Brakes making a noise when braking

LandyAndy

Tilt wrote: »

Well i'm talking about much lower speeds so perhaps we have our wires crossed. If so, I apologise for my earlier remarks.

I regularly follow cars being driven along 30mph downhill stretches where the drivers don't seem to be able to reduce or maintain speeds without constant braking.

I can travel along such roads at the speed limit without touching my brakes at all by simply using the correct gear(s).

Back in the day when brakes weren't as effective as they are now many steep hills had a sign at the top saying 'Engage Low Gear'.

[Deleted User]

LandyAndy wrote: »

Back in the day when brakes weren't as effective as they are now many steep hills had a sign at the top saying 'Engage Low Gear'.

Still do round here. Probably because the signs haven't been replaced since ever.

Paperbird

Tilt wrote: »

Well i'm talking about much lower speeds so perhaps we have our wires crossed. If so, I apologise for my earlier remarks.

I regularly follow cars being driven along 30mph downhill stretches where the drivers don't seem to be able to reduce or maintain speeds without constant braking.

I can travel along such roads at the speed limit without touching my brakes at all by simply using the correct gear(s).

No apology needed Tilt I could have mentioned the speed earlier.
I drive an ordinary car not a 4x4 and can't work out why a car I'm following at a constant distance will start pulling away from me going down the slope when it's brake lights are on all the way down.
I used to car share with my boss and got travel sick when we used his car because he couldn't keep a steady speed on an almost empty motorway. 20 miles each way and he would accelerate to about 80mph left foot brake down to 60mph accelerate back to 80, brake back to 60 all the way.
He did admit he wasn't a very good driver and in 20yrs had not built up any no claims on his insurance. He said he averaged a small bump about every 6 months and a bigger one that needed a bumper or wing replacing every 12 to 18 months.

Tilt

LandyAndy wrote: »

Back in the day when brakes weren't as effective as they are now many steep hills had a sign at the top saying 'Engage Low Gear'.

As far as i'm concerned, nothing has changed in the way correct usage of the gears should be applied when negotiating hills. Constant braking demonstrates poor driving skills and inevitable overheating as well which can be dangerous in vehicles which have drum brakes.

Notmyrealname

Deleted_User wrote: »

I don't need a lecture on brake safety and neglect. I'm getting it seen to tomorrow.

Apparently you do seeing as they've worn down to the metal.

[Deleted User]

Notmyrealname wrote: »

Apparently you do seeing as they've worn down to the metal.

Excuse me? Why do I need a lecture when I was asking for possible advice on what the noise was. I would only need a lecture if I was ignoring it.

Now go and play with some traffic.

fivetide

Tilt wrote: »

Most auto's i've driven have a low gear option.

Generally, unless it is a tip/step/whatever the manufacturers cversion of semi-automatic is then you put it in D and go with it. There wouldn't be a need to go up and down the box.

Older autos are often just three or four speed so moving down to third still allows the car to travel well in excess of the national speed limit.

You next option is 2nd (no one has an option for first) and trying to engage that on the move is just not sympathetic to the box.

I do agree that people should just change down but it is worth pointing out that it might not be the drivers fault in all cases (just a lot of them)

Paperbird

Hintza wrote: »

Well your own post suggests long service intervals are not a great idea, they have already changed it on your own car. I wonder why that is? And why other manufacturers are also doing away with long service intervals. (For example Mercedes in 2009, you can also see that VW in the US has shorter intervals than VW in Europe.)

Because it wasn't good for the longevity of the engine.

My last car was the same as I have now but the earlier model bought at two years old with 60k miles and serviced more or less every 18k. ( ex company car everything done to it documented with mileages even when new wiper blades were fitted and side light bulb replaced )
Sold after 5 years with 135k miles and serviced once a year while I had it.
Still with it's original turbo, clutch and exhaust.
Brake discs replaced at 120k miles.
Coolant and brake fluid changed at 4 years old.
The only fluid that ever needed topping up between services was the windscreen washers.

Robisere

The only person who gave this OP the correct advice here, was G&S. He chose to class that as a "Lecture". Criticising that advice does not help.

I suspect that G&S is an experienced mechanic or even an ex-workshop foreman, like myself. Those who answer questions and give advice here, do not do it for any personal gain or aggrandisement.

If you choose to ignore the correct advice from those who obviously know what they are talkng about, why ask for that advice in the first place?

The brakes were making a noise because they had one or more problem(s). G&S was trying to tell you what those problems could be, and get them changed ASAP.

Paperbird

fivetide wrote: »

Generally, unless it is a tip/step/whatever the manufacturers cversion of semi-automatic is then you put it in D and go with it. There wouldn't be a need to go up and down the box.

Older autos are often just three or four speed so moving down to third still allows the car to travel well in excess of the national speed limit.

You next option is 2nd (no one has an option for first) and trying to engage that on the move is just not sympathetic to the box.

I do agree that people should just change down but it is worth pointing out that it might not be the drivers fault in all cases (just a lot of them)

On national limit roads it would need something like a 1 in 4 for third and the odd dab on the brakes not to keep the speed down and on a 1 in 4 you shouldn't be going anywhere near a speed where changing to second would do any harm to start with.