Hey guys,

I've been having a problem with my front brakes on my 1996 Honda Accord EX (2.2L). I would appreciate ANY help on the subject. I have spent over $1000 on my brakes, trying to rid of a LOUD LOUD SOUND heard when braking at low speeds (once the brakes get hot). It will not, however, occur when braking while reversing?

Here's the story:
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Last year, when I bought my Accord, the front passenger side made a slight "tick tick" or "grinding" sound when I braked at low speeds. It gradually got worse (louder) and so I took it to a garage. I had him tell me that the rotors needed to be changed, so I went ahead and did that, but the sound was still there. I then proceeded to change the pads (as per his recommendation), and that did nothing either. I lost trust in him and went to another mechanic, who told me that the rotors were 'cheap quality' and needed changing, so he went ahead and did that. Anytime the brake was opened/taken apart, the sound problem would go away for a day or two, but then would come back with a vengeance. So the 2 sets of rotors and the pads didn't fix it; I eventually ended up changing the bearing (recommended by another garage), and finally a 4th mechanic I went to decided it was the caliper at fault. He claimed he changed that, along with sanding the corners of the pads, and doing other 'stuff', and finally the sound seemed to go away ($800-1000 later).

This summer, while driving with my windows down at the beginning of summer, I heard the same sound start up again, but this time on the driver side. It gradually got worse - way worse than the passenger side ever was! I have had the rotors, pads, and caliper "sliders" changed to no avail. The sound is still there and LOUD. Again, whenever I take it to a mechanic to check it out, merely opening the brake/replacing the pads (opening the caliper) makes the sound go away for a day, but then something happens which brings it back?

I had a friend ask me to record the sound. There's a lot of wind, but when the wind dies down (as I brake), you hear the noise clearly (particularly in Recording5.wav). Here are some clips:
http://www.trunkspace.ca/brakes/

I hope someone can identify the sound and tell me what it is, before I go to another dishonest/clueless mechanic. The latest mechanic I took it to claims it could be the ball joint (which IS loose, but just slightly! hardly noticable), the cv joint (though the sound does not happen while turning, only while braking), or the caliper (which I believe was changed already). So far, I've had the edges of the rotors sanded down, i've had the back plating (which was rusted) clipped in case it was touching the rotors...

Sorry for the long read; I really hope someone can help! I'd appreciate it immensely!

 

I was not able to hear the noise,,,,,,,,,,,,,Has anyone installed Honda factory rotors or pads ?? have them chk the frt syspension especially take a look if the radius rod nut is loose

 

You weren't able to hear it? Can you try clip 5? (http://www.trunkspace.ca/brakes/Recording5.wav). Once the wind dies down, the brake sound is pretty apparent.

The pads currently on the car are original Honda pads. The rotors, however, are not. I haven't taken it to Honda because i'm 99% sure they will tell me it's because they are OEM rotors, will request that I put original Honda rotors on, and the sound will still be there ($300 later?).

As for the suspension - nope no one has looked at that. I'll keep that in mind when I take it back to the garage. Thanks for the reply =)

Anyone else? I know the sound quality is low but i'm hoping the brake noise can be made out. I know I could hear it clearly, but then again I know what i'm listening for...

 

I heard it......on #5

Have never heard such a thing from the brakes before. Sounds like a CV joint to me, but I cant think of any way possible that a bad CV joint would only make a sound when the brakes are applied. I assume that you have checked the joints. Easy way is to go to an empty parking lot and make the sharpest turn you possibly can in both directions (i.e. drive around in a circle). If they are bad, you should hear it.

Does the car brake normally (there is no noticable difference in stopping power, etc.)??

 

It brakes perfectly! I feel the "sound" in the pedal a bit (a slight vibration, which would indicate the rotor?) but it's so slight... and the car brakes really nicely. Stopping power is excellent.

As for it being the CV joint, the car does not make any sounds when I turn a sharp left or right (i've tried), but I had someone else say it could be the CV joint as well. It's just not a sound that would occur (from a CV joint) when you braked (and only when you brake lightly at that!)

Thanks for the continued suggestions =) Mucho appreciated. Still hoping someone had the exact same problem/sound and managed to figure out what it was.

 

The creaking noise? Sounds like the pads moving in the saddles. Have you checked the rotors for runout?

 

Runouts?

The rotors are a bit rough, but not enough to cause the kind of sound that's being made. My guess right now is that the calipers are at fault. I had a mechanic change the sliders on the calipers, and the sound went away for a few hours. I washed and waxed my baby, took it out for a drive, and the sound came back! Really frustrating...

I wish I could just finally figure out what it is!

 

Runout = Are the rotors warped? You measure it with a dial indicator. If they're causeing the noise you can probably eyeball em with them turning.

 

Without using any "measuring" tools (a dial like you suggested), i've had a few mechanics tell me that the rotor is warped, but again, this is like the 3rd or 4th rotor now? The very first guy I took it to a year ago told me that the rotor was warped and needed to be changed, and then told me that it was caused by the bearing.

What I did is I went out and bought a bearing and a rotor. I'm going to try to get those 2 parts swapped on Saturday.

Between now and Saturday, if anyone has any other suggestions (since i'm taking the car in to get work done anyways) on any other relatively "cheap" parts I may want to change at the same time, please speak now! =)

 

ill listen to it right now.