Hello

Here is a front brake noise problem I developed after a couple of over enthusiastic car washes.

What I did was I inserted the high pressure water nozzle through front rim holes and washed all the brake pads dust in there. Sure enough there was a lot of dust since waste water came out black.

But then I stopped one day at a redlight in a downhill slope. I had my foot on brake pedal and observed that if I slightly let go the brake pedal, the car will begin slowly moving but making a noise like an old heavy rusty hinges barn door opening, a low pitch seized brake sound.

So my question is this: since my brakes are working fine, nothing sticks, rattles, heats or squeals while driving and braking normally, where should I look for the cause of that rusty sound? I attached a photo for your review and annotations. I feel it is an easy fix for somebody who experienced a similar problem especially under wet British climate. Maybe some lubrication in certain points might help.

Note: I asked somebody to crawl under car and touch the disc while I was going backwards downhill and slightly letting go off the brakes. He told me the disc is vibrating when that noise happens.

Nobody was harmed during that experiment

Might be worth trying some high speed stops to see if that clears it.

The brake pads will have been fitted using some grease or some copper slip on the backing of the pad where it touches the piston and where the outer pad touches the caliper and where it contacts the brake caliper carrier bracket (number 10 on the above diagram) you have probably washed the grease away, and that it making the pads stick to the carrier bracket as the caliper moves, so when there is light pressure on the brake pedal the pad is rattling and causing vibration in the disc itself.

Thank you for quick answering.

I will try some high speed stops. Then I will recheck if copper grease on the back of brake pads and silicone grease inside rubber boots I put are still there from last new disc and pads replacement.

Edited 7 November, 201213 yr by adurer

http://www2.izook.com/images/caliperpadgrease.jpg

http://www2.izook.com/images/caliperclipgrease.jpg

don't over do it with the grease, imagine toothpaste on your tooth brush, that's about how much you need on each pad.. The 2 pictures above show it very well, only put grease where the piston touches on the inner pad, only where the caliper touches on the outer pad, and on the edge of the pad where it touches the carrier.

So basically disc and pads vibrate due to corrosion and friction in those key points..

In my case only when I release brakes slightly and gravity moves the car downhill from stop.

Btw, very informative photos. If you have more of them from any other Felicia repairs or maintenance, I would be very interested in seeing and collecting them for later use. 1 picture = 1,000 words.

Thank you again.

I must say, those pictures above are not mine, I found them using google.

Don't ever wash your car again!

I won't

I peeled all CopaSlip I put on brake pads last year, silly me.

But hey, now I'm wiser.