braking on that destroyed rotor.
I have only driven the car with the new pads with the damaged rotor for about 14 miles so far. Really hope the new pads are still OK.
Your pads should still be fine. They'll adjust to your new rotors.
I clean and relube the pins when I replace the pads. I do it also when the pads are about half worn when I clean out the pads' dust groove. Inner pad still wears a bit faster and slightly unevenly, so I also rotate them to maximize their service life. I also bleed front calipers, rear wheel cylinders (drum brakes) and clutch release cylinder, before bleed fittings seize up permanently... Brake fluid should be replaced every two years.
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If you havent driven that much on the pads and possibly destroyed rotor then just buy a few foot long strips of like 200 grit sandpaper. And when you remove the pads to do the brake job sand down all 4 pads until they are nice and flat.
The way to do this is lay your sand paper flat on the table. While holding the sandpaper with one hand and the pad in your other hand slowly but very firmly drag the pad from one end of the sandpaper to the other. Kind of like you are using the pad to "PET" the sandpaper. As the dust wears off you want the pad face to look uniform. It should only take 3-5 passes especially if they are still good.
Hope this helps and happy thanksgiving.
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