Noise when braking

After driving around in the city for a while (about 15+ minutes) I hear a noise when I hit the brakes harder than normal to come to a stop. I thought it was the brakes, but now the sound is louder and sounds nothing like a noise brakes could make. I thought it was the tranny, but I switched it in to neutral and then hit the brakes and the noise still came. It sounds like my car is winding down. Its like I can hear all the moving components of the car wind down as the RPM\s drop. I have a feeling it could be ABS or TCS related, but I'm not sure, any suggestions?

Describe the noise. Is it a growling sound? Are you still on your original wheel hubs/bearings?

Not all are original, but I dont know which ones are old if any. I don't think it is that as it only starts to do it in city driving only after about 15 minutes.

As for a description of the noise, pretend:
you got in an accident and the fender of your car got pushed into the tire and you drove it home like that. The best way to describe it is a sound LIKE the tire rubbing against the fender ONLY when braking. Of course it is NOT the tire making the noise, but it souds like it. It sounds like I am engine braking a large truck for few seconds. And also only when I brake harder than normal. braking regularly yeilds no noise.

front or back or both? have you looked at the pads for unusual wear?
it could also be your top strut plates are making the noise. it would explain why it only happens during harder stops.

Wait, I bet this is the rear rotors. Look through the rear wheel and see what the disc surface looks like.

hmm, brake rotors/pads would make more sense in a way. If there is unusual wear of some sort it would make noise. Especially if it is the rear because it only comes during harder braking. Thanks, I'll check these.

What are some good replacements for 96's other than stock?

i think the rears brake all the time; just 20% of the pressure is applied to them 80% to the front.

you dont need to go with stock pads, there are plenty to choose from depending on what you want. good bit with more dust and noise or quiet long lasting pads that dont stop quite as hard?
go with ceramic IMO

Ha, that would be nice. But I don't want to spend too much but I want an upgrade if it is available for the 96 year.

Mr.Riviera wrote:

go with ceramic IMO

X2 You'll be surprised how much free time you'll have since you won't be cleaning your wheels three time a week.

X3 on the C.

Hawk ceramic pads are my pick.

Who else has ceramic? And if you do, have you got them to flame up?

EDIT:
How long do they last? And do they provide better performance?

EDIT 2:
I went to the site and they say better performance and "extended life"

My brakes also squeak a lot considering they are new. Bet it is some strange wear.

flame up??? our factory pads are ceramic, so any increase in performace you see will be from the manufactuer's other ingredients in the pad. they last a very long time! the bendix pads i got have a lifetime warenty, i can send them back once they are worn down to 1/16's of an inch, and provided they dont have unusual wear (from other bad brake components) they will send me another brand new set FREE. for as long as i own the car. they stop well but dont have as much inital bit as some other pads. i never hear anything from them or the rotors! super quiet and decently low on dust. do some research and get some prices. check out the local stores (online) like autozone,napa,advance, or w/e you have around you. and chack out places like tirerack.

My Hawk ceramics stopped my squeeling noise for the most part. They are
very clean, and stopping power was improved. Seem to be holding up
after 20K+ miles.

my brakes last along time NOT i have a paperoute alot of stopping and goin every 4-5 months i do a brake job

4-5 month?!? you should look into better pads. even state vehicles that make hundreds of stops a day (taxi's, busses, 5-0) get a few years on a set of pads.

I use ceramic pads but i make ALOT of stops a day like over 600+ pulling in and out of driveways and tires with me smoking em' and the job chewing em' llucky to get a year maybe

For the last 6 months, when it gets wet out (or even just really humid) my car makes a clunking noise when I come to a stop, and then again when I accelerate (It sounds as if the pads are stuck to the rotors but that's my UNeducated guess). I just had the brakes done by my dealer but they didn't replace the caliper (Just rotor and pads). My question is, could the issue be my pistons in the calipers are just sticky when it's wet out, or could it be my suspension?

I'd first check that the caliper bolts are tight. Lose bolts will cause the symptom you're describing.

Another cause could be the control arm bushings are worn out, shifting under load.

A failed strut, loose tie rod, or cracked wheel lug could also be it. Any noises or vibration on the expressway?

Check the lugs first. A tire shop in town that first mounted my tires then rotated them either did not tighten them all the way or they loosened up. Either way I felt a clunk and a couple days later sheared off a lug nut each time.

If that is not it I suggest AA's approach and check the caliper bolts, tie rod end, or strut mount...

What year car and how many miles on it and the front end components, i.e. struts,etc.

Caliper bolts, and also double check that your motor/transmission mounts are not worn out. I'm pretty sure that's where my front end clunk is coming from right before I stop.

I have a 97 and to my knowledge the front end components like struts have never been replaced. I don't think it's an engine mount because this issue only presents itself when its wet out.

Does this happen consistently every time you brake and accelerate? If it only happens after the car has been sitting, the pads can stick to the rotors, especially the rears if parking brake is on.

Or, the metal pad hardware could be rusting/ not lubed. I don't know why water would cause it to act up, but it's possible.

Final thought: might be your particular pad compound is sticking to the rotors when wet. Have any idea what type of pad material was used when brakes were done?

It occurs every time I stop and accelerate when it's wet. I'm not sure of the pad compound, I know it's not ceramic though. I don't think it's the pad or rotor rusting because I just got them replaced two weeks ago. It occurred before the break change, and now after the break change.

Did you ask the shop that did the brake job to take a look for the source of the noise and if so what did they have to say about it ?