Joe's Toy

Ok so I'm driving to the store turning into the parking lot and an old lady is exiting thru the entrance. I slow down and turn before I clip her but as I slow down and turn I hear, and feel, a grinding in my front right wheel. As I pull away everything is fine. Also the other day I slowed down quick in the dirt and felt the same grinding. I can feel my brake pedal lose pressure slightly when the grinding occurs... The grinding seams to start if I hit a small bump while braking hard. I've checked my brakes (shoes, pads, disks, rotors) and everything's nice and smooth... I have a warranty and I fully intend on using it but they wont just look for a problem and I can't reproduce the noise when I want to... Any suggestions on where else to start looking? thanks guys!
p.s. I have searched but none of the symptoms seam to line up.

Beartracker

Have you changed tires lately? If they are a little bigger they will rub but only when your vehicle is at a twist or angle like going over a hump or in and out of a low spot at an angle.
The next thing I would go with is the idea that one of your calipers is not working right. You may have a torn seal on one of them. Take off the tires and have some one pump the brakes and then hold them down tight and see if the pads are closing like they should every time. Mike

Joe's Toy

Thanks for the info Mike. The tires are the same as when i bought it, but it could still be an issue... I'll check w/ the calipers next. thanks again for your help!

Beartracker

I'm running 16" tires on mine and they are 31.5". The way I found out that it was my noise source was by turning the wheel just a little through the window and then looking at the tires and where it could be hitting. I found out that it was just clearing the plastic fender well at the back or toward the driver by about .5 inches when the wheel was turned to the left or right about half way. If the truck was on a slight bind as stated above it would allow the tire to rub that area until I turned the wheel back the other way.

On the caliper you have two round things with seals on them that close the shoes or pads down on the rotor and release it when you let off the brake. Mine was sticking on the drivers side and it sounded more like rear shoes against the metal drum as far as sound goes. It would do it when applying the brakes and when I let off. It did it when it was cold but after I drove a few miles it quit. Hope this helps and good luck, Mike

HuskyRunner

Kinda sounds like the ABS kicking in. If you've never heard/felt it before it can feel like grinding, and the pedal does drop closer to the floor when the system kicks in. And the fact that you said it starts while going over a bump and braking makes sense, as the bump would un-weight the tires a bit, causing the brakes to lock up way before they normally would.

Maj

i agree with Husky. Sounds like ABS doing its thing. Find you a deserted dirt road and stab the brakes hard a couple of times at speed to try and lock'em up (make sure no one is behind you!). That should activate the ABS and familiarize you with the sounds and sensations of the system.

Joe's Toy

Hey guys, awesome advice. I'll check to see if I have a clearance issue but the ABS thing would also make sense. I'll go find a good road and give it a shot. Thanks alot for the help guys! That makes me feel alot better about my truck.