Help! Grinding while braking&turning: ripped caliper piston boot?

[registering]

Howdy all,
I have aftermarket brake components, but haven't touched them since Mazda "fixed" my Hawk HP pads to fit the stock calipers. The past 2 days, however, I get a grinding noise when I brake while turning, such as turning into a parking space. The grinding feels like ABS is activating. Brake fluid is lower, but not low, rotors look okay, pads look okay, the wear indicators don't seem to be touching anything, I THOUGHT I noticed some metal shavings the other day, but after washing my car (it was fiiiilthy) and reproducing the error, I don't see any. The grinding is ONLY from the front, mostly driver's side, but it seemed passenger side at least once.

So I took off my wheel and brake fluid squirted out when I lifted the caliper up (like I was going to change the pads). See the picture -- it looks like the rubber "boot" thing around the caliper piston is ripped. This seems bad to me. Could this explain the grinding?? I'm GUESSING when turning, stresses change enough on the piston that fluid leaks out, pads don't engage, ABS freaks-out and turns on, thus the grinding.

Any other theories? Anything anyone can suggest I test?? I assume to replace the boot means to disassemble the caliper, right?? I'll go to Mazda, but they last mucked with it 8 months ago so you know they'll refuse to reimburse me for anything, even though they were the last to touch it, especially with all my aftermarket stuff.

<edit>Section 04-11 in the service manual shows how to disassemble the piston -- has anyone done this? It looks like the "dust seal" is ripped, but once I disassemble it, it may show more is ripped. Of course, I could've just ripped it when I opened the caliper just now (but I doubt it), and this whole ripped boot thing could be a red herring.....

 

[registering]

Anyone? Is this ripped dust seal something to be concerned about? Is it likely this is a serious brake problem? I fear I'll be at the mercy of the Mazda dealership, who'll probably charge me through the nose.

 

[registering]

Okay, here's a theory. I've got a spare on my driver's side rear (nail in tire). This grinding started shortly thereafter. Since the spare doughnut probably leaves the ground when turning and braking, due to smaller diameter of the spare compared with the OEM wheels and shifting weight distributions, could it simply be the front tires get overwhelmed, and ABS activates, since there are probably just 3 tires braking instead of the usual four? I'm not "speeding" into parking spaces, but I'm not crawling either. That's my theory of the day, and it makes me feel better. I'm guessing the ripped dust seal is a red herring, and I'll continue driving unti I get the new tires (Monday) and hopefully not die in the interim.

 

[registering]

Okay, since I'm having a lovely conversation with myself, I just thought of this: since one of the rear wheels probably leaves the ground when I turn and brake, it would be turning at a noticeably different speed than the opposite rear tire, which I believe would activate ABS anyway (jack up your car, spin one wheel, ABS gets pissed off). So it's not just differing weight transfers and 3 rather than 4 tires touching the ground that might wake-up ABS, but differing rear wheel spins that exacerbates it. So that furthers my "good-feeling-theory-of-the-day" theory. I'll ask them to check my brakes on Monday when they install the tires.

 

[Mike R]

The tear is caused by the pads being installed wrong. The nubs on the back tear the dust boot. The grinding is probably the anti rattle clips on the top and bottom of the pads. If you are running the spare, it will throw off the ABS because of the difference in diameter.

 

[registering]

The tear is caused by the pads being installed wrong. The nubs on the back tear the dust boot.

Thanks for the info and sorry for the late follow-up, I hate reviving an old thread, I just don't want to make the same mistake again. How should the nubs be placed? How do I know if they're installed incorrectly? I know I installed them wrong initially, then took them to Mazda and they supposedly fixed it, but who knows.

I'll attach some pics of how they're currently installed.

 

[Action Jackson]

Thanks for the info and sorry for the late follow-up, I hate reviving an old thread, I just don't want to make the same mistake again. How should the nubs be placed? How do I know if they're installed incorrectly? I know I installed them wrong initially, then took them to Mazda and they supposedly fixed it, but who knows.

I'll attach some pics of how they're currently installed.

The "nubs" look like they're correctly installed.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Are your M clips missing? I think I can make one out in your 3rd pic there, but I'm not sure...

 

[cbcbd]

Were Mazda the only ones to touch your brake pads? Whoever put your brake pads in last ripped the dust boot while sliding the caliper over the pads. I don't know where your grinding is coming from but with the boot busted eventually the elements will get into your caliper and your piston will seize - I had to replace both front calipers because of this. So, if someone else screwed this up, demand that they fix the caliper with a new dust boot. If you did it yourself or there's no warranty then you'll have to fix it yourself.
-I bought calipers from junked Proteges and replaced mine with them.

 

[registering]

Nope, I'm fairly convinced I broke it. When I first upgraded my brakes I didn't clip the pad wear indicators properly, so it gouged my front rotors slightly, and screached like hell. I took'em to Mazda the next day, and they pointed my mistake out, and fixed it. That was like 9 montha go? Then, 1 month ago I got a flat tire and while driving on my spare my ABS would activate while braking+turning. After opening the caliper to inspect it a few times I noticed the dust seal was torn (brake fluid squirted out) and it's been that way ever since. I've just been monitoring it since, but I can easily believe I probably sliced the seal while sliding the caliper back down over the rotor after inspecting it the first time. As long as my pads are installed correctly now I can live with $50 for a new caliper w/new dust seal, my biggest concern was they weren't installed properly even now. And no, I don't have any M-clips missing, I guess the pic isn't too clear. Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Alpinejwl]

i have noises on my rear right side too...When the car is cold, i always hear a sqeaking noise that goes....ew.....ew......ew.......ew.....but when the car warms up, the noise disappear...I am thinking about bent rotor, break (but I wasn't breaking) or suspension but no idea..going to bring it to the new mazda dealership in Rowland heights this wed to see if they can figure it out....warranty for another 20,000 gotta take advantage of it.

 

[registering]

Definitely a dealer issue if it's still under warranty. Maybe the lug nuts just aren't torqued properly, or one of the brake pad clips is out of place. A single warped rotor, especially in the rear is kind of strange (unless parking brake is used after hot lapping or something). Good luck!

I just ordered a used caliper for $50, so hopefully that resolves my torn seal issue.