Brake Grinding -- Where Is That Brake Noise Coming From ?

Brake noise is an unfortunate noise that many of us are familiar with. It generally starts once our brakes start to wear out as a signal, warning us that the brakes probably need to be replaced soon. How this works is that on the brake pads there's a special metal clip which only begins to make contact with your rotors after the brakes have been worn down to a specific point. It's usually right around when you have about one fourth of an inch or so of brake pad left. This clip makes a sound that's pretty easily identifiable to let you know that you'll need to either take your car into your mechanic, or else replace your brakes yourself.

So why does this noise sound terrible , like metal scraping against metal? That is because it is metal scraping against metal. The metal clip on the brake pad makes contact with the metal of the rotor and the sound screeches from the wheel as the sound of grinding metal . This can be very distressing for people, especially if it's this is the first time you've heard that noise before . Many people make the mistake of thinking that their brake pads have already completely worn down and that the grinding they hear is the sound of the metal caliper scraping against the metal rotor.

While this is a possibility , the more likely reason for the noise is that the brake system's early warning mechanism is at last beginning to engage the rotor when you brake and is letting you know that you need to change your brakes in the near future . If you're concerned about the noise , one way of discerning what the noise is is by paying attention to it when you're not hitting your brakes. If there is still a noise of grinding metal even when you aren't hitting the brakes , that is because the metal clip wears down slower than the brake pads, and is still slightly engaging the rotor even when you're not actively braking . So if that's the case with what you're experiencing, then most probably the noise you're hearing from your brakes is from the early warning clip that is letting you know you need to change your brake pads.

Many people ask the question, how long do I have from the time the noise first began until I need to replace the brake pads ? Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell for sure . It really depends on your driving patterns, how heavy the car is , and the brand of the brake pads you're using . To be safe, it's recommended that you change your pads as quickly as you can once you begin to hear the noise. Replacing your brake pads is a somewhat simple process, as far as car repairs go, and only a handful of tools are necessary . You can buy new brake pads cheaply at just about any local auto part's shop . If you've done work on cars in the past , and if you like to service your own vehicle, why not consider saving some money by changing your own brake pads. But if you do not feel comfortable servicing your own vehicle , especially in a place like the brakes, which can cause a dangerous or fatal situation if not replaced properly, then definitely leave the work to the professionals to do .

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