More brake problems: NOISY, extremly EXTREMELY noisy.
 

In installed my axxis ultimates up front, and for not, my back drivers side pad is kinda screwed. Will replace it shortly. Anyway, for the first day, I loved the ultimates. Great stopping ability. Quiet. All in all a great pad. But then today, something weird happened. When I went around a RIGHT handed curve (putting the weight on the LEFT side of the car), my car started to vibrate and make an awful 'thuggida thuggida thuggida' noise. This was at highway speeds. In town, I could tell it was the DRIVERS FRONT brake, making the noise. I had Kristin drive the car, while I walked next to it, and I can't figure out what it is.

Basically, it's this metallic noise of two pieces scraping (I'm guessing hte rotor and something else), and it only happens while COASTING. If I apply the brakes, initially there's a 'clunk' (a pad reseating?! I don't know! help!), then the 'schwink....schwink....... schwink' noise, then, if I apply the brakes a bit harder, it's silent and completley quiet. Basically, once I'm braking, it's quiet. If I'm COASTING, it makes noise.

I don't get it.

Anyone have any ideas?

- Rob

Re: More brake problems: NOISY, extremly EXTREMELY noisy.
 

yeah, it sounds like the rear metal plate that's rubbing. check it out...had the same problem for a while, found a long screwdriver and pushed the plate back and the noise stopped.

Lug nuts.

I am a COMPLETE ****ING IDIOT. I cinched them down when the car was still in the air, but I never fully torqued them down! ARGH. Two of them were almost f*cking ready to fall off!!!!!! ARGGGGHHHh my only excuse is that I was pretty damn stressed over the weekend, had a dog put to sleep, etc. Anyway, I owe you BIG TIME. GOD DAMn I'm an idiot. ARGH.

>runs away to hit head against wall<

- Rob

As much as I hate to tell you this, it might be a good idea to replace the studs. If it were me, I wouldn't - but I'm just crazy like that.

When steel flexes, it fatigues and becomes weak. When the lug nuts are tight, the amount of force on the steel studs is immense, but they can't flex because of it. You'd think having them loose would be less stressful, but because they flex, the opposite is true.

If you can tighten them to their proper torque (and maybe a little beyond) without breaking them off, you're probably alright. This happened to a friend of mine, and each stud broke off systematically as we tightened them down. Only one stud didn't break and we used it to drive half a mile to a parts store. (Lucky us.)

Incidentally, I'm religious about tightening lug nuts. I won't even put a wheel on the hub without torquing down the nuts. On the other hand, I always just hammer 'em down with an impact wrench without even a thought about specific torque. (And it's never been a problem.) By the way, you gave a great description of the problem. Any mechanic would love a customer like you. Glad I could help. I'm sure you would have figured it out sooner or later. Also, they fall of much quicker with no lugs nuts. Go ahead, ask me how I know. :)

Thanks for your help man. I always try to describe the noises as accurately as possible, so I'm glad it worked. :) Anyway, the studs will stay for now, only two were really loose, the rest were reasonably snug.... but the two loose ones were right next to each other, so the wheel was moving a little bit. Oh well. I'm glad I caught it. :)

- Rob

lol
 

It's threads like this that make me feel better about not being perfect. :D

This forum rocks. :cool:

Re: lol
 

yes, even the self-proclaimed 'highly intelligent' people can put their wheels on with loose lug nuts and drive around on them. :)



Alan (Super-Genius)

Re: Re: lol
 

I knew you'd find this thread. :)

Re: Re: Re: lol
 

i knew that you knew. :)

Re: Re: Re: Re: lol
 

And I knew that you knew that I knew. :D