Question for the brake gurus
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Janesville WI
Question for the brake gurus
Probably a simple answer from you guys who know what you are doing...
Detailed the vette yesterday and took it out for a ride afterwards. I noticed as I was crusing down a side street with my window open that I could hear a rattle/sqweak from the left rear wheel. Not super loud, but annoying nonetheless. If I just lightly touch the brake pedal it goes away instantly, but comes back when I take my foot off the pedal. Ideas? The car has 41,000 on it and the brakes work just fine (well, with this exception).
Thanks in advance for your help!
Detailed the vette yesterday and took it out for a ride afterwards. I noticed as I was crusing down a side street with my window open that I could hear a rattle/sqweak from the left rear wheel. Not super loud, but annoying nonetheless. If I just lightly touch the brake pedal it goes away instantly, but comes back when I take my foot off the pedal. Ideas? The car has 41,000 on it and the brakes work just fine (well, with this exception).
Thanks in advance for your help!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,137
Likes: 1,727
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Re: Question for the brake gurus (PIN DR)
Could be worn pads, could be the rotor warped a little and you hear it scrape, could be the wheel bearing
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,717
Likes: 5
From: RI
Re: Question for the brake gurus (PIN DR)
Just had the SAME exact symptoms. Found that both sets of rear pads were down to the wear indicators. Mine has 44k on it so that seems about right. If the wear indicator is as mine was you have about 5% left. Don't wait and get it replaced ASAP. You'll need a 1/2 drive with an 18MM socket to break the bolts free. Don't forget the torque wrench when you rebolt them back on the car. Also don't forget the grease on the back and bottoms of pads to keep them quite......
Kitt
Kitt
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Janesville WI
Re: Question for the brake gurus (vader86)
Could be worn pads, could be the rotor warped a little and you hear it scrape, could be the wheel bearing
Curious...
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Question for the brake gurus (PIN DR)
I had some noise and it a badly worn left front brake pad.
With 40k miles on the pads it would be worth a look at the pads front & rear.
If the noise is speed dependent you might also expect a wheel bearing.
You should be able to tell the source by jacking the wheels and spinning the tire.
With 40k miles on the pads it would be worth a look at the pads front & rear.
If the noise is speed dependent you might also expect a wheel bearing.
You should be able to tell the source by jacking the wheels and spinning the tire.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,137
Likes: 1,727
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Re: Question for the brake gurus (PIN DR)
Why would worn pads cause a noise when they are not being applied? For that matter, why, if it was a wheel bearing, would it stop making noise by just lightly touching the brake pedal?
Curious...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Janesville WI
Re: Question for the brake gurus (vader86)
Pads can scrape the rotor anytime, moreso if the rotor is warped in the slightest; if you apply the brakes, it forces the wheel to remain steady and no wobble which is consistent with a bad bearing.[/QUOTE]
>
Got it, thanks!
>
Got it, thanks!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Janesville WI
Re: Question for the brake gurus - problem located
[QUOTE]Pads can scrape the rotor anytime, moreso if the rotor is warped in the slightest; if you apply the brakes, it forces the wheel to remain steady and no wobble which is consistent with a bad bearing.
>
Turns out its a bad caliper bracket on the left rear. Could have been worse I guess.
>
Turns out its a bad caliper bracket on the left rear. Could have been worse I guess.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer