Loud Rumbling Noise From Brakes When Hot

[AnthonyN]

Good morning all, apologies if this is in the wrong place, this is my first post and my car has made me look to the forums for answers.

I have a 2003 Focus, I bought it in March with a 12 month MOT and so far, up until the weekend, it has been flawless. However, a Friday evening trip to Bridgnorth had me driving longer than I normally would and it has been much hotter. About 40 minutes into the journey I heard a rumbling sound from the brakes, this was after some heavy use. I eased off the brakes for a little bit and they returned to normal with no noise what so ever. Sunday I took the little beast to Barmouth, we were a good hour and a half into the journey when the same noise started again after some extra use. It was again a loud rumbling sound that filled the inside of the car. I eased off the brakes a little to let them cool off and it was back to normal.

My first thought, with me knowing absolutely nothing about cars, was that the brake pads had wore down and that the extra breaking was causing them to over heat.

Once I got back home I investigated how much brake pad I had left, It looks to me like i have lots. What I have noticed though, and please excuse me if i cannot explain this correctly, is that the inside disc looks a little worn around the rim. Now this doesn't look like fresh wear, it looks like its been like this for some time and it is exactly the same on the other side.

I have attached some pictures of the brakes so you can try and get an idea of what I am trying to explain - Again, I am sorry for my poor knowledge.

I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this problem at all please or knows the probable cause. I contacted a mechanic and his initial response was to change the pads and discs. However, the problem only happens when the brakes get really hot, i would of thought that there would of been a constant issue if i needed new parts, but at the same time, I have admitted that I know nothing about cars.

Any help would be appreciated

Thank you

Anthony

[sonic113]

Hi and welcome to the ford forum.

To be honest your brakes looks fine from your pics but do check all 4 wheels to make sure that discs and pads are in good condition. It would also do no harm to make sure the callipers are working well and not sticking ect.

I have seen a cause before where stone chippings have been caught in-between the pad and disc but this caused more of a scoring sound and also showed up on the disc as a grooved score but I don't think that's the case here.

The only other thing I can think of at the moment is maybe the discs themselves are warped in that cause they would need replaced. You also would feel this in the car slightly when braking.

 

Hope this helps

[TomsFocus]

I'm not sure those metal clips are in right unless its just the angle of the pics?

Seems to be plenty of friction material on what we can see of the pads though, and the discs don't look all that old.  Is it only happening when using the brake or still for a short while when you let off the brake?

[AnthonyN]

Thank you both for your replies.

I did check for scoring or any grind marks on the discs but could not see anything.

It is odd because the car is driving perfectly fine. I had to brake suddenly this morning on the way to work and the car is as smooth as anything. No juddering, vibrating, just normal.

When the noise was happening, it was only when i pressed the brake. As soon as i released it the noise would immediately go. Then after a few minutes of light use the car was braking perfectly fine again all the way on to Barmouth.

As for the clips, it could well be the angle, I really do not know anything about cars so i wouldn't know what the best angle would have been for the picture.

I am happier that you guys can not see anything immediately wrong with the way they look though.

Thank you again for your thoughts.

[btmaldon]

It may be worth changing the pads. Cooked pads do start to make some odd noises and often cause juddering from high speeds especially if they have not been bedded in before heavy braking. I would fit new pads on the front and take it easy for 200 miles before heavy braking. It may be your current pads are from a bad batch.

 

[sonic113]

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

I'm not sure those metal clips are in right unless its just the angle of the pics?

Seems to be plenty of friction material on what we can see of the pads though, and the discs don't look all that old.  Is it only happening when using the brake or still for a short while when you let off the brake?

well spotted Tom. I noticed that myself but I thought maybe it was the way the picture was taken but defiantly worth a look to make sure all is installed correctly there. Maybe a better picture of the whole calliper may be give a clearer image to how they are installed.

 

5 minutes ago, btmaldon said:

It may be worth changing the pads. Cooked pads do start to make some odd noises and often cause juddering from high speeds especially if they have not been bedded in before heavy braking. I would fit new pads on the front and take it easy for 200 miles before heavy braking. It may be your current pads are from a bad batch.

 

Bruce you are spot on there I have come across pads like that for whatever reason it may be I always just put it down to bad manufactured pads as most them were not OEM or even good manufactures, But I found that Taking them out and taking a few mm of them with rough sandpaper helped and allowed them to rebed themselves back to normal.

 

 

[AnthonyN]

Thank you everyone for your replies. It has certainly opened up some more options for me to explore.

i appreciate you all taking the time to reply to me.

I may book it in for a free brake check first just to make sure everything has been fitted properly like you have mentioned. Then I Can go from there. A change of pads could be the answer, I certainly did not know you had to bed them in. i am a new driver so my braking is far from optimal!

