Ok I almost have my Cavy how I want it - added an 01 z/24 interior and power windows/locks etc. Got alot of work done mechanically some needed and some "just cause it is apart" stuff. I have so far replaced all 4 tires, 2 bent rims, 3 of the 4 wheel bearings ( 2 front r/rear)and front rotors and pads as well as other odds and ends. Here is the big problem - it makes a lot of noise at mostly speeds around 35-45mph sounds like a bad bearing but if you just rest your foot on the brake pedal noise disappears and reappears when you let off it. Car also has a vibration at highway speeds of 65-75 steady that may or may not be related possibly another bent rim?? I swear this dude I got it from used the tires for curb feelers LOL !!!!!! Anyway noise sounds to be coming from right front as I drove it around with a buddy for about 2 hours with everything turned off so I could hear the noise clearly and seems most pronounced from RF. I am really good at finding noises no matter how small and having one drives me nuts and I need to fix this to keep driving this car around. I originally put the rotors and pads on for the same issue but only because I had quite a few GM's come in the shop with noisy rotors that looked like mine - all pitted and flaking apart but not really worn just crappy metal. I THINK noise was gone for awhile but this had so many noises from the bent rims and bad tires it may have just been drowned out by everything else. I noticed the outer pads seem to have alot of play in them as far as the top and bottom tips go where they meet the spindle and wonder if the noise is the pads moving around when you are off the brakes and applying slight pressure brakes up the slack and quiets the noises??? I am open to any and all ideas including- VooDoo, fire, exorcism, you name it and I will probably try it so I can enjoy driving this car.
sounds like you have some runout on the rotor and the sliders are'nt moving freely enough... this is just a guess but take the the wheel off and take and look guessing and not looking is basicaly exactly that. you said you work in a shop so i feel confident you will see and issue. also check to make sure that: there isnt a major rust accumulation causing an off ballance. make sure the rotor is fully seat correctly. make sure that the sliders and free and lubed and clean and lube any area the pad may contact. make sure that the pads didnt come aparts and are wearing evenly( if they arent its a sign of seized sliders) check for runout in the bearing(lateral and radial). make sure the axle is tight and same with the lug nuts. basicaly inspect every part of that wheel.
I doubt bearings are bad as they have only less than 900 miles on them same for brakes and rotors. Outer pad seems to have alot of play in it where it sits against the spindle. I am going to take off the rotors and pads and take them back as they are under warranty and get new ones and try putting rotors on lathe BEFORE on the car and seeing if they are straight or not. I am also going to look at caliper slides but pads are wearing nice and even but they may be just worn letting the caliper have slop. I will look at it and post back later in the week.
I took a quick look at this yesterday through the wheels and it looks llike the rotors have a rust lip about 1/8" thick at the top edge on each side and I think this is rubbing the pads making the noise. Rotors look awful worn already too and I double checked my receipt and going by the date and how much I use this car they have MAYBE 1200 miles on them. I drive fast but mostly on the highway and brakes do not get abused so I really do not understand this at all. I am going to exchange the rotors and pads and start from square one again.
If you start from square one, be sure to get new calipers, or at least new slide pins. The last time i replaced my calipers the mechanic said the old pins looked fine, so he didn't use the new ones. Less that 8 months later my rotors were ruined. I looked at the pads and the inner pad was almost gone and the outers still had 1/2 life left. Put the new pins in and all is well now.
Pads still look like new it is the rotors that are worn down already. I am going outside in about 15 minutes to look at it and pull wheels off. Hopefully it is just rotors/pads, bearings are both new and I looked at the slides when I did brakes and they looked like new too and calipers went back nice and smooth and easy too. This is the single biggest annoyance of this car and once I fix it I will be happy again with it. I have about $1400 in it including the car, tags, 4 new tires, 3 bearings tune up and Z/24 interior and power window/lock change over. I just got an almost new Python alarm today with 2 way paging remotes ( a 702 I think) in a Civic that came in the yard and I will be pulling it out tomorrow morning and then putting in the Cavy this weekend. I just need wheels now, I missed the ones from the car my interior came from 3 were like new with new tires but they were sold for scrap before I could get them, I could have had the 3 for $90 bucks with tires.
I took it apart and used a 3m scuffy wheel on the rotors and put some brake lube on the slides as they were bone dry and noise stopped. Glad it was an easy fix !!!!
good to see you fixed it ! just make sure you break in the pads and roters..theres a sticky on it somewhere
Cool experiencing a similar problem with the wife's cavalier, haven't had a chance to look at it, but I think its do to the slider pins.
-2000 Chevy Cavalier Z24 2.4L
-2007 Pontiac G6 3.5L V6 VVT
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