Squeaking brakes

[Nate]

*cough* wheel bearing *cough*

[scirocco-monkey]

Is it though? I came down a very big mountain last night and my brakes were on almost the whole time, When I got to the bottom they were red hot and squealing like a pig all the way home but the slightest touch on the brake pedal and the noise goes. I would of thought a seized caliper.

[Nate]

ok, so now the wheel is presumably on there good and tight have you actually checked the bearing again?

if the caliper is seized, i wouldn't expect touching the brake pedal to change anything, as the caliper is seized, and therefore can't move.

brakes do get hot when you use them, and if you were driving down a big mountain with the brakes on, then they can get very hot. rocco brakes aren't that big, and so can't dissipate heat as fast, so easier to cook them. thats normal, well kinda

[scirocco-monkey]

Well the wheel that was loose is on the good quiet side. When I had the hub off to change the CV joint the bearing was spinning quite smooth and felt ok to me. Im just going to change the lot starting with the cheapest first, Pads and discs then calipers and brake hoses, If it still squeaks then I'll change the bearings and if it still squeaks after all that I'll just turn the radio up

[Nate]

If you do the discs and pads, and that isn't the cause (which from your description I'm reasonably sure it isnt) and you carry on driving it you'll just end up replacing them again.

You will probably save yourself money by taking it somewhere for an actual diagnosis, rather than just throwing parts at it hoping you get lucky.

Quite happy to look at it for you for a beer, but I'm over in swindon

[bengould]

Do the calipers move on the slider bolts OK? If the piston is moving but the caliper is not sliding on the carrier it can cause one pad to bind and the other to release. The binding one would cause the disk to get hot and squeak, the free one would stop the noise when pressure is applied. Maybe. Just a guess but it doesn't cost anything to check. .
Other than that I would probably have to agree with nate and take it somewhere for a proper diagnosis. You will have to fork out a bit in labour but surely it will be cheaper in the long run.

Ben.

[scirocco-monkey]

I would take it too a garage but one I dont trust them around here and two im pretty skint since loosing my job. Wish I could get it to Swindon because I just need someone who knows a hell of a lot more about cars than me to look at it and say "its that" then I can replace that part. The caliper moves on the slider bolts fine but the piston is a bit of a bitch to move. On my old Capri I remember doing the brakes and the piston would move quite easy, Unlike the Rocco's.

[Nate]

Have you checked the bearing for play and or roughness?

[scirocco-monkey]

Well when I had the hub off it felt quite smooth then after a tea break and going back to fitting the CV joint it felt a bit rough and loose. Anyway it's off to the garage tomorrow to have the bearing replaced. So is it the bearing or caliper? Place your bets and watch this space

[Nate]

from your description, my money is still on bearing

[scirocco-monkey]

Well from what im reading on the net it sounds like its the caliper. I have read that bad wheel bearing do not squeal. I done about 40 miles in it today and it squeals loud going forward left and right, Basically it's getting worse. Wheel gets very hot and where as before the sound would go if I lightly apply the brakes now it's there all the time. As you can probably tell it's driving me completely bonkers and it's bloody embarrassing .

[scirocco-monkey]

Well I just had the new wheel bearing fitted and guess what?... SQUEAK

[marcus]

You said the piston was a bitch to move, could it be it's sticking? What's the other side like? If one is significantly harder to move than the other that would suggest you need to rebuild the caliper (if it's still serviceable) seem to remember VW Heritage sell rebuild kits.

[scirocco-monkey]

Well looking at it again today the piston does seem to be sticking out a bit and to get the caliper back on it needs a 'thump' to get the disc between the pads, If that makes sense? Anyway Im ordering a brand new set of calipers but which one? One caliper say...BRAKE THICKNESS 12,20 mm and the other says BRAKE THICKNESS 12 mm

So as usual im confused

[Nate]

Should be part numbers on your current ones that you can cross reference. Might need a wore brush off to read them. Might even be as simple as one is girling one is bendix or whatever