Hi Elcamino Experts!

I've had the Elky in the shot since Sunday!! For BRAKES! I had the rear brakes done, cost me $350 and thats just the brakes. But anyhow heres the problem; I get the car back and the front drivers side squeals. It squeals when I'm not applying the brakes. As soon as my foot even touchs the brake pedal it goes away. So I take the car back, they say they adjusted it and its fine; didn't even make it home when its squealing away. Next day they say its the power steering belt? Now at this I'm skeptical but as it's a lot cheaper than anything else I go ahead with it. Take it home with the same result, got the service writing to go for a ride with me to listen to it so he knows what it's like at it's quietest. So now I have to take the car back yet again. They've done a "52 point inspection" and two "7" point inspections on it to fix absolutely nothing.

I say squealing but it's really screeching, metal to metal sounding. I remember something about this symptom from brake class but for the life of me can't remember.

Since the noice disappears completely with any pressure on the brake pedal I'm convinced it's the front brakes, while coasting everything else in the drive train is still moving the same except for the brake system when I put sneaker weight on the pedal. So little weight no actual slowing takes place.

I'm going to ask for my money back on the power steering belt, it was obviously not the problem and didn't need to be replaced. This problem didn't exist before I took the car in. Do I give them another shot at it? How many chances do they get before I call the BAR? If as I suspect it needs a front brake job do I have to pay for it as they've repeatedly told me the system is fine and this problem didn't exist before they worked on the vehicle?I'm going to get a second opinion on it as soon as I can.

Thanks for any advice/help!!

Oh, the noise must be real loud cause the engine/exhaust is SUPER loud

Do you have drum or disc brakes? on disc brakes the pads have small metal particales imbedded in them which are called semi-metalic. Some of those particales will cause a brake squeel which is normal, the mechanic looking at them may see that the pads have good thickness and telling you it has no problems and it can to some people sound like metal grinding. On drum brakes the brake shoes could be contacting the brake drum causing a squeel, you will see a ridge or even rust at the contact point on the inside of the drum.
In any case both problems are easy to fix and or repair. Maybe this will give you enough info to go back and have them fix. I can go into more greater detail if you need to, or try and fix yourself.

Dan

I'm assuming that you have drum brakes in the rear. For $350.00 they should have replaced the brake linings, all the brake hardware, and new drums and possibly changed the brake fluid. That is unless you went to a GM dealership which usually charges 50 to 100% more than the chain stores for similar work. Did you get an itemized list of what they sold you for this amount of money??
A lot depends on where you live. In New England and California, things are way more expensive for some reason. In the South and mid-west, things seem to be more reasonably priced. It would help if you told us where you live, so our members can possibly give you a reference to a competant shop that doesn't overcharge you for incomplete work.

Good quality brake work on an Elky is not rocket science.

Add some more details to your posting and see what our members can contribute to your solution. Good luck!

Okay, 4 wheel drums. The rear brakes, got 1 new drum all new hardware, resurfaced the other drum. Flushed the hydrolic system and added new fluid, bled the system. Also repaired the parking brake which somehow was missing a piece entirely. So $350 in California. Not complaining about this. This was entirely the rear brakes only. I did not have work done on the fronts as they continually say there is nothing wrong with them.

The screeching sound is very loud, is coming from the front passenger side. I know some noise is normal, but by loud I mean REALLY LOUD, louder than the engine revved to 3000rpm (and with the exhaust I have thats pretty loud).

I havn't pulled the drums off and looked because I've already paid the bunch of boneheads at the Goodyear shop to do that, and do that again, and do that again...

The more I think about this power steering belt nonsense the angrier I get. I've told these guys screeching with the further explanation of metal to metal sounds. This is very different than squealing, which would be described by me as peeling out or a loose belt! I've taken a few classes and done some mechanic work, but its not my career; I can tell the difference between a belt and the brakes.

Front brakes which I most likely need to have done after this are gonna cost me $$ that I don't have so I have pursue some resolution.

Since you have some experiance you may want to check the front brakes yourself, the "mechanics" may have inspected them and may even have removed the return springs to inspect on the initial inspect and installed the upper spring on wrong or switched top to bottom I have in the past seen a spring rubbing the drum center bearing housing because they were installed wrong. Like John said it is not rocket science and not that much to a brake system.
And then when you do find out what is wrong go back and edjakate them.

Thanks for the insights guys, I'll let you guys know whats up by tomorrow. I know a good edumacation is hard to come by these days.

At the very least, pull the brake drum and take a close look at the brakes. Look for signs of metal-to-metal contact. If you find anything that looks abnormal, it's a clear sign that the service man did not even look. It happens!

It could also just be the brand and type of brake pad being used on your car. My 98 ranger has a horrible squeal problem on the same wheel you do and the last time I changed brakes I put in cheapy pads just so it would pass inspection... never again. I always ran performance friction carbon-metallic pads on both my ranger and my monte ss and never ever had a problem with them squealing. First time I use cheapies and it squeals like there's a pig wrapped around the spindle... coincidence? I think not. . If the shop can't fix it then try the performance friction pads, they always worked for me. Too bad they don't make shoes...

:? Check to see if the Brake shoe's are rubbing againsed the Drum, if not seated right, they will dub & make that noise! I do my brake job's myself & never take it to a shop...just have the drum's turned unless they need replacing! "SKULL"