Calliper rattle
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Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Huntsville Alabama
Calliper rattle
Hi Every one. I have a 1996 coupe and recently did a brake job and while I was in I put a set of power slot rotors on the car. I bought the Ecklers brake pads and while I had the calipers off to replace the rotors I painted the calliper brackets and the backs of the pads red. My old front pads hads a sticky substance and little plates between them and the calipers. The pads I bought from ecklers did not have any plates included so I put it all back together with what I had, The brakes work well but there is a rattle that I hear and feel when I go over a bump or uneven road surfaces. Also some times when I first apply the brakes there is a slight click/ chunk sound from the front brakes. Finally when I reach down and inspect the callipers there is a little play as if I can wiggle them around in the bracket just enough to make the noise I am hearing. How can I correct this?
Last edited by hip_about_time; Apr 25, 2005 at 01:59 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
I just installed new OEM AC Delco rear pads and they came with sticky-back anti-rattle pads which I atteched to the backs of the outer pads.
My front pads were not OEM and so did not come with the anti-rattle pads so I applied a thin coat of Black RTV to the back of each pad. You can also get a material from AutoZone just for this purpose.
Also verify that the retainer clips on the ends of the pads have good tension.
My front pads were not OEM and so did not come with the anti-rattle pads so I applied a thin coat of Black RTV to the back of each pad. You can also get a material from AutoZone just for this purpose.
Also verify that the retainer clips on the ends of the pads have good tension.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Huntsville Alabama
Originally Posted by smack123
When I bought my car I had a bit of a chatter - thought it was the retainer clips, but it turned out the pads were installed incorrectly. Proper installation eliminated the chatter.
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 385
Likes: 1
From: Olalla Wa
Sounds like the anti-rattle clips are missing. They fit on the bottom of the pads and fill the small gap inside the caliper. Check www.VPandP.com(vette brakes and products) and see item #88025 Anti-Rattle clips. Good luck 
Sorry that web site is www.VBandP.com . The previous site is a pizza place 
Sorry that web site is www.VBandP.com . The previous site is a pizza place
Last edited by myblue91; Apr 25, 2005 at 06:25 PM. Reason: wrong web site
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,019
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From: Conroe Texas
when i did my brakes last year, i also painted the calipers, rotors, brackets, etc, i installed a set of performance friction brake pads and within a few months, less than 200 miles, the brakes started to click when applying them driving forwards. in reverse, no problems. i was at a buddies house one day, a former gm corvette tech and opened his own corvette repair facility, i mentioned what was happening. he grabbed my caliper and shook it in the bracket, immediately said to put in new pins or pads, or the calipers would one time come flying out of the bracket, not good. put in new pins and same problem, put my gm pads back in, problem gone. when inspecting the p/f pads, i noticed that the backings were not as thick as the gm pads and that the pads were wearing at the point of contact at the ends. sent the pads back to mad and am running the gm pads with no problems.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
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Originally Posted by Sleazy Rider
when i did my brakes last year, i also painted the calipers, rotors, brackets, etc, i installed a set of performance friction brake pads and within a few months, less than 200 miles, the brakes started to click when applying them driving forwards. in reverse, no problems. i was at a buddies house one day, a former gm corvette tech and opened his own corvette repair facility, i mentioned what was happening. he grabbed my caliper and shook it in the bracket, immediately said to put in new pins or pads, or the calipers would one time come flying out of the bracket, not good. put in new pins and same problem, put my gm pads back in, problem gone. when inspecting the p/f pads, i noticed that the backings were not as thick as the gm pads and that the pads were wearing at the point of contact at the ends. sent the pads back to mad and am running the gm pads with no problems.
greetings,
i have an 88. i did a break job all the way around and prior to installing the new pads on the front, i compared both the old and the new and they were identical. however, when i finished, i was getting a rattle over every bump and a click each time i applied the brake as mentioned earlier in this thread. i did not change the pins.
i noticed that there was a very very small space between the pad and the retainer pin that, when i grabbed the caliper-brake pad assembly, it would move and thusly, the click and the rattle. now remember, the pads were identical. how then could there be a space if both were identical?..hell if i know! at any rate, i made a small shim to "enlarge" the diameter of the pin where the pads rest and so far, no problems at all in braking or noise whatsoever. may not be proper but, all is tight and braking is the same with or without the shim i made.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Conroe Texas
you would need a pair of calipers to measure the distance of each pad to see any difference. what happens is each time you brake, the pad and pin contact wears the pad a little each time to the point that when enough of a gap is present and you apply great pressure, a panic stop maybe, that caliper will rip out of the bracket.
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Huntsville Alabama
Great info from every one... sounds like you guys have had teh exact same problem. Is the pin available anywhere?... And thank you so very much for the advice.
Last edited by hip_about_time; Apr 26, 2005 at 01:58 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
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Originally Posted by Sleazy Rider
you would need a pair of calipers to measure the distance of each pad to see any difference. what happens is each time you brake, the pad and pin contact wears the pad a little each time to the point that when enough of a gap is present and you apply great pressure, a panic stop maybe, that caliper will rip out of the bracket.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,019
Likes: 568
From: Conroe Texas
my new pads didn't rattle either right after i installed them, but after about 150 miles of driving, they started getting loose. all it takes is a few thousand's of an inch to start, and then they get progressively worse. and when i said the pads, i really mean the steel backing plate, as this is what locates the caliper.
Safety Car
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From: Easton CA
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Baltimore MD
St. Jude Donor '08
My 1995 made a bunch of terrible clicking and rattling sounds without the anti rattle clips. I was thinking everything from wheel bearings to ball joints. Amazing what a tiny little clip can do.
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From: Huntsville Alabama
Thanks every body. Autozones website has two different front brake pad kits one called "Disk Brake Hardware kit" for $17.99 and the other called "Brake caliper kit" for $7.99. Do any of you know which one I should order? they also list the Clips and bolts individully but they arent available.
