breaks or bearings? need help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Ontario ca
breaks or bearings? need help
Hi I have this squeek or screach like noise coming from my left front wheel under normal driving, and I was wondering if someone could help diagnoss it. from what i have read so far in the c4 section it seems that when the bearings begin to go bad they like to leak and mine arent, also if i apply the breaks at all the sound goes away. so could someone please help me out. also i should mention that while inspecting the left front i noticed that if i tried i could fairly easily rock my caliper and i was wondering if this was normal on c4s cuz i could do it to both the left and right caliper. oh its a 94 with aboout 125k miles
thanks
thanks
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,236
Likes: 355
From: Albuquerque, NM
Sounds like brakes. My '92 does the same thing... makes a sqeak that stops immediately when the brakes are applied. I asked a Corvette mechanic about it and he said it's fairly common. As the pads and rotors wear, a situation occurs where an edge of a rotor rubs against part of a pad. I wouldn't worry about it if you still have some life in the pads and if the rotors are in good shape, but if it bothers you do a brake job and have the rotors turned.
Keep in mind that the front bearings seldom go bad. It's the rear ones you have to worry about. I just replaced mine at 118,000 miles, and they had some play. You can check bearing play by lifting the car, holding the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions, and trying to rock the tire in and out. If you feel any more than a few thousandths of an inch of play, it's time to replace the bearings. Usually the rears go 75,000 to 100,000 miles.
The calipers should be solid. Check the mounting bolts and brackets. The rotors will move around a little bit once you take the wheels off, but the calipers shouldn't.
Keep in mind that the front bearings seldom go bad. It's the rear ones you have to worry about. I just replaced mine at 118,000 miles, and they had some play. You can check bearing play by lifting the car, holding the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions, and trying to rock the tire in and out. If you feel any more than a few thousandths of an inch of play, it's time to replace the bearings. Usually the rears go 75,000 to 100,000 miles.
The calipers should be solid. Check the mounting bolts and brackets. The rotors will move around a little bit once you take the wheels off, but the calipers shouldn't.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
Likes: 298
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Do a complete inspection....
Jack up the vette and put it on a jack stand. Take the wheel off and first look at the caliper and see if it is loose. I think it might be. If it is, put in new bolts and use locktight on them. If thats not it, look at the pads. There are some anti-squeek adjustors that come with new pads and yours might have poped off.(they look like little clips) I guess what i'm saying is look and see what is loose. When you see what is, get back to the Forum and we'll give you the next step in the fix.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 0
From: DFW TX
Originally Posted by Randexter
Hey thanks for the info i was realy worried that it might be the bearings, seing as how thats probably not the case i think ill just go and get the breaks done. thanks for the help 
It will cost you big time for soemthing that is very easy and cheap to do yourself. Vettes are the easiest I've ever seen to replace pads.
Pick up a Haynes manual from Autozone and see how easy it is to do yourself.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Ontario ca
problem is its my fathers car and for some reason he wont let me lay a hand on the car, he just lets me drive it but never work on it. I realy dont understand why seing as how ive done plenty of work on my 69 but thats just the way it is. thanks again for the help.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Pismo Beach California
Originally Posted by tm1995c4-LT1
Sounds like it could be the wear indicator? What condition are your pads in?
Even after installing NEW pads, on NEW rotors, mine always squeak. The squeak stops when enough pressure is applied to the pedal.
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