Thank you again!

[Tdci-Peter]

That ridge round the edge of the disk does look a bit pronounced to me, though photos can be deceptive. Maybe when hot the expansion cases the pads to rub against one of these wear ridges. Disks can be machined, or those ridges can be carefully filed down. Sometimes they are just rust, though can still look quite shiny like metal, and they just flake off.

My car suffers from lack of regular use, sometimes goes 5 days unused, so I get a lot of rust on the disks, and remove it once a year.

But then new disks do not cost a huge sum. They are relatively easy to remove (at least on my mk2), just need a good 7mm hex bit to remove the caliper sliding pins, then the calipers can be moved to let the disk free. (Never allow the calipers to hang by the hoses, though!)

[TomsFocus]

Ok it looks like the calipers are different from the Mk2.  But just to give you the idea, the spring on mine sits flat against the face of the carrier, yours appear to be sitting on a point which doesn't seem right.  If you could remove a wheel for a picture we can confirm that.

This was just before I changed mine...as you can see, your disks look fine compared lol!

[AnthonyN]

I have plenty to get my head around now after all of your comments.

Peter, at my current level of knowledge, I will not be dismantling the brakes, unfortunately I do not know enough about them to be confident that I would get it all right. YOu are right about the discs, I was quoted £85 for new discs and pads to be fitted by a mobile mechanic near me. Im not sure how that sits with you guys but i thought it was really good!

It must have had something to to with expansion though as sometimes I have a tendency to brake like I am on Gran Tourismo! I will make a conscious effort to drive properly on my next long run to see the difference.

Looking at the photos you have posted Tom, I am a little more confident in the wear on the discs haha! Although, knowing the angle of the photo, those clips do look in a different position. Without causing everyone to erupt in laughter, I do not have the tools to take the wheel off. my car tool box is a work in progress :-), I will try and get a better picture though so you can have a better perspective on the whole thing.

thank you

[TomsFocus]

Having checked eBay for other Mk1 calipers, they use a completely different type of spring to ours so looks like it is fine afterall.

£85 for discs and pads at your own house doesn't sound bad to me, it's a simple job but obviously not if you don't have the tools!

[Tdci-Peter]

Jacking up a car safely and removing over tight wheel nuts is not trivial. It is a significant hurdle before any job like that.

I reckon the price of the bits off eBay would be £50 or more, so £85 fitted sounds like a deal to me.

I like to use the power of my car when I can, but try to avoid heavy braking. That is a waste of fuel, tyres & brakes, not comfortable to passengers, and may reduce your safety margin. It is all about thinking & planning ahead. If the road is clear, go for it, but cut the throttle as soon as you see or suspect an obstruction ahead. Predictive driving can be a challenging & enjoyable driving style.

I recall driving along a good quality minor road, coming up to a steep descent with a bend. I had noticed dirt on the road, it looked a bit fresh, suddenly it triggered my conscious mind, what leaves fresh dirt? Round here it is usually a tractor. And just as I went round the bend, there was a dirty great tractor & trailer. I had slowed down a bit more than usual, & it avoided heavy braking on a muddy downhill road. In any contest between a tractor and a Focus, we all know who is going to come off worst!

 

[AnthonyN]

Thank you for checking that for me Tom, and im glad you both agree on the price. I thought it was a fair deal, If I could do it myself it would be different.

Peter, you are right! My problem is, I am 32, been driving three months in a car, but 22 years on a games console! In light of everything, I will start to think ahead while driving. I passed a tractor at 60mph in Wales. My first thought as I came up close to it was the mess it would make of me and my Focus if I hit it.

I need to be more aware of the implications certain driving styles have on the car I think. Everyday is a school day gents, and I appreciate all of your help, thoughts and knowledge.

Thank you very much!

[Tdci-Peter]

When I think back to my first few years driving, I shudder. There were lots of near misses. And my cars then were nothing like as powerful as my "run of the mill" diesel Focus now.

There are, to be honest, not many occasions when we can enjoy the feeling of a good, powerful car being driven fully. We have to make the best of the very odd occasion when it happens, and make do. Predictive driving helps, you are constantly thinking: What is that idiot going to do next?, or What nasty event might lurk round this corner?, and adjusting accordingly. And that is quite an occupation.

If you find it helps, and perhaps if it avoids a sticky situation, let others know about it

I hope you have many years of good, and sometimes enjoyable, driving!

 

 

[ippy]

The spring clips are right I've just done my front brakes (well a couple of weeks ago) I would change the discs and pads but don't go for the cheap sets cos they warp when hot and the pads do make a loud rumble through the car that's why I changed mine, in feb last year I bought a cheap set off eBay fitted them fine no probs or so I thought I don't think my car could shudder more if I had two flat tyres so make sure your mechanic puts decent ones on