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MG MGA - Mysterious screeching sound

Hi all,

This is something I never experienced before.

The brake drum on the right hand side wheel, was cut by the previous owner 1/8" oversize. When new the inside diameter of the drum is 10", mine was 10" plus 1/8". Consequently, braking on that wheel was drastically reduced. So ordered a new drum from B & G and replaced with the old one.

Now, each time I put my foot down on the brakes, I hear what I can describe as very very loud screeching sound coming from the right front wheel where I installed the brand new drum. The harder I push on the pedal the louder the screeching gets. It is not tyre screech, it is definitely from the brake shoe on that wheel. Very strange to me. Can anyone tell what is causing the mysterious screeching and why?. It is so loud that as I'm driving along, when I brake all those nearby keep staring at me on hearing the nasty noise. It is so embarrassing. Does any one here have any idea of what is the cause and how I can fix it?

F. Camilleri

Hi
Did you use a small amount of brake grease to reduce friction where the shoes slide against the back plate, etc.
Obviously avoid getting it anywhere near the shoe linings or the drums.
Graham
Graham V

You should have witness marks by now....
Dirk
Dirk Van Ussel

Did you "dress" the leading edge of the pads? Ad Dirk says you should have witness marks by now. If not marks, maybe you did not get the wheel bearing done up correctly, or the drum could be hitting the backing plate during braking only, for some reason. Check for witness marks on the backing plate, also.
D mckellar

Also, be sure the return springs are on the backside of the shoes to pull the shoes towards the backing plate.

I agree about the whitness marks. If you find none, spray the inside of the drum at the edges and the backing plate black. you should soon see the shiny spots where the noise is coming from.
MAndrus

Frank, I presume you fitted new brake shoes. If you re-fitted the old ones out of the oversize brake drums they may not conform to the shape of the new drum, might that possibly cause the noise? I don't know, worth a consideration.
Lindsay Sampford

Here is pic of the brakes setup. Is everything where it should be? Is assembly as per the book?

Frank

F. Camilleri

Hi Lindsay, I was in in the process of replacing the brake linings on the side with the brand new drum. I removed the old linings, and compared them with the new set. Indeed, the old linings were not in the form of the new ones. I now have a strong feeling that the cause of the loud screeching was being caused by the stupid old linings.

Unfortunately, Just before I was about to rivet the new linings onto the shoes, I went up a couple of stairs which I have just outside the front door of the house. As I tried to go up one more step. I heard a nasty bone click on the side of my right knee. This followed by intensive pain, and I had to call for help as I could NOT make another move. I am now house bound, I had to be carried inside, and can only be seated as I cannot walk an inch. Damn!!!

I am hoping and praying that this pain will go away.In the meantime my wife arranged an appointment with an orthopedic specialist.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Good luck with your knee.

Paul
Paul Dean

Thank you Paul, I'm really and truly praying that it will heal very very soon. At present I am incapacitated. What a misfortune.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Frank, sounds a bit like cartilage damage, quite a common sports injury to the knee. It can get better by itself, but do get it looked at. Hope you're better soon.
Lindsay Sampford

Thanks Lindsay, I have no idea what it is. I sincerely hope it will self heal, but very soon. As I mentioned before I was replacing the brake linings in my garage. The postman called with some mail, which was for my wife, so I walked out of the garage, which is next door to my house, and as I was going up the couple of steps to give my wife her mail, CLICK went my right knee. Very b***dy painful. I did not go back inside the garage because I was, and still am today, in excruciating pain.

I had to leave everything lying around, and my MGA raised on a jack and supported on a metal post. If and when I am able to walk on both legs, I shall try and finish the job and get the car back on the road again. If that terrible brake screeching disappears with the new linings, I will forget all that happened to my knee.

Frank
F. Camilleri

This thread was discussed between 02/04/2017 and 04/04/2017

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