I think i found the noise.. Beater brake job

[901Memphis]

This starts back in September of 2015 when I had my Indy mechanic putting a water pump on my high mileage Nissan Altima. He told me after working on the car the brake rotors were badly rusted and recommended replacement.

I checked them out through the steelies and they didn't look anymore rusty than what I would expect from old rotors in this area and they stopped good with zero vibration or noise so I left them alone and ordered some closeout parts off Rockauto.

I actually ended up getting some good parts on closeout I'll post the screen shot.




Fast forward to a few days ago I started getting the awful metallic grind when stopping so I knew it was time to see what's going on.

The drivers side had tons of meat left and fairly rusty everything. The clips were rusted pretty badly to the caliper, but nothing I didn't expect.


Here is the driver's side all put together.



The passenger side was a little different.

Yep that's the noise!


The inner bad was worn to metal but the outer had some left. Interesting enough the clips on the passenger side seemed much less rusty.




Here's the passenger side rotor



Here's both of the old ones next to one of the new ones.







Here's the passenger side all put together.












After I put it together I took it for a test drive. I thought it stopped good before but wow it will lock up the tires now.

 

[spasm3]

Nice! It should brake even better after a few hundred miles , as the pads wear-in and mate better to the rotor.

 

[eljefino]

Did you find anything sticky in the pins/ hardware on the troubled side?

 

[RichardS]

Where was this clearance at?!

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: RichardS
Where was this clearance at?!


Rockauto randomly closes out old parts. According to the date code the rotors are from 2002 and the pads from 2010.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Did you find anything sticky in the pins/ hardware on the troubled side?


I wasn't really sure. Everything was pretty cruddy. I cleaned everything up a little bit. I wasn't too worried about it because I don't think the rest of the car will out last the new pads.

 

[Lubener]

Just finished brake job with similar pricing at Rock Auto clearances. You just have to pay attention to get items shipping from same warehouse or you pay twice.

 

[Warstud]

I bet the caliper needs rebuilding or replaced.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: Warstud
I bet the caliper needs rebuilding or replaced.


Yes I would say that's a safe bet, especially considering the drastically different conditions of the pads.

I don't plan on putting any money into the car unless necessary

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I didn't know NTK made rotors

But still, I like to use coated rotors where rust is a problem

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

I don't plan on putting any money into the car unless necessary


I think a faulty brake should be fixed Asap.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
I didn't know NTK made rotors

But still, I like to use coated rotors where rust is a problem

It's old stock from 15 years ago.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: Warstud
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

I don't plan on putting any money into the car unless necessary


I think a faulty brake should be fixed Asap.


Well the car stops. I'm not worried about accelerated wear to the pads for reasons mentioned earlier.

 

[copcarguy]

I recently did a front brake job on my '97 Tracer wagon with all RockAuto closeouts: The rotors are UltraRotor part #6131 which I got for $11.21 each, and the pads are "Wagner" 1M7353 I scored for $5.29. The pads are "premium, non-asbestos, semi-metallic, lifetime warranty" and came in a "Big A" brand box made by Wagner. I googled them and from what I can tell they went out of business in 1998 or something. SO much for the warranty lol

 

[copcarguy]

I also have my vehicles set up with a feed from rockauto, so everyday I get an email with whatever they have on closeout for my particular vehicles... I've gotten some super deals this way. Even if I don't need a certain part at that exact time, if the price is too good to be true, I'll grab it and add it to my parts stash.

 

[L_Sludger]

Maybe the most important thing with brake jobs, besides making sure the caliper brackets are bolted on tight, is to make sure that the caliper sliders are lubed well and move freely. It makes a huge difference!

 

[Omahaug]

I like how those NTK rotors have the measurements on the hat.

Did you get any rust on the wheel? I've had to do brakes on a car that where the pads on one side were exactly like the one you showed, the steel dust from the ground down backing plate stuck to the clear coat on the wheel and rusted all to [censored] a week later.

I didn't even see any embedded dust before it rusted. I recommend you clean that wheel and the area before it rusts if possible.

 

[mk378]

You can't properly inspect brakes with the wheels on.

Although the right one did have a "ring of rust" on the outside, which means even on a glance through the wheel it should have been condemned. The entire surface of the rotor which touches the pads needs to stay free of rust. "Normal" rust on a brake rotor is only on the non-friction areas.

If the slide pins are stuck you're only using the pad with the piston pressing on it (the inside one, that you can't inspect with the wheel on), which means less stopping power and that one pad will wear out rapidly.

 

[Lubener]

I am sure glad that neglected vehicle never was approaching me from the rear while waiting at a light.Whatever happened to periodic inspections when rotating tires?? Brakes in that condition don't happen overnight.Amazing that rotor on the right didn't collapse.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: Warstud
I bet the caliper needs rebuilding or replaced.


Yes I would say that's a safe bet, especially considering the drastically different conditions of the pads.

I don't plan on putting any money into the car unless necessary


Needn't cost / have costed anything. You could quite possibly have saved the original system if you'd stripped and cleaned it up when you first knew of a problem.

I get that you had some cheap new parts on hand so weren't interested in saving the original, but now you've had it apart and put new components on it with the original problem very probably still there.

This was a wasted opportunity, and possibly a waste of money, though you might get away with it.