the red pill

The pad is grinding into the rotor like crazy all the time now, even when I'm not braking. It gets very loud and nasty when I do brake. I've checked the rotor and the inner side has some nice deep grooves in it. I've already ordered new pads and a new rotor but I doubt they will arrive until next week.

Seeing as how this is the rear right wheel and next week I'll be putting a new rotor on that corner as well as brand new pads all the way around is it safe for me to drive it just to and from work for the next two days? As long as I drive slow and take back roads? The only thing back there getting damaged is the rotor right?

Also where was the familar brake pad squeal that I was supposed to hear? For the longest time I didn't hear a peep out of the rear brakes and then all of the sudden a few days ago it starts scraping and grinding into the rotor like crazy. Did the previous owner use some ****ty cheap pad that doesn't contain the material that makes the squealing noise? I'm out $25 for a rotor now because the car didn't warn me. The inner pad on that RR wheel is completely gone, the outer pad still looks fairly meaty as do the pads on the LR wheel.

Is it safe to drive today and tomorrow until I get my parts?

Les

and yes, I ground my pad holders into the rotors. It scraped a little but I had just changed my front brake pads so they were doing most of the work. It's scary to think that yours scrapes even when you're not stepping on the brake. Perhaps your grooves are overflowing rotor metal out and that's touching your calipers. Changing one rotor can be a little tricky because sometimes that'll make one rotor (the new one) thicker than the other resulting in uneven brake pressure distribution. I wouldn't drive it if your brakes are scraping during normal driving.

the red pill

Well I have no choice I have to drive to work and back these next two days. Next week I can take the bus though.

The rear brakes never made a peep until sunday night when they started scraping. I am beyond pissed that the car gave me absolutely no flippin warning and all of the sudden just started eating its way into the rotor.

I have a hunch that the caliper may not be releasing because the outer pad still has a good bit left on it and the other side is fine.

I hate high maintenance cars.

cuatrokoop

Rear pads don't have the so called squeal tabs from what I have experienced.

The way I "solved" my frozen caliper problem was to zip tie it up after cutting the e-brake cable for that side (needs a new cable anyway). Car really doesn't pull to the side unless you are really hard on the brakes. "Isolating" that piston from moving much is also a must. I used a block of wood and a backing plate from one of the toasted pads. BTW, my piston has some nasty rusty on it and won't retract, and the e-brake mech is frozen. Both are most likely highly related. I was going to pull and clean the caliper, but at this point I don't think its worth it really.

the red pill

Could my weak e-brake have anything to do with that brake issue on the right rear side?

A couple days ago I was coasting along at less than 5 mph (barely moving) and I set my e-brake up instead of using the foot brakes. It stopped me but I heard some noises from that right rear wheel that sounded like something wasn't agreeing with something else but in the end the e-brake won out.

cuatrokoop

Frozen e-brake mechanism could cause it, perhaps not allowing the piston to retract?

Les

You might have your e-brake cable frozen. That means your rear brakepads might have been engaged and now they're stuck hard on your rotors causing them to scrape.

the red pill

Hmmm, I looked down there right now and there is a little part below the RR caliper that appears to have a spring wrapped around this tiny rod feeding into the caliper. The LR caliper has no spring around that. If the e-brake cable on the passenger side is frozen how hard or how much $$$ will that cost to fix?

The weird part about all of this is if I set the e-brake the car bogs down as if the brake is set but if I release the e-brake everything goes fine (except for that scraping noise). Today on the drive home from work the scraping noise wasn't nearly as bad, above 15 mph or so it wasn't even noticable until the moment I put on the foot brakes. Oh well, I don't have to drive it anywhere now until I get my pads and rotor which is tomorrow.

I wonder, would a dragging caliper or damaged/warped brake on the rear wheels cause the steering wheel to vibrate during braking? Or is that only caused by problems at the front wheels? Also does an all-wheel drive car use the rear brakes more than a front-wheel drive car?

Oh the joy to fix my brakes tomorrow and have my car *safely* back on the road. I appreciate all the help you guys. Thanks.

cuatrokoop

Under braking (for the most part), it wouldn't matter FWD or AWD. Only weight transfer under braking would affect things.

Both calipers should have the return spring btw. E-brake cables were I thought under $100/side, can't remember. Check around, and make sure your e-brake mech on the caliper isn't stuck...