Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Alex W]

My wife's old Rover has developed a very loud (head turning) whistle that appears to be associated with the braking system. It doesn't start straight away but using the brakes after a mile or so will start it off. The car will then whistle down the road regardless of whther the brakes are engaged until the car comes to a complete halt.

I have checked the pads and shoes and cleaned the brakes thoroughly everything seems OK in that area.

The servo unit is quite corroded but it passes the test in the Haynes manual. The pressure on the pedal stays constant when pressed several times with the engine off and when you start the engine with the pedal depressed you feel a small movement underfoot as the vacuum is established.

Has anyone heard of servo's whistling when they are on the way out?

I was about to get a replacement but money is very tight just now and I don't want to be replacing parts on this very old car unless I am prettty sure I'm doing the right thing.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[sticka_v8_init]

Cheap pads maybe?

Did you copper grease the backs of the pads?

[henryd]

My wife's old Rover has developed a very loud (head turning) whistle that appears to be associated with the braking system. It doesn't start straight away but using the brakes after a mile or so will start it off. The car will then whistle down the road regardless of whther the brakes are engaged until the car comes to a complete halt.

I have checked the pads and shoes and cleaned the brakes thoroughly everything seems OK in that area.

The servo unit is quite corroded but it passes the test in the Haynes manual. The pressure on the pedal stays constant when pressed several times with the engine off and when you start the engine with the pedal depressed you feel a small movement underfoot as the vacuum is established.

Has anyone heard of servo's whistling when they are on the way out?

I was about to get a replacement but money is very tight just now and I don't want to be replacing parts on this very old car unless I am prettty sure I'm doing the right thing.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

If the servo is whistling it would do it stationary with the engine running while pressing the pedal up and down,if it only happens on the move then its down to the brakes themselves

[sticka_v8_init]

My wife's old Rover has developed a very loud (head turning) whistle that appears to be associated with the braking system. It doesn't start straight away but using the brakes after a mile or so will start it off. The car will then whistle down the road regardless of whther the brakes are engaged until the car comes to a complete halt.

I have checked the pads and shoes and cleaned the brakes thoroughly everything seems OK in that area.

The servo unit is quite corroded but it passes the test in the Haynes manual. The pressure on the pedal stays constant when pressed several times with the engine off and when you start the engine with the pedal depressed you feel a small movement underfoot as the vacuum is established.

Has anyone heard of servo's whistling when they are on the way out?

I was about to get a replacement but money is very tight just now and I don't want to be replacing parts on this very old car unless I am prettty sure I'm doing the right thing.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

If the servo is whistling it would do it stationary with the engine running while pressing the pedal up and down,if it only happens on the move then its down to the brakes themselves

Agree totally - reason why i aimed for the pads themselves.

[Alex W]

Pads were my first thought. That's why I changed them front and rear even though they were only half worn. Copper grease was applied as required.

However, the whistle persists.

There is no whistle on driving off until I press the brake pedal while the car is in motion. The whistle can (not always) persist even after the pedal has been released but always stops completely as soon as the car stops moving. There is no whistle when pressing the pedal while stationary.

Anyone got any other ideas?

[Lazydocker]

Sounds like the brakes are sticking on

Other thing to check is for debris between the disk and the back plate but this would make noise whenever in motion, not just after the brakes have been applied

Remove pads, clean up carrier, possibly file a little off the ends of the pads (if cheap pattern ones used) and chamfer the pads

[Alex W]

I will have another look at the pads as suggested.

The noise started with the old pads, straight after we had just driven along a long gravel drive, I immediately suspected we had picked up a stone. I removed the brake pads/shoes cleaned out all the crud I could find using a wire brush, fine wet and dry paper inside the drums and brake cleaner before reassembling.

When that didn't cure the problem I changed the pads/shoes.

The brakes are working fine at stopping the car. The trouble is, 'er indoors won't drive it with people looking round at her ( I don't blame her really) so I have to get up two hours early to drive her to work!

But anyway, the consensus is, don't replace the servo just yet?

[Lazydocker]

I will have another look at the pads as suggested.

The noise started with the old pads, straight after we had just driven along a long gravel drive, I immediately suspected we had picked up a stone. I removed the brake pads/shoes cleaned out all the crud I could find using a wire brush, fine wet and dry paper inside the drums and brake cleaner before reassembling.

When that didn't cure the problem I changed the pads/shoes.

The brakes are working fine at stopping the car. The trouble is, 'er indoors won't drive it with people looking round at her ( I don't blame her really) so I have to get up two hours early to drive her to work!

But anyway, the consensus is, don't replace the servo just yet?

I would expect it to be there all the time the engine running if the servo was leaking

[Alex W]

Thanks everyone! I'll have another go at it in the morning and let you know what transpires.

[Alex W]

I've had the brakes to pieces again. Cleaned it all up again as best I could, put copper grease on everything (almost). Still squealing as we slow to a halt under braking. Obviously its something to do with the brakes themselves and not the servo.

At least its not doing it all the time any more but its still a nuisance. I don't know what to do next. Any suggestions? (Apart from crushing the car).

Thanks in advance for any tips.

[sticka_v8_init]

Apologies if this sounds a daft question fella, but there wouldn't be a sodding great lip on the discs would there?

[Alex W]

There is  a small lip, but not what I would class as "sodding great". A new set of discs is only about £20 and I was going to try that next, in the absence of any other suggestions.

[rob in gib]

Take a file and angle all four edges of the pads
older metros were renowned for their brake squeal

HTH

[Alex W]

Thanks,  I'll do that while changing the discs, if that doesn't cure it I give up!

[Lazydocker]

Thanks,  I'll do that while changing the discs, if that doesn't cure it I give up!

Obviously, if fitting new discs you should be fitting new pads too