Brake squeal

Tiny
DAVID MCKNIGHT2
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 SATURN L200
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 110,000 MILES
This model car does not have a lug attached to the hub. Instead the lug nut is a long screw like the old Volkswagen's. Somehow the valve stem melted. I attempted to remove the lugs to have the tire services. Snap went the lug screw. After getting the other three off, we saw why it only had four instead of five. There was another another snapped off into the hub. Long story short, we just went with replacing the hub, rotor and new pads. Now there is a loud drag screeching noise. Blustered that caliper, thought it was stuck. Bled brakes, no leak seen, brakes still push to the floor. The wheel bearings are not part of the hub, but had plenty grease. At a lost as to what the loud screeching is. Passenger side.
Monday, August 1st, 2016 AT 1:36 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
RIVERMIKERAT
  • MECHANIC
  • 6,110 POSTS
It could be something caught between the pad and caliper. It could also be the sharp edges in the new pads catching on the rotor. It could also be the hub bearing even though you say it has plenty of grease. No amount of grease is going to stop a bearing that is failing from making noise. Only replacing it will.
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Monday, August 1st, 2016 AT 2:23 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
Check the backing plate to see if it is contacting the back of the rotor anywhere.

You should be able to remove the wheel and rotate the rotor and follow the noise to its source.
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Monday, August 1st, 2016 AT 2:23 PM
Tiny
DAVID MCKNIGHT2
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Thank you for the responses.

I pulled the tire off last night and found that somehow the tire rim is scraping the brake caliper, The caliper was shiny and smooth. Also while jacking up the car the tire sort of popped into place. That caliper is also not receiving any brake fluid. (Work on that issue another day). Upon further inspection, once I replaced the tire, making sure everything was tight and fitting, I noticed that I could move the tire and axle very easily. Hence the tire popping into place (level and straight).
It again started to scrape, not as bad this time. Thinking that I need to have the axle nut tightened possibly?

Took it to a tire shop that has a one inch impact drill this morning 8/2/16.(Had to take the car there to get the axle nut off as my regular impact connected to my compressor was not strong enough to remove it.)
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Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016 AT 6:06 AM
Tiny
RIVERMIKERAT
  • MECHANIC
  • 6,110 POSTS
And did tightening the axle nut fix the problem?
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Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016 AT 6:32 AM
Tiny
DAVID MCKNIGHT2
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I will know this afternoon or this evening.
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Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016 AT 6:34 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
How did you remove the hub from the bearing to replace it? The hub is pressed into the bearing. Also how did you install the new hub into the old bearing? If you melted the valve stem removing the wheel you must have heated something up? I would think the wheel bearing is no good. I would have replaced the bearing and hub together. Also does the car have ABS?
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Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016 AT 7:32 AM
Tiny
DAVID MCKNIGHT2
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
The original problem was that she was losing air in that tire and we could see that the valve stem was damaged. I used a pulley to get the hub out. No ABS. Pulley and rubber mallard to put the hub back in.
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Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016 AT 9:42 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Yeah, the bearings take a beating like that. I would have replaced the bearing also you cannot beat the hub into the bearing.
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Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016 AT 9:49 AM

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