Brake pads grinding

[justinf89]

I'm having a problem with my new brake pads grinding on the front left side under moderate stopping less than 5mph. It's a very loud grinding/scraping ONLY for the first couple of stops when the brakes are cold.

A few months back, I replaced all the pads (ceramic front/semi-metallic rear), and rotors, lubed all the slide pins, etc.

I thought maybe it just had to break in but now months later, it's still grinding. The rotor on that side doesn't have the new cross-hatching anymore but the passenger side still does and looks like new, so there is definitely extra wear happening. When braking the explorer doesn't pull to the left or anything.

To try and isolate the problem, I put the pads and hardware on the passenger side and the problem still exists on the drivers side. Im thinking maybe it's the caliper not putting even pressure on the pad? The front has two piston calipers, which both move smoothly when I clamped them back in.

I'm at a loss. I don't mind replacing the calipers if that's what it is but I don't like replacing parts 'just to see'.

Today while i'm out there, I'm going to swap the front rotors and see if the problem moves to the passenger side. If it doesn't, I suspect it must be the driver side caliper because at that point, everything in the front will be swapped with the passenger side.

PLEASE HELP, this is driving me mad!

 

[Doog]

Sounds like you may have a sticky caliper and the pads are dragging. Try this on the noisy wheel:

1. remove pads, remove caliper, open bleeder, retract piston pushing out old brake fluid. If it is sticking you will find out this way. Then before you reassemble take a flat file and file a slight chamfer in the rotor edge on both outside edges. Then clean the face of the rotor with the file and put some cross scratches in the rotor face on both sides. Clean with brake cleaner. Reassemble with some brake lube on the backs of the pads and bleed caliper. Re-bed. If pad looks glazed, sand it a little.

I have found that bleeding calipers with every re-line keeps them working better.

 

[TFB1]

Possibly the driver side caliper is sticking slightly, would account for extra wear an possibly the noise when cold, though front brakes often wear unevenly... Also the pads for that side could be glazed, you can try rubbing them lightly on a 200 grit sandpaper that's on a perfectly flat surface...

 

[Dakota1820]

I agree check for sticking calipers easy to fix to . I'd buy them and then check them and if they are bad replace if not take them back.

 

[JHZR2]

Look at the rotors through the holes in the wheels. See any surface rust?

I get this due to surface rust on rotors on some cars. Do a few stops, rotors are clean and work perfectly.

 

[NHGUY]

I would replace brake hoses.Sounds like one is getting restricted.When they get old,the open hole grows smaller and restricts flow (like a prostate)...

 

[LeakySeals]

Might be the wear clips. If your maintaining your own car you dont need them. Also did you grease the heck out of the hardware?