Metallic Scraping Sound - Frozen Caliper or Wheel Bearing? *Videos Attached*

My 2006 4wd Tundra is making a metallic scraping noise at the front passenger tire. I’m trying to diagnose it and hoping you guys can help.

Videos below. Noise is worst with the tire on and only slight when the tire is removed. The backing plate was checked and there’s no rubbing anywhere. I also checked the abs sensor and tone ring for shavings but found nothing.

I’m thinking frozen caliper or something brake related but I don’t have brake knowledge. Or is this a bad wheel bearing? Why is the noise worse with the weight of the tire on?

What do you guys think?

 

You 100% positive it's not rubbing the backing plate? Not anywhere? I've had the backing plates rust and a piece will get caught, or if you bend one section, it warps another. If that's a bearing, then I can't imagine what that sounds like on the road.

 

Sounds like your rotor is rubbing the dust shield to me. And let's just say, I know what the hell I'm talking about on this one from experience.

 

Agreed. Sounds like dust shield and not a wheel bearing or pads on the rotor especially because it only hits at parts of the revolution. The drag sound in that last video sounds like the brake pads on the rotors, and to verify can simply pull the pins out, remove the pads, and see if the sound continues; can use lightly tightened lug nut(s) on the studs to hold the rotor in place so it doesn't wobble into the caliper.

 

Thanks for the replies. I’ll start tearing into it this weekend to see what I can find.

I’ll pull the pads and probably remove the caliper to get a better look at everything. Can the dust shields be removed? Are they needed? If I end up replacing pads and rotors (with the help of YouTube videos), what are good replacements? Any brands I should avoid on our trucks?

 

The dust shields are there to protect the rotors from debris. They are somewhat flexible so could have been bent and like @shifty' posted was his experience can be bent back to not make contact. If the pads are worn, the Toyota pads have squeelers that can contact the rotor purposely to make noise and warn of them needing to be replaced although these can break off so visial inspection and mantenance can let you know when they need to be replaced. There are many opinions on brake pads and rotors and likely you'll hear several ranging from Wagner Thermoquiet to Napa to Powers Stop to OEM. Personally, have found the Toyota pads last a long time (like 70,000 miles) and the rotors are high quality with coated hats priced well on sale now at Serra for 20% off their already low online prices with free shipping for purchases over $75 until 7/8/24.

 

You shouldn't need to remove the caliper. Just take the tire off, and look around the back edge of the rotor. Spin the rotor (stick a screwdriver in one of the rotor slots for leverage if needed) and look carefully.

In the link I provided above, once I got my wheel off, it was absurdly clear after grabbing the lug nuts and spinning the rotor, my dust shield was rubbing.

You should never need to pull the calipers on this truck for much of anything superficial, only things like ... you're 4WD and need to remove the axles, knuckle, replace the rotor completely, or similar. You can even swap brake pads w/o removing the caliper.

I still can't figure out what the hell caused my dust shield to bend like that. I clearly see an impact mark. Best I can figure, my BJ press must've fallen onto it when I was trying to pop out my UBJ while installing my lift. I should really clean up that bastard dust shield.

 

This is what has me stumped. I examined the hell out of everything. I even took an endoscope camera to check if there was a pebble or something stuck where I couldn’t see. There was nothing. This is why I’m thinking of removing the rotor. Maybe something is going on where I can’t see.

It’s also weird that I can’t replicate the noise with the wheel off, yet I couldn’t find any spots where the rim was rubbing.

 

After jacking up that side (only that side) of the truck via the frame, with the truck secured and the affected wheel still installed, toss your OEM bottle jack under the lower control arm and lift the lower control arm up to ride height. Basically, simulating what load/weight the truck's front suspension would have on it it were on the ground. Test spinning the wheel, with the wheel+tire on. Does the noise still happen?

If yes, firmly grab the tire with left hand at 9 o'clock, right hand at 3 o'clock, and push/pull the tire firmly, like you're trying to wiggle it off ... is there any play or noise? If not, repeat this with your hands at 6 and 12 o'clock ... is there any play or noise? If not, do this twice more, but with your hands at diagonals, pushing/pulling like you're trying to wiggle the wheel off. This is how you test for bad upper & lower balljoints, tie rod/steering issues, bad wheel bearings. If you find any play, at what positions did you get it, 3&9, 6&12, or on diagonals?

I'd go above and beyond, take the wheel off, and test again with the lower control arm lifted. Does the noise it still happen? Video of this diagnostic can be found here, I think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuT0dABRQXU​

If you think it's the caliper, as was mentioned before, you DO NOT need to remove the caliper to test! Check the caliper for play to make sure it's bolted tight. Make a mental note of how the tension anti/rattle spring is installed. Remove that spring. Remove the clips holding the two pad slides in place. Remove the slides after. Now, using any form of pliers, you should be able to wiggle and lift the brake pads out. NOTE: Keep track of which is the outboard and inboard pad! Only one pad has a screamer, and it needs to be installed on the correct side, oriented upward!!

Spin the axle with no pads installed, do you still hear the noise with no pads? If not, your caliper may had a piston that's sticking, it happens. Rebuild is pretty easy on the 13WL calipers, but you may just want to replace them with Powerstop calipers, they're cheap enough. Avoid the standard parts store brand calipers especially knowing you can get these direct-swap (for an '03 or '04+) Powerstop 13WL units relatively cheap from various sources. Will link a video below on how to rebuild the 13WL calipers here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoQlAW4DPnA​

 

I had sticky calipers on both sides on my tundra last summer. One was obviously more sticky than the other, but i replaced both sides. As to the brake rotor dust shields, they’re there for a reason...and i’ve purposely removed the shields off of all three of my trucks (2 fords, 1 tundra), three different jeeps (cj’s/tj’s both front and rear). It does make it a LOT easier to clean the rotors off with a hose with no dust shields.

 

Rebuild kit for calipers is $14.32 at Serra before 20% off.

 

Weather’s not cooperating. I’ll report back once I dig into everything.

Thank’s for all the help.

 

I finally had time to dig into this.

Removing the caliper helped me find the culprit. There’s a part of the dust shield near where the caliper sits that has a slight bend/angle to it. It was pushed outward towards the rotor contacting it and causing the scraping noise.

I bent everything back into place and the noise is now gone.

 

I hate to say "I was right", but I'm also happy you found it, and it was simply the dust shield.

Aggravating as shit, I'm glad I swapped out my pads and cleaned/re-lubed my rear brakes while trying to track my same issue down, but man ... wild something so simple caused that shit.

 

That’s why this forum is great. The knowledge is vast. 99% of the time, someone’s been in the same shoes.