Weird (brake?) noise

[dsurmanek]

Hello!

So a little while ago I did a brake job on my 2008 1500 Quad Cab Hemi. There is a whistling noise that I hear pretty clearly around 20-40+ miles per hour. At first I thought maybe the new pads and rotors were just breaking in, but it's been going on for 2 months now. This noise may have started before the brake job - maybe I'm just paying more attention because I replaced them for the first time.

I usually hear it if I'm driving next to something (car, wall, curb, etc) so I think its coming from around my wheels (brakes?). It is constant, and doesn't stop when I hit the brakes. There is no squealing or grinding, just this whistling sound. I took it in to one shop that said they looked at everything and re-lubed all the hardware, but couldn't find the problem (but I think they rushed it and didn't really try for some reason).

HELP!!!!!


Replaced all 4 pads with Hawk LTS Pads
Replaced all 4 rotors with EBC Sport Rotors (slotted and dimpled)
Replaced Front Hardware and Rear Hardware with Duralast brand
I also replaced both of my front calipers with Duralast rebuild ones(Because I'm an idiot - didn't notice one of the clamps had slipped off and popped the piston out too far, then gouged it... ugh)

 

[MegaMouseGW]

Hmm whistling.Open the hood and see if you can hear it under there. Sometimes when a vacuum hose come off it can whistle. Also if something comes loose in the intake it will also cause whistling. I would almost bet that is where the problem lies. Normally brake squeal is not noticeable unless you are braking. What makes me thing vacuum hose or intake is that it does not stop while braking, and is a constant sound. If it was brake or suspension related it would stop or sound very different when braking/slowing down.

 

[Cthulhu]

Hung up caliper? That'll cause a constant squealing when you are moving.

 

[dsurmanek]

Hmm whistling.Open the hood and see if you can hear it under there. Sometimes when a vacuum hose come off it can whistle. Also if something comes loose in the intake it will also cause whistling. I would almost bet that is where the problem lies. Normally brake squeal is not noticeable unless you are braking. What makes me thing vacuum hose or intake is that it does not stop while braking, and is a constant sound. If it was brake or suspension related it would stop or sound very different when braking/slowing down.

Well I guess it sounds a LITTLE different when I hit the brakes, same noise, volume, etc. just a SLIGHTLY different pitch.

Hung up caliper? That'll cause a constant squealing when you are moving.

Sorry if I sound stupid, but what does that mean and how would it cause this noise?

 

[Cthulhu]

No need to appologize, thats what the forum is for, to ask questions to figure the beasts out.

A caliper is the device that sits around your disk, holding the brake pads. It has 2 slider nuts attaached to the axel housing (IIRC) to hold it in place. These nuts have threads, and a smooth section to allow the pads to move back and forth as required to allow the pads to be released from the disk when pressure is off the pedal. If the calipers are seized, that will prevent the pad from being released from the disk and it won't slide back to a neutral position, resulting in constant slight pressure on the disk causing both noise and heat. You can often check for this by taking the truck for a run down the highway then pulling over and checking for heat coming off your disks through your wheel. One (or more) may be warmer than the rest, potentially indicating a dragging pad potentially from a hung up caliper. Just a note, try to avoid braking when you stop to check. Use your gears. That'll reduce the amount of heat created by legit braking.

 

[dsurmanek]

The 'slider pins' are in great condition and have been checked and lubed twice. Could they still be the issue?

 

[Cthulhu]

The slider pins are only 1 part of the caliper assembly... Inside the caliper housing, the piston moves back and forth to push on the bad. If the piston has corrosion or is dry it'll cause it to hang. That's what happened to my '06 last year and I had to get all my calipers changed... it killed my mileage by 3.5mpg and warped my disks.

 

[dsurmanek]

hm.... I'll try it out later today - thanks!

Anybody have any other ideas?

 

[MegaMouseGW]

What makes me think vaccuum leak is you said the sound does not stop or change pitch when you hit the brakes. Brake noises will significantly change in pitch and volume when you hit the brakes. I will go along with the possibility of it being brake related and tell you a possible fix. Go to your local auto parts store and get some Brake Antisqueal grease. It is normally sold in small packs, enough to do one wheel. Get enough to do all four wheels. Now you will have to take the calipers off and then push the pads away from the pistons and the other side of the caliper. That will expose the back of the ads and a metal plate that should be installed between the pistons and the pad. Apply the grease on both sides of the metal plate. Caliper and pad side. It does not take a lot just make sure to spread it around in a thin layer real good. Put everything back together and then drive around. If the noise is gone you found the problem. If not then start checking under the hood.

 

[dsurmanek]

I greased the pads when I installed them, then the shop greased them again. Guess I can probably rule that out.

Now to the vacuum leak:
Just started it up and popped the hood - I don't hear it, nor do I see anything disconnected.
I can only hear it when I'm moving. If it were a vacuum leak wouldn't I hear it in park?

 

[MegaMouseGW]

I greased the pads when I installed them, then the shop greased them again. Guess I can probably rule that out.

Now to the vacuum leak:
Just started it up and popped the hood - I don't hear it, nor do I see anything disconnected.
I can only hear it when I'm moving. If it were a vacuum leak wouldn't I hear it in park?

Have someone rev and hold the engine at 1000 rpms, then 1500 rpms, and then at 2000 rpms. If no whistling noise then no vacuum leak. What is odd is that the tone does not change when you use the brakes.

 

[dsurmanek]

I did have my girlfriend rev it, but she didn't hold it steady. I didn't hear anything that sounds like what I've been hearing.

 

[MegaMouseGW]

Hmm very odd. If you can get a youtube video of it that would help out some more.

 

[dsurmanek]

So I've been trying to take a video, but its been SUPER windy here the last couple days. All you can hear is the wind in the recording. I'll get one up as soon as I can (hopefully you can hear it in a video)

 

[dsurmanek]

every time I try to take a video, you can't really make out the sound that I'm talking about. Can't figure out why. I'll keep trying.

Until then - any other ideas?

 

[dsurmanek]

Is it possible that it is just the combination of the Hawk LTS pads and the EBC Sport rotors?

Is there anything wrong with using these pads with dimpled and slotted rotors?

Is it possible that these pads and/or rotors are just noisy by design?

 

[dsurmanek]

So I contacted both Hawk and EBC. I have only gotten an answer back from EBC so far. Here's what they said:

"I have the GD Sport rotors on my 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo so I know exactly what you are talking about, and the noise you are hearing is completely normal and expected from the GD Sport Rotors because of it’s design. It is not a defect so there’s no need for concern. Because of the numerous blind drilled holes and large slots there is a turbulence generated along with high and low atmospheric pressures generated as the pads pass over the large aperture slots and dimples that cause this noise."

How is this normal??? I've never heard a car/truck sound like this...

 

[dsurmanek]

I'm having a hard time believing that this is normal... Has anybody ever heard this before?