Car repair experts needed.
Jul 15th 2005, 9:39 am
#1
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Location: 'Chillin in ma crib!
Posts: 150
Car repair experts needed.
I have a Ford Falcon (Ahem) tonight while driving home from the BWS I turned a corner into our street and my can started making a grinding/dragging noise, it was coming from the front passenger side.
I know I need to have brakes replaced soon and was going to get this done shortly but I don't think this noise was it as I was not braking at the time, I am thinking bearing or something expensive.
Could anyone shed any light on what it could/could not be because I hate going to garages and handing over my credit card and looking like a complete dick when it comes to cars, I can normally see the Dollar signs in the back of their eyes.
Sorry for posting this here on a good old Friday night but I need to get this fixed and thought someone here might make some sense.
I know I need to have brakes replaced soon and was going to get this done shortly but I don't think this noise was it as I was not braking at the time, I am thinking bearing or something expensive.
Could anyone shed any light on what it could/could not be because I hate going to garages and handing over my credit card and looking like a complete dick when it comes to cars, I can normally see the Dollar signs in the back of their eyes.
Sorry for posting this here on a good old Friday night but I need to get this fixed and thought someone here might make some sense.
Jul 15th 2005, 10:14 am
#2
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 582
Re: Car repair experts needed.
From what you said about the brakes first thought would be a pad worn down to bare metal, does it relate to when you press the brake pedal or is it when you turn the wheel?
It could be a wheel bearing but that is usually more of a rumble and would have been there for some time. You would also notice some sort of a wobble in the steering. There is a possibility with some cars (I haven't worked on a Falcon so not sure) that if the pad becomes worn enough it can jam at an angle giving constant contact, metal on metal to the disc, or in some cases can actually fall out meaning the brake piston is touching the disk.
What age is the car?
As a first port of call I would suggest jacking up the corner making the noise (A trolley jack is preferable but the car jack will do fine just DON'T get any of yourself under the car if you are using the jack that came with the car.
Spin the wheel slowly and see if there is any sign of the rubbing/grinding noise. If not get someone to gently apply the brake pedal to drag the pads on the disc and again spin the wheel gently to see if the noise is there. If still no luck put one hand on the top of the wheel and the other on the bottom (At 12 oclock and 6 oclock positions) and push/pull top and bottom (gently again) if there is a fair bit of movement in the wheel it is most likely a wheel bearing.
After that take the wheel off, have a look at the surface of the discs, they should be fairly smooth and shiny, any roughed up lines, grooves or patches will be an indication of the pad being worn to bare metal.
Use a torch and have a look at the pads in the brake caliper, you should be able to see the metal backing plate and some thickness of pad material, again no sign of pad material is not good. As a rough guide the backing plate will be around half a cm thick and a brand new pad would have about 0.7 to 1 cm of friction material on top of this.
Tell us how you go with it.
It could be a wheel bearing but that is usually more of a rumble and would have been there for some time. You would also notice some sort of a wobble in the steering. There is a possibility with some cars (I haven't worked on a Falcon so not sure) that if the pad becomes worn enough it can jam at an angle giving constant contact, metal on metal to the disc, or in some cases can actually fall out meaning the brake piston is touching the disk.
What age is the car?
As a first port of call I would suggest jacking up the corner making the noise (A trolley jack is preferable but the car jack will do fine just DON'T get any of yourself under the car if you are using the jack that came with the car.
Spin the wheel slowly and see if there is any sign of the rubbing/grinding noise. If not get someone to gently apply the brake pedal to drag the pads on the disc and again spin the wheel gently to see if the noise is there. If still no luck put one hand on the top of the wheel and the other on the bottom (At 12 oclock and 6 oclock positions) and push/pull top and bottom (gently again) if there is a fair bit of movement in the wheel it is most likely a wheel bearing.
After that take the wheel off, have a look at the surface of the discs, they should be fairly smooth and shiny, any roughed up lines, grooves or patches will be an indication of the pad being worn to bare metal.
Use a torch and have a look at the pads in the brake caliper, you should be able to see the metal backing plate and some thickness of pad material, again no sign of pad material is not good. As a rough guide the backing plate will be around half a cm thick and a brand new pad would have about 0.7 to 1 cm of friction material on top of this.
Tell us how you go with it.
Jul 15th 2005, 10:22 am
#3
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Joined: Apr 2003
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Posts: 150
Re: Car repair experts needed.
Cheers mate, this is just the sort of thing I am looking for. I am going to print this off and give it a whirl first thing in the morning and see what happens, if no joy I will be forced to go cap in hand to a local garage.
The car is 7 years old but a good runner, never had any problems with her and have done around 20K KM since buying her in October last year, serviced regularly and I am the second owner.
Thank you very much for a detailed and much needed reply.
The car is 7 years old but a good runner, never had any problems with her and have done around 20K KM since buying her in October last year, serviced regularly and I am the second owner.
Thank you very much for a detailed and much needed reply.
Jul 15th 2005, 10:34 am
#4
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Hillarys, Perth
Posts: 3,973
Re: Car repair experts needed.
It could be the C.V joints as it happened while your were turning.... does it go away when driving in a straight line and only happen when turning? Prob about $150
Also brakes can make a grinding noise without using them as they all have the guides on them to squeal when the pads get low so you know they need changing.
Also brakes can make a grinding noise without using them as they all have the guides on them to squeal when the pads get low so you know they need changing.
Jul 15th 2005, 3:28 pm
#5
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 582
Re: Car repair experts needed.
Originally Posted by Ozzy4life
Cheers mate, this is just the sort of thing I am looking for. I am going to print this off and give it a whirl first thing in the morning and see what happens, if no joy I will be forced to go cap in hand to a local garage.
The car is 7 years old but a good runner, never had any problems with her and have done around 20K KM since buying her in October last year, serviced regularly and I am the second owner.
Thank you very much for a detailed and much needed reply.
The car is 7 years old but a good runner, never had any problems with her and have done around 20K KM since buying her in October last year, serviced regularly and I am the second owner.
Thank you very much for a detailed and much needed reply.
)By the way whereabouts in Oz are you?
Jul 22nd 2005, 9:34 am
#6
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Joined: Apr 2003
Location: 'Chillin in ma crib!
Posts: 150
Re: Car repair experts needed.
Got to the root of the problem, it seems that I have been driving around for a while with no brake pads, metal to metal.
I had the car serviced in May and the guy did point out the brakes would need changing soon but he said they would last 5000Kms to my next service
To cut a long story short I had to replace the discs and pads and it cost $400. 
In future I will have them changed at the first warning, it would of been $250 cheaper!
I had the car serviced in May and the guy did point out the brakes would need changing soon but he said they would last 5000Kms to my next service
To cut a long story short I had to replace the discs and pads and it cost $400. In future I will have them changed at the first warning, it would of been $250 cheaper!
