LOUD squeak from front end

[itsnotmydaddys]

i just got 450.00 dollars worth of work done to my brakes and rotors. now whenever i turn the wheel theres a loud squeak. it just started after i got the work done. also the car shakes now when i stop and when im just driving at high speeds. can someone help me otu and let me know what you think

 

[Jim Henderson]

A few ideas.

First was the work done by a reputable shop? If so then it is their problem. For $450(unless Lincolns are way more expensive), you should have got decent pads, turned rotors, rebuilt calipers and of course proper assembly.

They might have used brake pads that are prone to squealing. Or they might not have torqued the calipers back on to proper spec, if they are not on straight they could squeek or shake, I have done this mistake myself. Maybe they did not apply the antisqeal backing to the pads?

Almost sound like the rotors are not even or they are warped. Turning the rotors should have cured warping and eliminted squeeks for a while. For you to have the vibration so soon after means they screwed something up. This vibration is what bothers me the most, squeeks happen but the vibration on a fresh brake job is unacceptable and points to a mechanical issue.

If they were a cheap fly by night shop they might have either not turned the rotors, or done it improperly or the rotors are below mechanical limits to thinness. Thin rotors warp easier and can be unsafe.

Could be they got grease on the pads or rotor. Or maybe they have a leaky caliper slopping up the pads and rotor?

Just some ideas based upon my backyard mechanic experience and reading plenty of posts on other websites etc.

Good Luck, Let's hope the shop is a reputable one and they accept the problem.

Jim Henderson

 

[itsnotmydaddys]

it was midas. they put new pads f and r and new rotors on the front. also cut off resonators. all the parts were new i saw them put it on. also the squeak is like something else. the car can be in park and it still squeaks when i turn the wheel. i have no clue. im gonna pitch a biotch on monday

 

[itsnotmydaddys]

i asked some people what they thought and people are saying ball joint, tie rod, and power stering column. does that sound right. also is it warrantied.

 

[2k2ls]

if the new rotors were stocked on a shelf for a long time vertically they may have lost a little shape. also the sqeeking could be a backing plate touching the rotor. id go right back.

 

[itsnotmydaddys]

would that cause squeaking even when the brakes arent being applied, i happens whenever i just turn the wheel

 

[SoonerLS]

would that cause squeaking even when the brakes arent being applied, i happens whenever i just turn the wheel

Check the accessory drive (serpentine) belt. This sounds (no pun intended) like the belt is slipping, which could be caused by a loose belt, a dying power steering pump, a kinked power steering line, or binding in the steering linkage (tie rods). The fix could be as simple as tightening or replacing the belt, or as complex as replacing the steering rack.

On the old V fan belts, you checked the deflection, but on the new serpentine belts, you check its ability to resist twisting. I don't remember exactly, but I think it's supposed to twist no more than ~45 degrees. If they only worked on the brakes, they shouldn't have damaged the steering, but it's possible that they did something to damage the rack, one or both of the tie rods, or the ABS sensor.

The vibration under braking sounds suspiciously like warped rotors, but if they damaged the rack, tie rods, or ABS sensor, that could also cause vibration. If the rack or tie rod is damaged, it won't be able to hold the wheel steady under braking, but I'd expect that to show up at any speed. (If they knocked a wheel weight off, it could be that the wheel is now unbalanced, which will also cause a vibration, but that will be speed-sensitive.)

If they damaged an ABS sensor, it could be sending a false signal to the computer, causing the ABS to kick on on that wheel. That should give positive feedback through the brake pedal, though.

To check for rotor warp, you'll need a runout gauge. You can make a cheap and dirty one with a pencil and a few pieces of steel or wood; even some really stiff wire could work. You just want something that won't deflect; you want the pencil to be held in a fixed position while you rotate the rotor, so you can see if the pencil maintains contact with the rotor throughout the rotation. (The runout gauge will give you numbers for the amount of warpage, but right now we're not worried about precise numbers.)

Hope this helps...

 

[jlser]

Just got my 2001 back from the shop last week for the exact same problem. They replaced the ball joints and tie rod ends. The car only has 21000 miles on it. I don't think I've ever owned a car before that needed new ball joints after so few miles.