acorad

I can't figure this one out at all.

Recently, when braking, I get a metal-on-metal tinny/grindy/squeaky noise from the right rear brake area - almost like a worn-out suspension bushing sound, or maybe like the sound of one of those old-style brake pad wear indicators, the ones that were just a springy piece of metal that dragged on the rotor and made noise when the pads got thin.

The noise only happens when I'm braking at a lowish speed. Hitting the brakes at highish speed, above, say, 30mph, makes no noise at all.

And if I take my foot off the brake pedal when it's making this noise, the noise instantly goes away. It doesn't happen when braking while driving backwards.

The sound cycles with the car's speed, so as the car slows the noise cycles slower - jinkajinajinka . jinka .. jinka ... jinka ..... jinka ....... jinka ......... jinka ............ jinka ............... jinka .................. jinka

The pads have very little wear, they're about 3/8"-1/2" thick (P recommends replacing when they're 2.5mm, iirc) so the pads don't need to be replaced, and the wear indicator isn't even close to touching the rotor.

The sheet metal dust protector (or whatever you call it) is not touching the rotor as far as I can tell. The caliper seems solidly mounted, no bolts seem to be loose anywhere.

Any ideas?

acorad

Well I popped the caliper off to check if I had a frozen piston, put a C-clamp on the pads and the pistons all seemed to slide back in easily.

Then I buttoned it all back up and drove around a little and the noise is now gone.

I assume, since I didn't do anything real, that the noise will come back someday, but as of now, I guess I'm good to go.

plumbum

Could have been a small piece of dirt or something between the pad and rotor...I have removed callipers and done what you have done with success...sometimes even rub the pads with sandpaper just to change the contact surface a bit....I think

On that note I have to re do my rear callipers...big clunks the first couple stops

beater

your rotors/pads are likely glazed from short cycle driving. you can rough up the pads and scuff the rotors for it to go away if it's glazing.

acorad

Thanks guys.