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Rotor rubbing on caliper bracket

S

svt_cougar

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
33
Location
Michigan
About a week ago i had my 99 svt taken in to have a new front drivers side wheel bearing installed. The next day i went to put new pads and rotors on. When I got finished I went to go in reverse out of the drive way and heard a metal on metal rubbing sound on the front drivers side where the wheel bearing was replaced, so I took it down the street and it was making the same noise still. So I got back into my drive way and took the wheel off and noticed that the inside of the rotor is rubbing against the caliper bracket. I can see the rubbing imprint on the bracket which is how I can tell what it's rubbing against, also the inside of the new rotors has been scratched on top of it from rubbing on the caliper bracket. So I put the old pads and rotors back on, and going in a straight line they don't grind, but when i turn sharply they will grind, specifically more when i turn sharply left.

Do you guys have any clue what could be causing the inside of the rotor to be rubbing against the caliper bracket like that? Everything was installed and tightened properly when I put the new pads and rotors on so that's not the case. Also, it seems like when I mount and tighten the lugs on the tire is when it starts making the grinding noise on the new pads and rotors.

Can I just grind off the part of the caliper bracket that is rubbing or can you pin point to me what is happening here, because I've installed plenty pads on rotors and this is the first time this occured. Thanks in advance.

I was reading up on this and it looks like a few people used a 1/8" washer to fix the problem. Would I have to use 2 washers where both caliper bracket bolts go? Also, I'm assuming the washer would go between the caliper bracket and the knuckle correct?
 
I hae never heard of anyone needing spacers to fit stock brakes on the car. FSVT calipers and rotors do need spacers, stock brakes do not.

I would check your axle nut, it needs to be torqured to 212 ft-lbs. if its loose it will cause the rotor to wobble. If not maybe its possible the bearing was not pressed in straight.
 
It's possible depending on what they used to support the hub to press the old bearing out/new bearing in that they bent the two mounting ears that the caliper bracket mounts to. It's surprisingly easier to do than one might think... To see if this is the case, separate the caliper bracket and hand-hold it up to the knuckle where it would mount. If one of the mounting ears was bent it will not sit flush on both ears. You should be able to figure out if one was/is bent. At that point, you could either take it back to the shop and have them fix it or bend it back yourself.

Hope that helps...
 
Sounds like they might have bent the ears on the knuckle because I didn't notice this before I had the wheel bearing replaced. I will check and see if the bracket is flush without it being screwed in in the morning and if so, i'll bee going back to the shop even though it's been a little over a week now. Thanks for the advice.
 
you have defective rotors. i do brakes on cars almost every day of my life. seen it more than a couple times. the fact that they didn't rub before, and they do now tells me a lot
 
Smalls said:
you have defective rotors. i do brakes on cars almost every day of my life. seen it more than a couple times. the fact that they didn't rub before, and they do now tells me a lot
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ok, but he also said that the original front brakes also grind when making turns. If it was a defective rotor it would not happen with the old brakes. Also please define a defective rotor? Are you say that the runout is just out of spec?

Since it does it with the old and new brakes, but not before the wheel bearing that would make the axle nut a prime suspect to check first.
 
This happened when my wheel bearing failed. I battled it for a while before I had to replace the knuckle. The hub was damaged from the previous bearing and it caused the replacement bearing to fail. I kept tightening the axle nut and it kept spinning loose and the rotor was hitting the caliper bracket.
 
CSVT1214 said:
This happened when my wheel bearing failed. I battled it for a while before I had to replace the knuckle. The hub was damaged from the previous bearing and it caused the replacement bearing to fail. I kept tightening the axle nut and it kept spinning loose and the rotor was hitting the caliper bracket.
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^ This is correct.

A trashed axle bearing will eventually cause the rotor to tip and hit the caliper bracket/body. By this time the entire knuckle will have to be replaced. I have had this happen to me twice on the same knuckle.
 
blu_fuz said:
^ This is correct.

A trashed axle bearing will eventually cause the rotor to tip and hit the caliper bracket/body. By this time the entire knuckle will have to be replaced. I have had this happen to me twice on the same knuckle.
Click to expand...

I agree completely... but the OP had no brake issues until he changed them...
 
This happend to me also. Not saying its whats wrong with yours but when i pressed the bearings in/out i bent the ears that the caliper bracket mounts too. Had to use washers to space it out a little and its been working for a few months like that. Although the correct thing to do would be to replace the knuckle which i have a new knuckle ready to swap in my car when the 3l goes in.
 
Brother that part is cast iron, I'd be terrified of internal cracking and caliper breaking mounts loose in a panic stop. Anywhere else fine, but not on brakes..................
 
Absolutely agree

Absolutely agree

amc49 said:
Brother that part is cast iron, I'd be terrified of internal cracking and caliper breaking mounts loose in a panic stop. Anywhere else fine, but not on brakes..................
Click to expand...

I second this in a big way, it is not only your life but others on the road that depend on your brakes being trustworthy. Replace the knuckle
 
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