Hi everyone

[Leegirl193]

I have a black FTO, 96, and I've only in the last two days got my licence back and rego sorted. The car has been sitting in the shead for 6months+, before it was banished to the shead it very quickly developed a high pich squealing from what i can tell around the drivers side front wheel.

My partner and i had not to long before that replaced the break pads, i thought it may be a rock stuck in there somewere because im sure i could see a shiny part on the rotor were it was stuck. But looking at it now its all shiny with a bit of rust, with it being so loud it's not drivable.

My partner isn't home to help so i stuck it back in the shead, jacked it up, pulled the wheel off and the two caliper bolts but i cant recall what i need to do to get it off, im sure there was only the two bolts? It just dosent want to budge!..

oh, im kind of glad i decided to do it because i sort of lent down about to take the first wheel nut off expecting it to be way to hard for me (im a 24yr old female and i weigh like 45k) and the bloody thing loosend so quickly that i swear i almost broke my nose on the wheel arch!.. anyway every bolt was that easy to get off.

Really appreciate any help ☺

[dstocks]

Firstly, Welcome to the club.

Im thinking its not the brake caliper. Does the sound only occur while moving or does it still occur when stopped? If it only occurs while moving, then keep looking at the brakes. There are two bolts on the back of the caliper holding it on and they are likely to be tight. The caliper should then slide up off the disk. For a stone to be making that noise, there would be a groove in the disk though. If no scratch/groove, dont bother taking the caliper off as it wont be that. Just check to make sure you have some brake pad left.

If it happens when stopped, its more likely either the power steering belt or the alternator belt making the noise and this will either be as a result of the belt being loose or its also possible that either the power steering belt tensioner pulley or the alternator belt tensioner pulley is shot and needs replacing. Those belts and pulleys are on that side of the engine and let out a very loud squeal if loose or a bearing is shot. Its not too dificult to tell if this is the issue as if you spray a bitof water on the belt the sound often goes away or becomes less.

If it looks like its the belt, let us know and we can tell you how to tighten/replace if needed.

Good Luck

[Leegirl193]

Finally someone who knows what their talking about, its refreshing!

Thank you for your reply, it starts about 5mins into driving and continues to get worse and worse, when you touch the break it will stop for around a second then comes back (whilst you foot is still on the break).

The two caliper bolts weren't tight at all! .. that's probably my other halfs fault and to add to his really smart list of ideas, he's also sprayed the caliper and outside of the pads red? Not sure if that could be a problem. ..

The caliper wont budge! Ive defiantly taken the correct bolts out, but i don't see any obvious marks from a stone anyway. But the rotor thingy is almost smoother and shinier that the others.

I don't think it's a belt of any sort as it's only when is actually being driven.

[dstocks]

OK, in that case it isnt the belts. If the caliper bolts are loose, its possible that the pads have worn unevenly because of the loose bolts. Also, the pads would then be rubbing on the discs continually. Driving any distance would heat the whole thing up and yes, it could squeal and would also glaze the disc (hence more shiny). Have you tightened those bolts up as tight as you can and taken it for another drive to see if that fixes it? Id do that first.

If that doesnt work, there is a possibility that the caliper has been damaged as a result of those bolts being loose. At the very least, id be changing the pads. You should be able to lever off the caliper by sticking a large screw driver between the edge of the disc and the caliper and levering up (after having removed the bolts). When you change the pads, you will need to push the piston in to accomodate the wider pads though.

Hope this helps

[Leegirl193]

Thanks so much, i just got up im gona go have a look now

[Leegirl193]

The paint made the caliper hard to get off, i hope you dont mind if put a couple of photos up of the pads

[Strkszone]

that's probably my other halfs fault and to add to his really smart list of ideas, he's also sprayed the caliper and outside of the pads red?

Top bloke. Problem with the brakes? No worries, spray it red and it will go faster.

Definitely something I would've done. You had them off anyway ..

[dstocks]

The pads look OK actually. And plenty of pad left, so no issue there. Id put them back in and go for another drive. Make sure the bolts hold it on are tight. See if the noise comes back and make sure it goes away when you stop the car with the engine running.

[Leegirl193]

Ok, so i noticed there was a lot of break dust and gave it all a good cleen went to put it all back on and the two piston thingys dont look so good

[dstocks]

The rubber seals around the pistons look OK. The outside surface of the pistons doesnt matter. Its the piston walls that need to be in good condition and without removing them (which I wouldnt advise), you wont be able to tell that. Press the pistons as much as you can before replacing the pads. That will make it easier to fit the caliper back on the disc.