Rear brake/hub problem.

J

Joisey Jim

Guest
After replacing the rear brake pads some months ago, I started to get a mild screaching noise from the rear passenger side wheel, under accelleration. When I pulled the wheel, I found that the actual brake pads were coming away from the backing plate (riveted type). I took them back to PepBoys (they were Raybestos) and they exchanged them (the driver's side was ok).
Now that noise is back, so I checked again & the pads are starting to loosen-up again. I also checked the rotor temperatures after a run and the passenger side was definitely 20 deg F hotter than the other side. I'm wondering if the sealed hub bearing is going bad and creating that excessive heat. The calipers are in good shape, the piston screwed back in ok, the pins are well greased and, the parking brake mechanism works & is in good shape. On the fronts you can spin the hub to feel for any play or binding; but what can you do on the rears to test them?, besides pulling them off and having the bearings pressed out. Any ideas or similar experiences would be welcome. It's my '93 SC with almost 200,000m.
Jim.
 
If the bearing is bad enough to make enough heat like that, it should be noticable from just turning it. Jack the rear end up (block the front wheels so it won't roll) and try and turn the wheel on the right, and then on the left listening for noise.

Pull the caliper off if it's rubbing on the rotor and making it's own noise. It should be fairly silent. Compare both sides. You can use a auto stethescope to make it easier to hear.

If it sounds the same on both sides, it's not likely the bearing. you might want to visually inspect the brake caliper brackets to make sure they are not bent, or loose, or somehow cocked in their position. If the caliper isn't pulling the pad square against the rotor, it might be failing the pads.
 
Thanks Mike - I tried the wheel turning test last nite, but you can't really get them moving fast enough by hand . However, I noticed the base of the shock casing had a very big 'ding' in it (wasn't leaking) and the solid part of the brake hose (from the banjo to the rubber) was fowling the small bolt to the caliper pin. So I wonder if something had got jammed in the hub area and bent the caliper frame. I'm going to double check the caliper, pad & rotor alignment again at the week-end & possibly cut (originals, cut twice already)or replace the rotors and ,see what happens.
 
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