# Random Grinding noise on front brakes

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/random-grinding-noise-on-front-brakes/109172>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** chevrolet, tahoe\
**Created:** [November 6, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/random-grinding-noise-on-front-brakes/109172 "2017-11-06T13:00:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kescott1910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/958977/32.png) [@kescott1910](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kescott1910)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/random-grinding-noise-on-front-brakes/109172/1 "2017-11-06T13:00:39Z")

</div>

I completed a complete brake job on my wife’s 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe two months ago. Front and rear brakes completed. Rotors looked good so did not replace them. Went about a month with no issues then she text me and says front brakes made a loud grinding noise on the way to work one morning. Only happened once. I checked when she got home and did not see any issues. Test drive proved smooth and quiet on all brakes. Another week or so goes by and it happened to me on the way to church yesterday. Seems like it’s definetly the front and definitely sounds like metal grinding. Again, only happened once. Any ideas? Thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 2:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/random-grinding-noise-on-front-brakes/109172/2 "2017-11-06T14:00:03Z")

</div>

Some small rock stuck between a caliper and a shield and getting in the way after a road bump?  
Once I had something similar with a wood branch getting stuck in suspension - sometimes it would get drawn to the brake rotor.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/random-grinding-noise-on-front-brakes/109172/3 "2017-11-06T14:24:44Z")

</div>

it could be a rock as @thegreendrag0n mentioned.

But it could also be that the dust shields are rotted away…allowing these stones to enter.

I did a brake job on a 2004 Tahoe last Friday and there was little left on the dust shields. But we live in Wisconsin and the road salt takes a toll on those shields.

If it was a sticky caliper or a brake hose collapsing…t would happen more frequently.

Yosemite

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/random-grinding-noise-on-front-brakes/109172/4 "2017-11-07T01:14:11Z")

</div>

Pebbles can get stuck in the wheel too. Take the wheel off and shake it, you may hear a rattling sound and from that can find the pebble.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/random-grinding-noise-on-front-brakes/109172/5 "2017-11-07T02:39:53Z")

</div>

Maybe slightly rusty rotors after a humid/rainy night.