Front end noise

[jcwit]

I have a 2001 Ford Escort 4 door Sedan with 135,000 miles. This all started out with noise caused by bad front wheel bearings, had them both replaced along with new calibers and pads. I now have a clicking noise that I think is coming from the right front wheel, does not sound like the wheel bearing did. I also have a mushy brake pedal, only at times not all, and on the second push the pedal is OK. Also have a bad viberation at speed, real bad at 70 mph on the toll road. Did not have any of this before the work was done.

Any ideas? All work was done by my mechanic.

[Davescort97]

If the clicking noise occurs when you are turning it could be a bad CV joint. With the brake pedal neediing a second push to feel solid means there could be air in the system and may need to be bled. Most likely your wheels may need to be balanced to correct the vibration. Before you do any of the above have your front end checked out again by your mechanic. A front wheel bearing with a lot of play in it will cause all 3 problems that you describe. I'd go back to my mechanic and let him know what my concerns were in a friendly way. It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. I'm sure he'd be willing to check his work and let you know what the problem is. If it were me I'd be more than willing to do that. If I've worked on somebody's car and there's a problem I want to know about it so I can make it right. Let your mechanic look at it asap because it could be a safety related problem.

[jcwit]

Thanks for the reply. I am almost certain it's not the CV joints as this noise is present even when going down the road in straight line at any speed. It of course sounds slower at slow speed and faster at high speed. I'll have no problem with him double checking, he's as much a family friend as having his own business. One of the perks of living in a small town of approx 3000 people. The car is going to go in tomorrow for rear brakes, and was wondering what others thought. Will mention the rebleeding of the front to him, he'll have all that out anyway because of the rear.

[FordMan59]

I just had to change the tie rod ends and ball joints on my '02 because of a noise in the front end when I'd hit a small bump in the road, but instead of a clicking noise it was more of a bumping noise that was coming from the slack in the ball joints and tie rod ends.

[jcwit]

Got the problem fixed. The rotor had some dirt behind it allowing it to wobble, who woulda thought. Cleaned the dirt out so rotor would seat square to the hub and everythings AOK. Something so simple!!

[AzTumbleweed]

Thank for letting us know. I'd never thought of this.

[jcwit]

Right and it wasn't much, just enough to put it out of square.

[denisond3]

This is an example of a thread that is valuable to lots of other people, and makes the forums really worthwhile. The information is complete, the solution is stated.
I have removed/replaced rotors on my 3 Escorts several times, and I -usually- carefully clean the seating surface of the rotors and the hub. But for sure I will do it - on every one of the family cars I work on.
Im the 'mechanic' for my kids and plenty of in-laws.

[Intuit]

For the rear rotors in particular (drum on mine,) I normally put a light coating of silver colored anti-seize lubricant on the mating surfaces, including the stud-holes. Makes removing them many tens of thousands of miles later, cake.