Grinding sound from left brake

[petrolero]

After my annual, during which they changed tires on my mains, I began noticing a slight, intermittent rubbing or humming sound coming from my mains. during taxi. It got faster or slower with taxi, seemingly matching the rotation speed of the wheel. Tapping the right brake lightly had no effect on the sound, but tapping the left brake lightly made the sound stop temporarily. I did several turns and the sound did not change other than when tapping the left brake.

I noticed no resistance, did several turns, and decided it was safe to take off and possibly related to a slightly warped rotor, although it didn't look warped as far as I could tell.

I went back several weeks later just to start the engine and do a ground run-up/warm up to keep the battery alive and this time the sound was much louder and sounded more like a vibration or even grinding. Still the left brake caused the sound to stop but only while lightly applying left brake.

I'm having my mechanic take a look, but I'm curious what it might be.

 

[flyingron]

Most likely the caliper on one side is stuck. These things get a lot of the elements in them and are subject to corrosion that makes them jam. You won't really be able to tell when taxiing under power but you probably would tell if you jacked the wheel and spun it by hand.
It's pretty easy to tell though through inspection. Take the brake calipers off, disassemble, clean, scrub off the corrosion with scotchbrite, reassemble, resinstall, bleed them off... Easy fix.

 

[Stewartb]

Did you look to make sure the brake wasn't rubbing on the new tire? Usually these post-maintenance problems are related to what was changed.

 

[petrolero]

Did you look to make sure the brake wasn't rubbing on the new tire? Usually these post-maintenance problems are related to what was changed.

I looked as I was taxiing, which was easy since it's the left side, and I didn't see anything obviously warped or otherwise rubbing.

 

[N801BH]

After my annual, during which they changed tires on my mains, I began noticing a slight, intermittent rubbing or humming sound coming from my mains. during taxi. It got faster or slower with taxi, seemingly matching the rotation speed of the wheel. Tapping the right brake lightly had no effect on the sound, but tapping the left brake lightly made the sound stop temporarily. I did several turns and the sound did not change other than when tapping the left brake.

I noticed no resistance, did several turns, and decided it was safe to take off and possibly related to a slightly warped rotor, although it didn't look warped as far as I could tell.

I went back several weeks later just to start the engine and do a ground run-up/warm up to keep the battery alive and this time the sound was much louder and sounded more like a vibration or even grinding. Still the left brake caused the sound to stop but only while lightly applying left brake.

I'm having my mechanic take a look, but I'm curious what it might be.

If a plane is fresh out of an annual, and something doesn't seem right... Take it back to the mechanic ASAP. Don't wait several weeks...... IMHO...

 

[petrolero]

If a plane is fresh out of an annual, and something doesn't seem right... Take it back to the mechanic ASAP. Don't wait several weeks...... IMHO...

Well, yes. But that's the way it went down.