Brake noise? Need advice!

First off the noise....It would be best described as an aluminum bat dragging the pavment. It came out of nowhere or at least got louder very quickly. The noise does speed up as I accel, and it makes or turns into a crunching noise when braking. It seems to be coming from the passenger side and possible the rear. I thought maybe a rock...so I swung by a power washer car wash station and see if that and shaking the brake cover would loosen something, but it didnt.

Second, I have 86,000 on her now, and from what I know they are still stock brakes!!! So if this does trace to a brake issue I will just replace the pads at all four corners. The fronts just about a week ago max starting making a noise telling me they want out. It has been just too hot here for me to get out and do it 100 heat index plus HUMIDITY! So this makes me wonder out of a 10 scale (10 being hardest) how difficult are the brakes on a VX. I only ask as this will be my first venture, I am sure it is easy I just want to make sure there is not something out there that I need to know. Plus would you suggest anything else other than the stockers? I love them but upfront they are so expensive.

Third, I know I could have maybe used the search function on this. But sometimes i like to post a new one, since we are forever growing here and gaining more and more knowledge....Plus I need to mention I just snuck and typed this as this is my 2yr anniversary with the wife.

Thanks for any help in advance..

sounds to me like you might need to replace a rotor as well.
about 4 years ago my right rear brakes went from being fine to having no pad at all. it ruined my rotor and i had to replace that. while they were being done the tech notived that the caliper was not retracting. they did a quick fix on it and it was fine for about two years. then the same problem happened again. so i replaced everything myself and i haven't had a problem since. it's not too had to do your self at all. just as long as you know how to do brakes you should be fine.

Check and see if a small rock has become wedged between the rotor and the back shield. This has happened to several VXers and makes a sound like you are describing. With a bit of prying with a screw driver you can remove it.

Sounds to me like you've worn through the rear pads & gotten into the rotor.

Even though this is making the sound prior to braking!?!

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Originally Posted by JHarris1385

Even though this is making the sound prior to braking!?!

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Best way to figure this s--- out, is to pull off the tires & look...:yesgray:

If the sound is prior to braking I would say that it is something caught between the dust shield and the rotor on one of the front wheels. You said that you went to a car wash and flushed stuff out, but did you just do the rear? I had a rock get wedged in between the dust shild and the rotor in my passenger front tire and it made an awful noise. To get the rock out we had to remove the wheel, loosen the dust shield and finally pry the rock (actually a pebble) out; it was wedged in there that good.

I say "we" above, because the rock removal was a group effort at The Portal, in the dark, a couple of years ago in Moab.

i think it's the brake pads. it happened to mine. they weren't retracting and even when i wasn't hitting the brakes it making a grinding noise.
but yeah pulling off the wheel and checking to see where it's at is probably gonna be your best bet.

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Originally Posted by JHarris1385

It would be best described as an aluminum bat dragging the pavment

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Not sure if its the same problem or not, but I just had this same noise. It was a slightly bent backing plate. Had my friends over at Tire Discounters check it out while I was having my tires rotated.

Take a screw driver and tap on the backing plate, you'll recognize the sound right away.

Mine wasnt that bad and the noise only showed itself when I took a hard right turn with alot of downward force on the front left wheel.

could also be your e-brake shoes in the rear, if one of them worked its way loose it could be dragging on the inside of the rear rotor

Today is the day to get out and look at what the issue is....

The ebrake idea is a good suggestion. Prior to the noise I did just engage the e brake to move the faceplate around the shifters on and off. I do have little brake knowledge at this point...the e brake is on the inside of the rear rotors?

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Originally Posted by JHarris1385

the e brake is on the inside of the rear rotors?

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yes...


at least they are on my wifes car.

Yep, take a look at the image below of my disassembled rear brakes (during my last brake job). What looks like drum brake shoes (the curved pads) are actually our e-brake.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da...ake_Job_12.JPG

Hope that helps.

Wow overly impressed with our stock pads!
I went ahead and swaped out all four corners with new pads. I went with the ceramic all around...
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...3351&ppt=C0068

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...3351&ppt=C0068

I have about 86k on my stock pads. The fronts had about 1/4 inch left on the outside pad and about a 1/3-1/4 on the inside. The REARS were another story. First with the one at question the rear inside pad wore groves into the rotor on the passenger side..so that had to be the noise. Overall I had about 1/4-1/8 left on all other rear pads. I drove it up and down the street about a mile or so and everything seems to be fine. So it looks like it was the inside passenger brake pad scrapping the rotor. I swear I heard no indication until it was too late as all other pads were not in this condition, in fact the fronts looks fine.

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Originally Posted by JHarris1385

The REARS were another story. First with the one at question the rear inside pad wore groves into the rotor on the passenger side..so that had to be the noise.

I drove it up and down the street about a mile or so and everything seems to be fine. So it looks like it was the inside passenger brake pad scrapping the rotor.

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Did you replace the rotor that was damaged?, or at least have it turned? (IF it was still thick enough)

You will prematurely wear the new pad on the rough surface if not...:_wrench:

I have not yet...I didnt get my brake job done till after 10pm or so...everything was closed. I am going to today. I am not sure they will be able to turn it or not.

Is it normal for the inside pads to be about half the thickness of the outer?

This job would have been alot easier if the pins would have came out easier....they were muddy from all the off road stuff.

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Originally Posted by JHarris1385

Is it normal for the inside pads to be about half the thickness of the outer?

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It seems to happen that way sometimes.

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Originally Posted by JHarris1385

This job would have been alot easier if the pins would have came out easier....they were muddy from all the off road stuff.

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You need to clean the pins, & the cavity in the mounting bracket real well with brake parts cleaner, then grease em' up real good with some fresh caliper grease...:yesgray: (after they've dried from cleaning)
Get caliper grease at your local purveyor of all things automotive.

Otherwise, not only will your calipers be more likely to hang up & drag, the pins can become seized in the hole & the head will snap off next time you try to remove them...:_wrench:

(don't ask how I know that...:rolleyesg)

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Originally Posted by JHarris1385

I have not yet...I didnt get my brake job done till after 10pm or so...everything was closed. I am going to today. I am not sure they will be able to turn it or not.

Is it normal for the inside pads to be about half the thickness of the outer?

This job would have been alot easier if the pins would have came out easier....they were muddy from all the off road stuff.

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You'll likely have to replace the rotor, I had a stuck caliper on the front and the rotor was too much eaten into to resurface. See my thread on the rotor question.