Grating noise from front wheel - any ideas please

I'm a lady Freelander 2 driver (HSE 2007 Automatic Diesel 49k miles) and new to the site so please be gentle with me 😄

I've been having problems with my car for a few months and despite 7 visits to 2 garages no one seems to be able to shed any light or sort the problem, fingers crossed someone on here might be able to help me.

So here goes, sometimes when braking there is a loud grating metal against metal sound that is coming from the front drivers wheel. It doesn't happen every time I brake and there seems to be no pattern to when it happens. This has progressively got worse over the months and has now progressed into an intermittent grating/screeching/squealing upon braking, that can be heard outside and felt through the brake pedal (cue lots of strange looks from pedestrians as I drive by) The garages have checked brake pads, discs, wheel bearings and all are ok. The last garage said on the third visit that it was a small stone stuck behind the disc and back plate which they removed and to be honest it was better for a while, but the grating etc has now returned with a vengeance.

Before I go throwing away anymore of my hard earned cash (£400 spent and lots of hours off the road to date) I thought I'd see if anyone on here has any ideas please? Or does anyone know a good Land Rover knowledgeable garage in South Yorkshire that isn't going to charge me dealer prices? Grateful for any useful ideas that I can throw the garages way.

It could have gained another stone, do you regularly drive on loose stones? It could be a poorer quality pads fitted previously, we need some history on what exactly has been done, checked or replaced etc

Hi thanks for your reply, I did wonder if it could be another stone but after nearly 8 yrs of no problems it seems a coincidence to get two stones in succession. I only do road driving no off roading at all but I guess it's possible it could be another stone.

The many visits to my first garage didn't solve the problem, they didn't mention a stone and they say they took the wheel off checked brake pads, discs and bearings, second garage did the same but they couldn't get the noise to replicate ( think they thought I was a neurotic woman with a garage fetish �&#56832 On my last visit the noise was there as I arrived and a quick drive with the mechanic resulted in him shrieking that I had to pull over immediately as something was drastically wrong ! When he checked he said all he could see was this small stone.

I had new discs and pads fitted by a reputable garage 13 months ago and have done about 8K on them, there were no issues until this grating started about 4 months ago. Both garages I've used say discs/pads absolutely fine..

I guess I'll have to book it back in for another look to see if it's a stone but wondered if any other owners had heard about anything simialer?

I'm also wondering, if it is a stone again, is this a regular occurrence on Freelanders, thought they were built for off roading ��

stone ,backing plate touching, wheel bearing perhaps or just worn out pads

when the brake discs/ pads were fitted the back plate could have been distorted, and rather than small stones just dropping out they get held and make this bloody awful noise, one would hope an experienced mechanic could identify this

That would make sense, thanks I'll mention that on its visit to the garage next week. if it is another stone maybe I'll have to have a new back plate, I don't want to have the same thing reoccurring all the time, can't cope with the noise which has the same affect as scraping your nails down a blackboard !! As you say you would have thought that the first garage would have found the problem months and many £'s ago. Thanks for your help ��

That was meant to be a