Ford Escort SE 1998 Excessive Play in left side tire

GRJ7543

MEMBER
1998 FORD ESCORT

Ford Escort SE 1998;
164,000 mi;
Stick shift;
2 wheel (front) drive;
noise in front left side when stopping with brakes;
no leaks;
new rear springs, shocks, brakes; new left front tie rod (Noise started before tie rod replacement);

When I come to a stop a repeating grinding noise occurs near the left front tire; With the car on a jack, the left front tire has excessive play when I rotate it forward and backward (more play than the right front side); there is no excessive play when I attempt to turn the tire to the left or right.

Is the problem a cv joint? Thanks for youir advice.

2 Replies

BRUCE HUNT

MECHANIC
3,753 POSTS

I highly doubt this is a CV issue. They don't usually manifest themselves during braking but are more noticeable in their failures during the turning of the auto. It could be a bearing based on your information but I am not confident about that because it would be an issue during other operations than just braking.

Were the new brakes put in all around? On the side in question, was a new rotor put on, was the old rotor turned or was nothing done to the rotor?

I would look at the condition of the rotor (remember to view both sides of the rotor) and the pads. If the noise is trully coming from the brakes it should leave or their should be evidence there to explain the sounds you hear.

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Wednesday, June 20th, 2007 AT 11:44 AM

GRJ7543

MEMBER
2 POSTS

The newest brakes are in the rear. The front brakes were serviced (new pads, rotors turned) several years ago.

I just looked at the rotors and they appear to be fine. The only things I noticed was a lip around the outer edge of the rotors and a lot of rust on the outside edges of the rotors which, for better or worse, I knocked off.

I drove the car and did some hard braking which did not create the noise. The noise only occurs on light braking and is cyclical in nature.

When the front brakes were serviced I noticed one pad was significantly more worn than the others. The mechanic did not mention this so I thought it was unimportant. I do not remember if the pad was on the left side.

Thanks for your help.

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Wednesday, June 20th, 2007 AT 1:52 PM