New Problem, Any Suggestions?

[street_moto]

Here goes!

Had a new clutch and DMF fitted at a local Toyota specialist, £1021 later and all's well!

At the weekend my daughter and I travel to Moel Famau to have a walk, car's fine all the way there, about 30 miles or so.

Car park is not tarmac, but nowt any car could cope with and we cross a cattle grid to get into it.

After the walk we set off for home and there's a strange noise, a kind of grinding, rubbing, creaky sort of noise.

Damn it!

It's road speed dependent, faster I go, the faster the noise happens, it happens in gear or coasting, it disappears when the brakes are applied at highish speed, then at low speed it really becomes apparent, sort of every rotation of the wheel.

Doesn't change on left or right turns.

Doesn't however happen when reversing.

Gotta be the brakes I reckon, maybe picked up a stone or debris?

Apply handbrake on a downhill coasting and the noise doesn't increase, apply foot brake and we get that increasing grinding, creaky, rubbing noise, so obviously front brakes.

So I whip off wheels have a look and brake pads and discs check out fine.

I ring the garage that did the work and they had a look and pronounced it fine.

Said it could be a sticking caliper or guide and may well go.

Quite a few miles later it's still there, no better no worse, really irritating!

My thoughts now are maybe change pads and discs and give the calipers a really good clean, but am I missing something?

Could I be wasting time and money, could it be something that's occurred whilst the clutch and DMF were being done, I know they have to virtually strip the whole front underside.

Your thoughts wise ones?

Regards Dave

[Bodgit-fixit-run]

mmmmmm!

I think I'm gonna watch this one.

I would have gone for the stone theory. Have you cleaned any corrosion off the edge of the disks? I know that has caused problems for me on previous cars.

I'm just finishing my car off after replacing DMF etc myself.

Watch out for Anchorman. He seems to be the wiz here.

[daveh_rav4]

Hi...

A stab in the dark here...

I am not sure what type of wheel bearing arrangement on this Rav4, but if it is the roller bearing type rather than the taper bearing it could be a wheel bearing nut loose and or never properly tightened to the specified torque or locked out!

You could raise the front wheels and check if there is any excessive lateral 'free play' in the bearing by rocking the wheel (holding top & bottom).

DaveH

mmmmmm!

I think I'm gonna watch this one.

I would have gone for the stone theory. Have you cleaned any corrosion off the edge of the disks? I know that has caused problems for me on previous cars.

I'm just finishing my car off after replacing DMF etc myself.

Watch out for Anchorman. He seems to be the wiz here.

[bitman]

after a drive check if the wheel hubs are warm / hot. if so, you have a sticky calliper.

most likely a stone some where?

[street_moto]

Thanks for the input folks!

Had an hour spare today, so stripped front brakes down, both sides are missing the anti squeal shims.

Cleaned up the stainless slides etc, replaced everything once clean and a bit of coppaslip on the backs of the pads, nothing seemed out of the ordinary bar the missing anti squeal shims.

Test drive and no noise, what a relief, thought it was going to cost more money!

Can only assume that going over the cattle grid dislodged some debris and deposited it in an awkward place.

Question now is, does it matter that the anti squeal shims are missing?

Regards Dave

[Bodgit-fixit-run]

I wouldn't have thought it would make a massive difference as the calipers take up the slack anyway. You will notice if they do start to squeal though. Cooper-grease covers a multitude of sins. Personally I wouldn't worry too much. You can always get some later on it doesn't take long to fit them.

Were they fitted when you took the car in? if so take it back and ask them to correct the problem.

[daveh_rav4]

When I worked as a mechanic (many years ago) I always put a smear of high melting point white grease on the anti squeal shims to stop them 'chattering'. Once the brake is applied (pressure on the shims) they would not chatter... its for when for when the pressure is released and they are sat 'loose'. Another trick is to put a slight 'kink' in the shims, this puts them under a slight tension when the brakes are off!

DaveH

I wouldn't have thought it would make a massive difference as the calipers take up the slack anyway. You will notice if they do start to squeal though. Cooper-grease covers a multitude of sins. Personally I wouldn't worry too much. You can always get some later on it doesn't take long to fit them.

Were they fitted when you took the car in? if so take it back and ask them to correct the problem.

[street_moto]

Were they fitted when you took the car in? if so take it back and ask them to correct the problem.

Good question, I don't know, only had the car about 2 months and have had no cause to have been under there until now. If the noise occurs again, I'll buy some shims and do the job properly, if not, next time I do the pads I'll get some!

Now, time to start enjoying this car!

Regards Dave.