For my Nissan Sentra, every time I step on the brake, there is a noise and feeling that the rear brake pad is engaging and disengaging the drum (gag, gag, gag..) Is it normal/safe? The braking function is OK.
You say the brake function is OK, buthow do you know that. Most of the braking is done by the front brakes and you sense problems there more easily through the steering wheel shaking, pulling, etc. It's hard to tell how much work the rears are doing.
You could have a warped drum in need of turning, or it may have been turned improperly already. Maybe the bearing is loose. you could jack the car up and test for play in the wheel as a rough guide. Or you could have some hardware problems inside. If there's any regular noise there you need to find out why because it will ultimately cost you.
Does it have ABS? If so, your description sounds like the anti-lock mechanism is engaging on one or more wheels. Check the wheel sensor & make sure it is in place, properly connected and not being confused by debris on it or under it.
Could be something broke off and is causing intermittent problems in your brake drum/brake shoe assembly. I know because this happened to me. What I did is took off the brake drum and had a good look at the conditions inside there and could see that the trailing shoe had come off its metal surface and was logded in between the front shoe and the drum and that's what was causing my noise. Take off the drum and have a look or have someone else do it, is my suggestion.
I'm impressed. Your foot can tell just from the pulsing which brake is causing the pulsing sensation coming through the pedal?
----------- Alex
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