This article addresses a concern commonly experienced by car owners: “Grinding noise when braking.”
Faulty Brakes are likely to produce a grinding noise when applied; what should you do if you hear a grinding noise, especially when braking?
This matter needs urgent attention, not only because of its unappealing noise but also because if it is not fixed on time, it will cause severe damage.
Before I proceed, faulty Brakes make three types of noise: a grinding noise when applied, a thumping noise when braking, a scraping sound when driving /braking, and a squeaky sound when driving or braking.
The exciting part is that new brakes aren’t exempt from making this squeaky sound. However, if you’re wondering, “Why are my brakes grinding when braking?” then this article is for you.
In this article, I will show you probable reasons why your brake pad is grinding and how to fix it.
Why are my New Brakes Grinding?
Brakes come in different brands and quality; a grinding brake indicates total wear and tear of your brake pads.
A brake pad is supposed to be changed between 10,000 to 20,000 miles when the wear is minimal; if you ignore possible squeaky sounds and it starts to grind, then it’s your fault.
A grinding noise should be treated as urgent to avoid breeding other car faults.
Here are two main reasons your brake pads will make a grinding noise when you apply brakes.
1. Cheap and Low-Quality Brake Pads
The most common cause of frequent grinding, even when the brakes are, is inferior brake pads.
While the price might look cheap, they won’t be able to serve you as well as high-quality ones. This is primarily because of the large metal flakes embedded in the brake material, which frequently squeak when it comes to the rotor.
If you’ve used a high-quality brake pad before now, you might not notice when these inferior pads will wear out and greet you with a grinding noise.
The best way to escape this situation is to avoid low-budget brake pads and go for quality.
2. Brake Wear indicator making contact with the rotor
As time goes on, the brake pad becomes uneven and needs replacement. During installation, there’s a tiny metal attached to the brake pad, which relays a signal about the condition of the brakes.
Once brake pad wear occurs, the brake Pad Wear indicator will lose balance and start making contact with the rotor, which makes a rotational movement.
It would be best if you got regular checks on your rotor and pads for uneven wear or build-up.
3. Grazed Rotors
Over time, the rotors can build up build-ups that make the car look irregular, making it hard for new brake pads to fit.
While you can get a rotor replacement, you can likely check if your mechanic can help resurface them.
If you forcefully install the new brake pads, your car will produce a squeaky sound due to friction between the two bodies.
This will also cause increased wear and tear on the new brake pads, eventually producing a grinding sound in no time.
4. The brake pads material
Semi-metallic brake pads are the best choice for car owners, we also have ceramic brake pads which work perfectly for some cars, but it produces lots of noise.
So, to prevent hastened brake pad wear, get a brake pad made of the best material.
5. Insufficient lubrication
Cars equipped with drum braking systems usually encounter this issue, which can affect both new and old brake pads.
The pistons press against the drum braking, and if there’s Insufficient oil, it will make a squeaking sound.
You can resolve this by applying brake lubricant to the affected point, the backing plate.
How to Fix a Grinding Brake
The only way to fix and save your brakes from grinding is by replacing the worn-out brake pads with new, high-quality ones.
If you’re on the highway when you hear the grinding noise, park your car and seek the service of a towing company.
Take your car to a mechanic and have the brake pads replaced. Also, remember to inspect any damage to the rotors.
If the damage is too great, you can get a rotor replacement, or better yet, avoid driving for long after the grinding noise occurs.
How to Stop Brakes from Grinding?
To prevent new brakes from grinding, it is recommended that high-quality brake pads be installed and worn-out, uneven brake pads replaced.
Let’s get to the details of these precautions.
1. Always install High-Quality Brake Pads
Avoid using cheap and low-quality brake pads on your car; while they are cost-friendly, they won’t serve you for half the time a quality brake pad will.
High-quality brake pads will also boost your morale on the highway since inferior brake pads could fail at any time, producing a grinding sound.
2. Rotor Resurfacing or Replacement
If your rotors have developed irregularities that prevent them from accommodating the brake pads, you must either resurface or replace them.
A rotor can last between 50,000 to 70,000 miles before a mandatory replacement can be required.
The resurfacing can be done manually by applying sandpaper to the irregular surface to remove metal build-up.
3. Brake Pads Replacement
The best fix to a grinding noise while driving is replacing worn-out brake pads.
Do change your brake pads for minimum wear after running between 10,000 to 20,000 miles.
That’s all about why your brakes are grinding.
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