Any mechanics out there?

[cece1960]

HELP!
I was on my way home (2 hour drive) and my brakes locked up a bit in reverse, then when I pulled forward the peddle went to the floor.
When I tried them again, they worked fine but were grinding loud. I made the trip home (interstate, little braking) and stopped (!) for brake pads.
My son will put them on for me but when I mentioned the peddle problem all these big scary words came up like "master cylinder" and caliphers?
Could this be a complicated and expensive fix? Could I loose my brakes even if I didn't get a brake light and things seem fine?
I can't afford a big fix right now. My ex is a mechanic and would take a look but he's away on a cruise (grrrrrrr)
Anyone know what I'm facing?
Thanks in advance!
Cece

[Greenbug]

Its not a master cylinder this would not give you a grinding noise. since you kept driving on it if you looked I bet a wheel was glowing also.

A piston in the caliper could have come out causing loss of pressure and no pedal if it stayed in the out position it would cause grinding - but this is not a "sudden" thing you would have heard grinding long before this type of failure. Rear wheel piston in the wheel cylinder (assuming they are drum brakes) would also do this if the piston sticks in the out position and would cause grinding compromising the hydraulic system and no pedal. There are two separate systems in a car/truck brake system. [right front left rear] and [right front left rear], if one goes you have the other. You really wont know until you take the wheels off and see. Driving on it isn't good, might have caused more damage.

Cost range is if you do the labor 50 to 300 dollars for the parts depending. If you have it done the above price plus whatever the labor rate for 2-4 hours?

make sense?

[sunshinebluesky]

u might want to check the brake fluid...see if there is any in there.and if you have to fill it,if it holds?-- before you ride out to a dependable shop.....i had a m/c and a caliper go at the same time.....you definately need all this checked out.grinding sounds like a rotor problem-and as said the locking up could be a wheel cyl or a caliper sticking.... doesnt sound like just pads are gonna fix it----sorry......... depending on what needs to be done could end up kind of costly.

[BrokenTin]

There is a third posibillity. The calipers may have extended beyond their normal limit as a result of pads being worn severly. The piston in the caliper extends out of the cailper and binds, not returning to it's normal rest position. If this is the case simply pushing the piston back in with a c clamp and replacing the pads and rotors if needed will usually take care of it. Have some one you know and trust look at it.

[Greenbug]

A piston in the caliper could have come out causing loss of pressure and no pedal if it stayed in the out position it would cause grinding - but this is not a "sudden" thing you would have heard grinding long before this type of failure.

normal operation this isnt really possible, unless they had old pads (spacers) behind new ones, or the rotors are so far gone it would alow the pistons to exit the caliper in which its almost at complete failure anyways. I have seen when people use old pads as spacers and run the rotor down to nothing and it completely breaks at the center point and then it just freewheel's. scary stuff some people do - anything to save a buck

Oh hell anything is possible!

[cece1960]

Yikes
I was afraid of this.
Well, no sense fretting about it until tomorrow.
Thanks for the input...
Cece

[Dan]

What's the make, model and year of your car, Cece?

[cece1960]

2000 Merc Mountaineer. We pulled the wheel and the pad is just gone. Its been metal on metal so thats the sound. I'm hoping that new brakes and rotors will do the trick. I assume that if we replace and I still have a soft pedal we've got bigger problems?

[Dan]

Yikes...
Could have done some caliper damage, but not necessarily.
Do pads and rotors, bleed the system, top up the master cylinder and see then.
Overworked caliper pistons sometimes get crud and crap lodged in the chambers.
Usually means it's time to replace them.

After market parts should be available.
Much cheaper than at the dealer's.

Good luck.

[cece1960]

"top up the master cylinder"?
Sorry, I'm a bit illiterate when it comes to this stuff.
So if I do the brakes and rotors, would that hold me over until cruise boy gets back to take a hard look at things?
Thanks for your help Dan
Cece

[Dan]

Well, topping up the master, which only means adding brake fluid, is something that should be done after 'bleeding' the system.
Bleeding the system simply means getting rid of any air pockets in the brake lines, ensuring a clean path for the fluid to get to the calipers and/or brake cylinders.
You don't have to bleed the system. It's not a rule.
But my inner master technician prefers doing it whenever brake work is the task at hand.
Just do pads and rotors for sure, and be gentle when you drive off testing it

Your brake pedal might be soft at first.
This is normal.
But if it doesn't feel right after a few minutes, then there's definitely something else up.

[AUDRADAVID]

