Brake Job: Update Fixed that noise!

"Tripper" (tripe46) 06/07/2020 at 17:30 • Filed to: None

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Update: I took our Forester over to my best pal’s yesterday. We bled the brakes on his TDI golf via power bleeder, which was slow and the last (drivers front) bleeder screw was stuck. He decided not to gamble and we moved on to the Forester. We used the two man method w a bleeder (check valve) bottle. We over did it... going into my 3rd bottle, but at least I had it and there is no doubt that it’s all clean. After that we had a look at my noisy passenger front brake. We saw that the ... spine? of the disc was ever so slightly contacting the ... shim? (metal thingy that holds the brake pads in place). I took it out, adjusted it and boom! No noise! I’ve done plenty of brake jobs but I always used to take it to my inde to flush the system. It’s no big deal. Complete brake system service $240.

I did the pads and rotors on my wife’s Forester curbside on Sunday. I intended to flush/bleed the brake system too, but I didn’t get started til noon. Also I’m not in a position where I can put the car all the way up on jack stands and take all 4 off. At least I don’t think it’s allowed. I’ve never flushed the brakes before but the concept of moving it before all corners have been done seems like I’d be mixing new/old fluid.

Anyway, my buddy who has done this before and has a vacuum bleeder and is doing his car this coming weekend so I’m going to ride his coat tails there and then we’ll rip mountain bikes afterward.

I went with the power stop kit from summit racing ($205)

The job went smoothly except for the rear discs. First of all I forgot how hand brakes work. After I figured that out I had to take some hard whacks with a hammer to get em loose.

The front passenger side disc came right off, but the driver’s side required a few light slams with the rubber mallet.

Twas time

I did, briefly, have to put both sides of the front up on jack stands in order to turn the wheels so I could put the torque wrench on the caliper bracket bolts. I knew I probably had it tight with my hand, but it’s my wife a kiddo in this thing I gotta hear that click.

It was also my first time using my new cordless impact wrench for more than a bolt or two. LOL @ breaker bars, truly life changing. I forgot to use brake cleaner on the inside of the rear discs...didn’t even mind spinning everything off again real quick!

I followed the brake, brake in procedure and after some driving all of the brakes were nice and quiet...except for one...The front passenger makes an ever so quiet swish siwsh swish sound when no pressure is applied to the pedal. You can’t even hear it with the windows up. Yesterday I took the wheel off, caliper off, and removed the front pads. They kinda looked a little more metallic than I thought they ought to. I Hit the pads and discs with brake cleaner, made sure the little metal bits were seated properly and put it all back together...SILENCE...until the first hard stop, then back to the quiet swish swish swish unless you’re applying pressure to the brake pedal...Hopefully it goes away?

I like wrenching, how about you? I have to admit that I have taken it as far as writing up faux invoices for the maintenance work I do on our cars. I say it’s so that we have a record of it, but really its because I am a child.

dogisbadob > Tripper 06/02/2020 at 16:40

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You should’ve gotten coated rotors so that they don’t freeze on like that :p

jminer > Tripper 06/02/2020 at 17:16

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I love cordless impacts!  I even use my little impact driver with an adapter for 1/4 and 3/8 which saves a ton of time vs turning a ratchet.

Aremmes > Tripper 06/02/2020 at 17:29

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Something to keep in mind for next time: you can use the two threaded holes on the rotors with appropriately sized bolts as extractors. Just screw the bolts in and tighten alternately until the rotor pops.

Boxer_4 > Aremmes 06/02/2020 at 17:36

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M8x1.25

sony1492 > Tripper 06/02/2020 at 17:39

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The swishing noise might be the dust cover being bent slightly, hopefully something simple

Tripper > sony1492 06/02/2020 at 19:11

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That’s what I thought but when I took it apart the second time to check, It didn’t look like it was contacting anywhere only starts when the breaks warm up 

Tripper > Aremmes 06/02/2020 at 19:30

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Lol fuckaduck, thanks!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Aremmes 06/02/2020 at 19:45

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Yeah that is nice and all except for places that salt the roads. Those damn holes are always rusted to hell. Every time I did the rotors on my East coast miata, I had to sledge hammer the fuck out of them until they broke free. Meanwhile on my west coast cars now, both sets of rotors simply slide off when the bolts are removed. Its like fucking cheat codes!!!

Aremmes > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 06/02/2020 at 21:33

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PennDOT salts the roads, though not as much as New England . The threaded holes still work here.

Thisismydisplayname > Tripper 06/02/2020 at 22:49

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When bleeding you can do one wheel at a time. Either start at the farthest from the master, or the nearest and run around the car one wheel off at a time.  Biggest issue we have here in the rust belt is the bleeders seizing up.  At that point we just replace the caliper too.  So be prepared to make a parts store run if need be.  Also those vacuum bleeders aren’t very good relative to a power bleeder or even a person on the pedal.  You can use it to flush out the lines, but before you leave the corner, make sure to do a proper bleed with someone on the brake pedal and someone on the bleeder.  Been there, done that.  I now have a motive power bleeder that I use exclusively.  One man operation.  

Thisismydisplayname > Tripper 06/02/2020 at 22:51

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Oh yeah and did you pull all the pins and clean and degrease them while the calipers were off?  Any rough spots or sticky spots on the slides?  That could cause your pad drag too.  

stuckMTB > Tripper 06/03/2020 at 10:05

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I did the brakes on my 2004 330 a year and a half ago, and have had a noise that sounds like a caliper drag since. I’ve taken it into a mechanic since for other issues and had them check it out, but they said it’s fine. 

Thisismydisplayname > Tripper 06/07/2020 at 18:19

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Nicely done, and I don’t blame your buddy one bit about leaving that last corner alone.  I’m surprised the power bleeder took longer than two Manning it.  I’ve always been able power bleeder quicker.  Just put in a quart, pump up to 15 psi and start at the passenger rear, top up the pressure and move on.