Rubbing noise after rear rotor and brake change

[DVad3r]

Hey guys,

Just changed the rear rotors and brakes on my 2001 Lexus ES300

I get a grinding / rubbing noise now when I drive the car, not so much at lower speeds, but pretty noticeable at higher ones.

What can be the problem? Did I F something up?

I test drove for about 10 minutes, do I need to drive more to make sure everything seats properly?

 

[DaTT]

Did you follow the proper pad seating procedure?

When I did my brakes, I had the same issues until I seated them.

 

[2timer]

+1 for pad seating

 

[DVad3r]

Pad seating meaning driving around for 400-500 miles and not using the brakes too hard?

 

[phucheneh]

Bent dust shield. Lift the car up and spin the wheel. You'll probably still hear it just as loudly as you do going down the road. You can take the wheel off and try and get it bent back into the proper shape.

...or you can just leave the car on the ground, and reach your arm up in there with a flat screwdriver and just give the shield a nudge all the way around the perimeter. If the noise came after doing brakes, it's probably bent in right next to the caliper bracket.

Dust shield on rotor is a pretty obvious noise. A light metallic grinding, but with a kind of funny 'hollowness' to it that comes from the vibration of the thin metal shield.

If not that, it could be related to the parking brake. Try cycling it a few times and then drive it and see if the noise is still there.

 

[jlee]

The brake pads should have come with instructions for bedding the pads - usually it's a few moderate / hard stops from medium speeds.

 

[DaTT]

Or as Phuceneh said, bent dust shield. I would seat/bed the pads though.

 

[steppinthrax]

Another thing, did you do a parking brake adjustment. On an old Honda I had, there was a small hole in the front of the drum. You had to turn this small wheel with a screwdriver until the pad was touching the drum, then you would turn it two full turns until it was free (pad).

 

[DVad3r]

Going to check if the backing plate is bent, it's possible I might have bent it when taking rotor off. The other wheel doesn't have a backing plate as it rusted away and pretty much fell apart.

When I lift the car and spin the wheels they spin freely and I don't hear any noise. When I drive, the noise is intermittent so the rub is at a particular point as you can hear the sound note quicker the faster I'm going.

 

[Mxylplyx]

I experienced this issue not to long ago after I changed my front brakes. Turned out to be one of the brake pad tensioner clips contacting the top of the rotor. If the noise is still there after the seating procedure as others have mentioned, pull it apart and look for any contact points on those clips. Contact points where rubbing is occurring will be shiny and polished looking.