Creaking/grinding noise braking from low speeds

[JWvrs25]

Just fitted 312mm front brakes to my fabia with brand new Brembo discs and pads. Bled the whole system when I fitted them and been noticing when I stop or slow down at low speed >20mph usually I can hear a creaking/groaning sort of noise almost resembles ABS noise. It appears to be louder on the passenger side of the car and possibly more towards the rear brakes? I have checked the calipers and they are all tight and fitted correctly and brake pedal feels great lots of bite and nice and firm.

Wondering if possibly its something to do with the new pads and discs not fully bedded in or maybe something to do with the rear brakes although the only thing I have done to them is bleed them through.

Any one able to offer any suggestions as to what it may be, I know its hard to diagnose faults from 'it makes this noise' online

Edited 10 July, 2017 by clarendon462

[floydboy1]

Can you feel it through the brake pedal too?

 

I just put a clio on the road while im repairing the head gasket on the fabia and I had changed the clutch in the clio before I put it on the road. In the process of taking the lower ball joint off as that needed to be replaced too I hit the ABS sensor ring and it split - it didnt split in half but between 2 teeth there was a crack all the way through. I left it as it was anyway as the car is going to be driven in to the ground whenever I need it, but now that Im using it on the road it is making the same noise as you are explaining above, grinding only under low speed.

It did it for a few miles and then the car obviously picked up the fault that the ABS was kicking in every time I was hitting the brakes so it put the light on the dash and turned itself off. You could feel the pulsing through the brake pedal mind can you also feel this? Can you take the wheel off and check that the abs ring is intact. any lights on the dash?

[JWvrs25]

No lights on the dash and vcds doesnt register any faults. The pedal feels completely normal no pulsing or anything.

I did remove the driveshaft from the hub a few weeks ago when I changed a CV boot however the car drive absolutely fine afterwards. Only since Ive just done the brakes has it started making these noises.

 

[vindaloo]

With my car the above groaning and wheezing indicated that I should finally replace the worn rear disks. One thing you could check is that the handbrake levers on the calipers release fully. As it might be an indication of cable or caliper starting to bind.

[JWvrs25]

2 hours ago, vindaloo said:

With my car the above groaning and wheezing indicated that I should finally replace the worn rear disks. One thing you could check is that the handbrake levers on the calipers release fully. As it might be an indication of cable or caliper starting to bind.

Ive just fitted the return springs to avoid having trouble with them binding. Ive jacked the car up and they dont seem to bind at all when released. It does make sense the discs have a nice lip of rust on the top edge maybe the fluid change is causing them to be used more now as the rust is almost starting to 'rub off'. The fluid which came out the rears was green and there was a number of air bubbles.

The pads look ok on the rear so maybe it is just the discs.

[vindaloo]

On mine, they wore the middle of the disk. Leaving a lip on the outside but also nearer the hub, both with liberal rust. I think it started scraping the rust near the hub causing noise under light braking.

[JWvrs25]

Sounds like thats whats happening, new discs at some point then :(

[JWvrs25]

Driving it today the noise got louder and i think its actually coming from the passenger side front. Maybe ill have to take off the caliper again and check the pads are in ok.

 

[vindaloo]

At least you haven't put a pad in backwards. That would have been more imediately apparent. I only managed it with one of the rears.

[JWvrs25]

Oh haha well i don't think thats possible on the fronts as only 1 has the retainer for the piston. 

 

[JWvrs25]

Been doing a bit more investigation. Sound is definitely coming from left hand side of car and seems to be front left.

I jacked it up wheel off and checked everything over. Brake caliper had small amount of play in the sliders so I replaced the rubbers and sliders and greased properly thinking this may be the problem. No change.

Cant see what else it could be unless its to do with the piston or the discs and pads themselves.

The best way I can describe the noise is a low frequency creaking sound as you apply more pressure to the pedal. For example if I maintain pressure there is no noise it is only as pressure it added.

Brakes are not binding and feel perfectly fine in use no pulling to one side. As the noise only started after fitting the new front callipers and discs and pads I cant see how it could be anything else in the front suspension. The left CV joint is knocking in reverse although this is a characteristic "knocking" sound as opposed to a creaking noise and only occurs under acceleration in reverse.

Does anyone have anymore suggestions? could my new discs and pads be causing the problem? Should I swap left and right discs and pads and see if it makes a difference?