2006 Mazdaspeed 6 brakes questions... ~100K

[Ashy Larry]

Evening Fellas


I really hated posting up a new thread, but a "search" didn't generate anything in relation to my query, so here she goes.

Backstory: So I've got an '06 MS6, approaching 100,000 miles. Front wheel bearings, rotors, pads, Rear pads/rotors = all in need of replacement (rear discs just need to be turned).

I scheduled an appointment at my local Ford dealership, and the work has been "finished" as of Thursday this past week (9/15/11), car is back in my possession, have logged 406 miles since. Hey, life happens and we all get busy. I'd prefer to do my own maintenance (always have, anyway), I simply don't have the time to spare, sadly. I was told by 2 different dealers that a PRESS would be needed to seperate the rotor from the hub, and also needed to "marry" the new rotor to the hub: another reason why I opted to go the "dealer" route ( ) , as I don't have a press, or spare time.

On with the story: So, everything "seems" normal on the car after picking it up. I take off for the cabin (translation: gravel roads) . . . and on my trip back home from the cabin, I notice an odd "wailing/scratching" noise coming from the front left (sounds a lot like a stone wedged between that "dust-shield" (engine-side of the left/front rotor) and the rotor itself). I figure, "No worries, I'll just pop that sucker out when I get home, if it hasn't dislodged on it's own by then".

So I get home, am about to back into the driveway and notice the "wailing/scratching" noise is still present, along another noise (a clicking/clacking), only under power and only from the Front Left corner, (imagine rocking the car back and forth between 1st gear and reverse, no brakes) (no perceivable "drag" is resultant from either of the noises).


I get the car's left side off the ground, take the wheel off, I'm inspecting the front left, and find that the source of the "wailing/scratching" noise is being generated simply because the "dust shield" is loose around it's origin, and rubbing on the rotor. Yay: rotate "dust-shield" clockwise = fixed. Here's where I get really skeptical of the dealership's "workmanship" . . .

LF:


Yeah, no "safety screws" re-installed. Also, note that the "safety-indent" on the ring centermost on the driveshaft's nut is not aligned properly. Possibly the source of the "clicking/clacking" noise? Possibly indicative of under/over tightening, and thus the noise?.

At this point (keeping in mind I've been told that the rotors/hubs need to be pressed), I go ahead and take the caliper off to see how "firmly pressed" the rotor is. Yep, came right off.

So, now I'm off to inspect the remaining 3 corners on the car to see if the "safety-screw's" have been re-installed on the rotors. . . Below is what I find.

RF:


LR:


RR:



Sure as shit stinks, not a single "safety-screw" has been re-installed
(note that on the front/right, one of the holes for the "safety-screws" doesn't even line up for the hub/rotor's safety screw)


What I am wondering is as follows, and most likely predictable:

1.) Taking a close look at the (Ford) pads that were installed, when a dealer tells you they will be installing OEM parts, is it customary for them to install "Ford" pads?
(I am aware of the relationship between Ford/Mazda, just not sure if the MS6 comes from the factory with "Ford" pads/rotors, which is also why I am confused that I was told the rotors/hubs needed to be pressed. Is a press necessary to remove the hub from the OEM Mazda front rotor? Follow me?)

2.) The "clicking/clacking" noise . . . is that most likely coming from the bearing (since the noise is present ONLY under power, NOT under braking)? Or would a discerning mind tend to think that the clicking/clacking noise is being generated from the "mis-aligned" LF drive-shaft's nut who's center "ring's" safety notch is not aligned correctly?

3.) The 4 rotor's "safety screws", would any of y'all see a justifiable reason to bitch about that?



Picture of Invoice:




Apoligies for the long-windedness . . . sensible answers and advice is much appreciated . . .

[jroc]

I dont run screws. I changed out my rotors between DD and track so theyre a hassle. The rotors slide on the hub, but you do need a press to get the hub off/install a bearing, so that was required.

Ive got the pad and rotor swapping down to 20-25 minutes per end of the car

[sharky]

I don't run screws either. Here is what AllData is telling me for parts and rates. It looks like the dealer is quoting you a bit differently, but it is probably a wash. Some are above, some are below.

[Lex]

All the MS3 and MS6 pad backs say FoMoCo.

After a gravel road I found that rocks got stuck between the spring perch (bottom) and spring itself and there is some clicking and grinding noise when accelerating mostly in 1st gear. This may be quite different from your case.

Have you checked that there is no noise or play in the hubs?

Those screws are mostly a hassle and end up rushing in the hub. I prefer not to install them.

[Stealth01]

I don't run the screws either because when i took my rotors off, the screws stripped and I ended up grinding them off. So the holes are not empty and new screws cannot go in.

THe clicking....I'd have said splines if you hadn't said only under power. Could also be something brake-related, or the bearings, I suppose. I have a clicking in my right-front and I THINK it's the splines...

[dkapetansky]

I've had problems with those screws rusting in the hub, too. I can get them out with an impact screwdriver, but that invariably destroys them. So finally I replaced them with stainless steel screws, and installed them with anti-seize compound, and that's been working fine so far. But at the end of the day, I'm willing to admit that, with 5 lug nuts pressing each rotor into place, those silly safety screws are truly superfluous. I've never heard of a problem resulting from omitting them.

[Masterofnone]

As others have said, screws are no biggie.

I would take it back and make "Charlie" properly torque and indent the left front hub nut, if not replace it altogether. Those nuts are not suppose to be reused more than a few times. The fact that the indent is not in the right place means that either it has loosened or "Charlie" didn't indent it at all and your seeing the previous indent.

[Ashy Larry]

Very good, thanks much for your collective insight fellas



Oh, y'all got a purdy fancy forum here, love it!
I can't believe how many cool smilie's and bananas there are (not to mention the wealth of knowledge).

For example, one of my favorites:


Thanks again,
Pete