Brake problems..

[bhw33191]

My brakes still seem to work fine and brake pedal doesn't go to the floor or anything despite all of these symptoms. I've replaced the rear pads so that part of if it should be fine. The lines have never been replaced and they really show it too so thats already on my list.
But heres some symptoms i've noticed:
1.) When backing up even with my foot off the brake the brakes squeal (sounds liek its coming from the front)
2.) Brakes squeak generally at low speeds or coming to a stop
3.) It seems at low speeds the brake pedal feels crunchy in a way if i step on it harder as i slow down (this doesn't happen all the time)
4.) When coming to a stop it feels like the brakes are pulsating as if the rotors are warped (but i'm almost positive thats not the case cause i've never over heated them)
5.) I don't know if this is related at all but when i'm coming to a stop or if i start from a stop sometimes i hear a clunk from the front end which caught my attention

So yeah i guess all of my rambling on just means my front pads need to be replaced. But i still don't know what the clunk i keep hearing from the front is.

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by bhw33191

My brakes still seem to work fine and brake pedal doesn't go to the floor or anything despite all of these symptoms. I've replaced the rear pads so that part of if it should be fine. The lines have never been replaced and they really show it too so thats already on my list.
But heres some symptoms i've noticed:
1.) When backing up even with my foot off the brake the brakes squeal (sounds liek its coming from the front)
2.) Brakes squeak generally at low speeds or coming to a stop
3.) It seems at low speeds the brake pedal feels crunchy in a way if i step on it harder as i slow down (this doesn't happen all the time)
4.) When coming to a stop it feels like the brakes are pulsating as if the rotors are warped (but i'm almost positive thats not the case cause i've never over heated them)
5.) I don't know if this is related at all but when i'm coming to a stop or if i start from a stop sometimes i hear a clunk from the front end which caught my attention

So yeah i guess all of my rambling on just means my front pads need to be replaced. But i still don't know what the clunk i keep hearing from the front is.

A clunk from the front end could indicate wear on something such as a control arm bushing or a seriously failed wheel bearing. More likely a bushing on the front end. All of your other symptoms point to worn brakes - the squeal you are hearing is indicative of the 'wear indicator tab' making contact with the rotor (this is the squeal), and there could be some metal-to-metal action on the edge of the pad. This can cause warped rotors BTW.

[j cAT]

the brake noise when foot off the brake pedal is the wear indicators...the rotors may be damaged causing the pulsating pedal,as well as the other uncommon things you are experiencing...

when the brakes are serviced check that the pads are evenly worn if one is worn much more, than the another , the caliper needs to be looked at as a cause...BINDING...

[bhw33191]

Someone told me that in my situation the brakes could also be causing the clunking. Is this true?

I'm really pissed at myself now because i think i have a worse "more expensive" situation on my hands cuz its been doing this for a few weeks. HOWEVER, i don't use this car very much so let there be hope!

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by bhw33191

Someone told me that in my situation the brakes could also be causing the clunking. Is this true?

I'm really pissed at myself now because i think i have a worse "more expensive" situation on my hands cuz its been doing this for a few weeks. HOWEVER, i don't use this car very much so let there be hope!

clunking in the front could be brakes....if the brakes were not installed correctly...pads will move making noises....


if the clunk has a deeper sound it is very possible its the control arm bushings.. I seen a case where washer fluid leaked out for a time and destroyed these bushings and the front end made this sound..

ball joints will also make this noise ...with wheel off ground check ball joints usually the lowers fail...you can also grease these componets and see it the noise changes or goes away for a time...with all the road damage this is when these ball joints and other front end componets get damaged.

[bhw33191]

UPDATE: Went out today to check out my problem. Found that there was PLENTY brake pad left. I guess the squeaking i sometimes hear is just the cheap brake pad material from being previously replaced if they even HAVE been replaced.

I found out what the clunking was too! TYPICAL ME ...the lug nuts were loose...This isn't the first time either! And the first time it happened i kept having nightmares about being on the highway having the tire fly off and screeching to a stop, or even worse crash the car. So i checked all the lugs and they're as tight as they'll get now.