Hello- I Work In Service At A Car Dealership- It Sounds Like Calipers- However- If It Is Or Not- The Grinding Sound Is Your Brake Pads, Pads Ease The Braking Which Are Held On By Calipers- And Sit On Rotors- If You Feel A Shutter In The Brake Pedal Or Your Steering Wheel Is Shaking During Braking Your Rotors Are Choopy And May Need To Be Smoother Out Or Resurfaced (cut), That Is Less Expensice- Takes 1 Hr 15 Min To Do 2, You Have 2 In Front- U Only Pay For The Labor- No Parts Involved- However When Resurfacing Yoyu Rotors You Most Likely Need 2 New Front Brakes Pads- Those Will Run Close To 30 Dollars For The Part Then Aboout 1 Hour Of Labor- Sometimes Though Rotors Do Not Have Enough "meat" Or Metal To Resurface (smooth Them Out) So They Will Have To Be Replaced- Thats Where Big Bucks Come In - The Labor Is About 2 Hours And The Parts Are Close To 400 Dollars- Rotors Can Only Be Resurfaced (smoothed Out) Twice And Then They Have To Be Replaced- There Is Just Not Enough "meat" To Shave Off Which Makes The Rotors Surface Smooth Again. Calipers Are Cheap- However- Master Cylinder- Which U Don't Need- Is Very Very Expensive!!!!! Sounds To Be Like U Definetly Need New Brakes Pads- And The Rotors May Need To Be Resurfaced- But If There's Only Grinding- Its Inexspensive And Doesn't Take Long- Your Best Bet Is To Go To Autozone- Then Pep Boys- And Tell Them The Make And Model And Year Or Your Car And Tell Them U Need Front Pads- Around 20-30 At The Most, And Your Mechanic Should Only Charge U One Hour Labor. But Tell Him Everything And That U Have New Pads And U Just Need Him To Install The Pads And Inspect The Rotors And Calipers- He Shoukdn't Charge U Since He's Already In Thier Replacing The Pads. Good Luck- The Reason I Work For Service Is Because I Am A Woman And Sometimes When It Comes To Auto Stuff We Get Jipped, Use The Talk I Mentioned Above And Any Guy Will Assume U Know More Than He First Thought- And Will Be More Likely To Be Honest With U. The Auto Industry Is Very Tricky Because Most People Don't Know How Long A Job Really Takes- They Just Know Thier Total Price- Fortunetly For Me I Know The Actuall Time The Tech Gets Paid For- Private Message Me If U Ever Need More Info In The Future- Bye Cece

[Greenbug]

LMAO!! did ya get all of that Cece?

Three people saying the same thing.


I think its the muffler bearings, I've heard of this before Its not pretty. and the COST....

Your in my prayers

[cece1960]

Grrenbug...don't plant any seeds...next thing I'll have an anxiety attack over muffler bearings! Is there even such a thing?
Thanks again Dan, Broken, Sunshine and Audra (I've always wanted to know more about this stuff for just the reason you mentioned.) Given a chance, I'm not always as blond as I look.
So both brakes and one rotor replaced (they only had one in stock and the right one looked pretty clean) and I have no noise, and a firm pedal.
But now a have a bad shudder/shimmy in the front end when I first start out if the wheel is turned. Disappears after I get going. Son says he switched the tires. Could that cause that?
We'll switch them back tomorrow and hopefully that will disappear. IN the meantime, you can send me your bill
(I'm thinking horse and buggy was a lot easier)
Cece

[angelgirl]

Gotta love those men...
So sweet and helpful..
Beck

[Greenbug]

we got a winner!!!

no such thing!!!

the answer was b.!


Shudder/shimmy? could be new brakes wearing in.

I am not trying to alarm you but if it does NOT go away you could have messed up the ABS sensor when you drove on the wheel. Give it a day tops! then take it back to the shop. the ABS sensor is for anti braking, it pulses the brakes so you dont skid and you wouldnt be able to see it from just looking since its an electrical sensor. I bet if you would have looked at your tire at the end of your trip the wheel/rotor would have been glowing, Im serious. This heat is not a friend of electrical sensors.

Just take it back if it doesnt go away.



If you have some body there to do scheduled maintenance you might be able to save some money in the long run, and definitely wont have something like that happen. Brakes once viewed are pretty easy to see any problems. If not brakes usually have a "mileage lifetime" you might think about looking into them then. I believe you have 4 wheel disks as well. There should also be a sheet metal plates that goes behind the pad, when the pad gets low it makes a whining noice, this mean brakes will be needed soon.

FYI.

[AUDRADAVID]

Usually If Its Tire Related You Will Feel Shaking At Highway Speeds Mostly. Maybe Abs But I Think It Is Just The New Brakes Starting- Was It Wet Out???

[cece1960]

Wow!
I feel so enlightened!
The shimmy has stopped. I suppose it was the new brakes. I do have an ABS light so I'll trust that its not that (unless it comes back)
But I'm very very grateful for the responses. Sometimes if I hear its ok from someone who knows better, then I won't obsess.
Greenbug, I will begin some routine preventive maitainance from here on out. My baby (I LOVE my vehicle) is getting a little up there in years and I'd love to keep her around. I trust a little garage up the street. I'll have to pay then a visit.
Thanks again
Cece

[Greenbug]

Hey Cece something you might want to think about, its actually what I do. when you need new tires find a place that will rotate them for free for the life of the tires, this is great for the tires (maximum wear) and they will do a routine check of the wheel areas and usually check fluids as part of the service. If they find anything dont get the work done there (unless its an emergency) then take it to your shop you trust for a second opinion. Either way its a win win, you get your tires rotated, they check the fluids, and you get the maximum out of your tires.

depending on how you drive I get my tires rotated every 4 months, my last tires wore down perfectly, of course you have to replace all 4 tires and the end.

I might know what I am doing but it doesnt mean I want to do it. I mean if its a free service including with something else, I am there. Free diaignostic, and I can do the work. I am getting to old or/and lazy for this stuff!


Its been my experience if you just randomly take your car in for "service" they will find something, I mean thats why your there? Most shops dont want to disappoint you - thats just business.

On the west coast I would recommend America's tire store also known as Discount tires in some places.

Just food for thought. Best if luck

~GB

P.S. You cant beat 15 dollar oil changes at Wal Mart either!, you cant buy the parts that cheap. Never had a problem....

[Dan]

Originally Posted by cece1960

I trust a little garage up the street.

Having a trusted mechanic or automotive service technician is as valuable as a good trial lawyer

[Greenbug]

Originally Posted by Dan

Having a trusted mechanic or automotive service technician is as valuable as a good trial lawyer

+1