Good evening fellas. I'm new here. Just bought a 1995 F150, 4x4, AT, with a 302. I have 139k miles on it. When braking there is a very pronounced low pitch oscillating creaking noise (kinda like a cross between a creak and a thump) that changes in speed.... as the vehicle slows the creaking slows. It only happens when I apply the brakes. I don't think it's the brakes as the pedal doesn't pulse and it's not a brake squeal it's a creaking sound but it's definitely caused by braking. I used the search function and found plenty of creaking threads but very few that were related to braking, most seems to be related to steering and hitting bumps. Any ideas?

 

do you hear scraping/grinding noise as your vehicle speeds up (ie thunking gets faster)? if so your breaks may be wearing out or have gone bad, my truck Sandy had something similar to this except it was when going faster not slowing, and her rear drum breaks were compleatly gone (as in dust)

 

Nope it is only when applying the brakes and sounds like the creaking is coming from the front

 

I'd pull the wheels and inspect immediately. My friend's dodge had a similar problem, the inside of the rotor ended up looking like this. No squeak, it was like a growl almost. The outside of the rotor looked fine...you couldn't see it until the wheel was off and we could look at the top of the rotor.

 

Seen many a chevy guy with this issue...then says "Hmmm..Theres something wrong with my brakes....I think its the carb..."

 

I climbed under it and checked the back side of the rotors at least and they looked to be in really good shape. This sound is more like a creaking/squeaky bushing I suppose. Would applying the brakes cause a bushing to creak in tempo with the wheel speed?

 

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I'm still having this issue. I pulled the front tire off just to be sure the rotor and pads were ok and they were just fine. I did notice that the bushing on the end of the radius arm is split and separated about 1/4 inch at the split. Could the radius arm bushing be creaking? It only happens during braking and only at slow speeds like coming to a stop; maybe the braking is causing just enough oscillation that is making the bushing creak? The noise varies in speed with relation to the wheel speed. The inner radius arm bushing looks ok but the one right on the end of the radius arm has definitely seen better days. The ball joints and wheel bearings are tight. Thanks for the help!