New brakes-- constant noise?

[nilson]

I recently put (among lots of other things) new brake rotors and pads on my 3rd gen 4Runner.

When I drive, there is a constant brake scraping noise, almost as if the wear indicator were scraping. Is this something to be expected until the brakes "wear in" or is something else going on?

I was planning to pull the wheels tonight and make sure the dust covers arent rubbing or anything.

Truck was just aligned and drives fine, and there is no pulling when I brake. Also the ABS lamp is on, but fluid level appears fine. Other reasons for this lamp to illuminate?

Thanks!

 

[nilson]

I pulled the wheels off and didnt see anything obviously scraping, but the lugnuts were extremely tight-- 1/2" drive impact wrench was barely breaking them loose.

Aside from that, the alignment shop was too lazy to loosen the TRE boots before twisting the tierods, thereby ripping my boots and leaving them twisted... idiots.

Anyway, I pulled the ABS Hall Sensors from each front wheel and found the P/S one was very dirt and covered in what looked like rust chips. I cleaned both senors and blew out the ABS ring area with compressed air. No luck resetting the light though: is more required than disconnecting the battery?

I think the brakes just need to be "bedded" by doing some hard stops. I will try that out and see if it remedies anything.

 

[Jeff4runner]

NO. Dont do any hard braking with brand new pads and discs. That will glaze the brakes, and you will get a terrible noise every time you brake. If you had a shop (obviously with incompetent brake/suspension technicians) perform the install, you can bet they put the cheapest pads and discs available on your runner. This may be the case for the noise, or they were not properly "broken in." The only way to wear them down properly for break in is a series of 30 very soft and slow stops from 30 mph to zero in thirty seconds. Aka: you almost coast to a stop with very light braking. The objective is heating them up, but very slowly so they set with the new rotors properly, and letting them cool down.

In other words, the shop put crappy parts on your runner, and obviously didn't burnish them before giving it back to you.

 

[nilson]

I actually did the brakes myself... among lots of other things. I replaced my steering rack, lower control arm bushings, CV axles, brake pads, and rotors.

The pads are Wagner ThermoQuiets, rotors are cheapos. I had read a few articles about "bedding in the brakes" which detailed hard stopping.. so that is not what I want to do?

 

[Jeff4runner]

The pads are Wagner ThermoQuiets, rotors are cheapos. I had read a few articles about "bedding in the brakes" which detailed hard stopping.. so that is not what I want to do?

Sorry for the shop thing earlier then. You see alot from other places.

However, you should never hard brake with new pads and rotors. Since the wagners are ceramic, that would only make it alot worse when they glaze. Its kinda like they tell you not to floor the gas in a brand new truck/engine. Same principle.

 

[nilson]

I'll take your advice and do it the way you mention then. All those "bedding" pages showed pictures of ricer cars, so I didnt trust them much anyway

 

[03_4x4Runner]

Check the dust sheilds very close. I had a similar problem on my Jeep Wrangler a while back and a dust sheild was barely touching the rotor.

 

[AirspeedX]

I actually did the brakes myself... among lots of other things. I replaced my steering rack, lower control arm bushings, CV axles, brake pads, and rotors.

The pads are Wagner ThermoQuiets, rotors are cheapos. I had read a few articles about "bedding in the brakes" which detailed hard stopping.. so that is not what I want to do?

Hey nilson, super old thread but I just encountered the same issue with the same pads on my 5th gen. What did you end up doing? Just let them wear in?

I realized these rear pads are a semi metallic. Maybe it's just normal? Not very impressed already though. The front Wagner ceramics are fine, it's just the left rear especially making noise. The right rear makes a little but not as much.

 

[catrains]

Hey nilson, super old thread but I just encountered the same issue with the same pads on my 5th gen. What did you end up doing? Just let them wear in?

I realized these rear pads are a semi metallic. Maybe it's just normal? Not very impressed already though. The front Wagner ceramics are fine, it's just the left rear especially making noise. The right rear makes a little but not as much.

the pad replacing and noise is for me no problem as I put a coating like paint film of anti seize on the backer steel plate of the pads.

the pads should also sit firmly but not so tight you need a tool to insert them.
when removing the old pads open bleed screw then using a C clamp push back the caliper piston. that way no bad fluid gets into the system. the damaged fluid is in the caliper heat/moisture etc..

when replacing rotors clean surface with a solvent / de-greaser then if the rotor face is very smooth I use some 250-300 grit sand paper and scuff up the surface in a cross hatch pattern. wipe off debris then this will seat the pads better quicker also with old rotors this is a must do . use some anti seize on rotor mounting areas so it comes off much easier next time.