However, on the left side which is where the squeaking seemed to be coming from i found that the outer pad was loose and would move up and down. Took some vice grips and bent the tabs on one end and now it doesn't move "as much". I'm guessing thats also from being cheap pads. So at least those don't need to be replaced as urgently as i thought, my main worry is getting these break lines replaced in the meantime.

[Scrapper]

yes to me it sounds like cheap pads. did you put disc brake quiet on them when you installed them and also could be loose pads did you bend the ears on the outboard pad on each side? if you never the pads are probably loose and that will make them squek also. and last thing that pulsaiting means your rotors are probably warped already.

[82CapriceClassic]

wow im having clunkin in the back also..back right..i just had my shocks replaced last week..so hopefully he forgot to tighten something up and its not a bad rod or anything...happens when i hit a dip in the road...cant wait to get it in the shop and have it looked at...and my carb is outta whack so now my car is eating up gas...cars..sheesh

[bhw33191]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

yes to me it sounds like cheap pads. did you put disc brake quiet on them when you installed them and also could be loose pads did you bend the ears on the outboard pad on each side? if you never the pads are probably loose and that will make them squek also. and last thing that pulsaiting means your rotors are probably warped already.

I have never replaced the front pads, only the rear drum ones. I heard about that disc brake quiet lube, i'll have to pick some up if its something i can just put on. And yes after seeing the pad was loose i bent the ear till it was tight enough.

So the thing is, i don't really know how my rotors coud be warped since my pads have plenty of miles left on em. The only thing i can think of is back when my grandma owned the car that maybe she did it.

One thing i do know. This car drove up Mt. Washington "before i owned it". For those of you who don't know its a mountain in NH thats a big attraction for tourists to drive up. Its scary too cuz your driving up a road barely wide enough for one car let alone two lanes of opposing traffic "with NO guard rails". Off the top of my head i can't remember how tall it is but i do know that its a long enough journey going down that can cause brakes to overheat.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by bhw33191

I have never replaced the front pads, only the rear drum ones. I heard about that disc brake quiet lube, i'll have to pick some up if its something i can just put on. And yes after seeing the pad was loose i bent the ear till it was tight enough.

So the thing is, i don't really know how my rotors coud be warped since my pads have plenty of miles left on em. The only thing i can think of is back when my grandma owned the car that maybe she did it.

One thing i do know. This car drove up Mt. Washington "before i owned it". For those of you who don't know its a mountain in NH thats a big attraction for tourists to drive up. Its scary too cuz your driving up a road barely wide enough for one car let alone two lanes of opposing traffic "with NO guard rails". Off the top of my head i can't remember how tall it is but i do know that its a long enough journey going down that can cause brakes to overheat.

don't blame grandma so quickly...lets say the rear brakes are not braking, then the fronts do all the work,, then the front rotors overheat...this is very common,,,rear shoes not adjusted,rear self adjusters not working properly....another problem with drum brakes is the drum gets larger over time rust/wear, then the diameter of the drum is much too large and only a small portion of the shoes makes contact with the drum surface....

if you brake fairly hard and the front end dips severely this is an indication....

MT. WASH 6,oooft approx...

[bhw33191]

Actually maybe its not grandmas fault but grandpa's! He drives with two feet . And he always has one foot on the brake so i can possibly see the rotors getting warped by that. But he never drove the car much or far so idk. Whatever, not a big deal anymore.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by bhw33191

Actually maybe its not grandmas fault but grandpa's! He drives with two feet . And he always has one foot on the brake so i can possibly see the rotors getting warped by that. But he never drove the car much or far so idk. Whatever, not a big deal anymore.

I just completed a rear brake job on my sons 94 s10...
the rear shoes looked great but we did not like the drums...old...so the shoes and drums replaced total 88.00....

what a difference in stopping power and the park brake only droped 3 clicks enough to hold the vehicle ..nothing was adjusted...

you may see the same effect with your braking.....over time you don't notice the loss of braking power...