Creaking Rear Brake Caliper?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 64
Likes: 3
From: Fresno CA
Creaking Rear Brake Caliper?
I’ve been dealing with one of my calipers creaking when pressing in and releasing for a few months now. I had my brakes powder-coated red a little over a year now and they replaced all the seals with new ones of course. Long story short, the one caliper started creaking at one point and they re-lubed the piston/seal area and ground the rust off the slide pins. That fixed the creaking for about a month and it’s been back ever since. Very annoying to deal with lol can anyone help me here? Thanks in advance! 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,503
Likes: 717
From: Sausalito CA
Creaking...ummm
Creak went away after rust remove from pad pins and lubing the pins plus lubing the caliper pistons.
I don't think the powder coating process did anything to create a creak.
That leaves:
All mounting bolts.
Caliper piston surface where it meets the pads.
The pads.
The side pins.
What I would do low cost - Remove the caliper, level sand the caliper piston seating surface, replace the pins with new ones, re-lube per the service manual, re-torque all the mounting bolts properly, noting the single use bolts notes (which many disregard and use blue Loctite instead.), re-bleed the system.
Hi Cost - replace the caliper pistons, again new seals, complete clean the caliper, new pins, new pads, new bolts. In other words a complete redo with new parts.
Not an exact answer, as I think one justs needs to "get in there" and look around.
Good luck, let us know if you find the cause.
Creak went away after rust remove from pad pins and lubing the pins plus lubing the caliper pistons.
I don't think the powder coating process did anything to create a creak.
That leaves:
All mounting bolts.
Caliper piston surface where it meets the pads.
The pads.
The side pins.
What I would do low cost - Remove the caliper, level sand the caliper piston seating surface, replace the pins with new ones, re-lube per the service manual, re-torque all the mounting bolts properly, noting the single use bolts notes (which many disregard and use blue Loctite instead.), re-bleed the system.
Hi Cost - replace the caliper pistons, again new seals, complete clean the caliper, new pins, new pads, new bolts. In other words a complete redo with new parts.
Not an exact answer, as I think one justs needs to "get in there" and look around.
Good luck, let us know if you find the cause.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 64
Likes: 3
From: Fresno CA
Thanks for your reply! No strange pedal feel or service brakes message and it creaks at lower speeds I’d say and at all temps cold or warm. When I’m coming to a stop and releasing the pedal is when I hear it. I guess after the half way point during braking is when it starts.
Last edited by Anger336; May 18, 2019 at 07:09 PM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 64
Likes: 3
From: Fresno CA
Creaking...ummm
Creak went away after rust remove from pad pins and lubing the pins plus lubing the caliper pistons.
I don't think the powder coating process did anything to create a creak.
That leaves:
All mounting bolts.
Caliper piston surface where it meets the pads.
The pads.
The side pins.
What I would do low cost - Remove the caliper, level sand the caliper piston seating surface, replace the pins with new ones, re-lube per the service manual, re-torque all the mounting bolts properly, noting the single use bolts notes (which many disregard and use blue Loctite instead.), re-bleed the system.
Hi Cost - replace the caliper pistons, again new seals, complete clean the caliper, new pins, new pads, new bolts. In other words a complete redo with new parts.
Not an exact answer, as I think one justs needs to "get in there" and look around.
Good luck, let us know if you find the cause.
Creak went away after rust remove from pad pins and lubing the pins plus lubing the caliper pistons.
I don't think the powder coating process did anything to create a creak.
That leaves:
All mounting bolts.
Caliper piston surface where it meets the pads.
The pads.
The side pins.
What I would do low cost - Remove the caliper, level sand the caliper piston seating surface, replace the pins with new ones, re-lube per the service manual, re-torque all the mounting bolts properly, noting the single use bolts notes (which many disregard and use blue Loctite instead.), re-bleed the system.
Hi Cost - replace the caliper pistons, again new seals, complete clean the caliper, new pins, new pads, new bolts. In other words a complete redo with new parts.
Not an exact answer, as I think one justs needs to "get in there" and look around.
Good luck, let us know if you find the cause.
Fast forward to today.. I go to O'Reillys and pick up a set of new guide pins that I ordered, head to my garage and take the caliper apart again. I take out the old pins, spray some brake cleaner inside the pin holes and use a screwdriver with a rag wrapped around to get as much of the rust and gunk out from in there as I could. I grease the new pins with Versahem Synthetic Caliper Grease, using a very generous amount making sure there's no friction and assemble it all again. GUESS WHAT.. I start the car and apply the brakes and immediatley the wretched creaking noise is back somehow!?
What is happening here? Am I using the wrong grease or did I not clean the holes enough to get everything out??? It seems like it should've 100% fixed the creaking issue...
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR REPLIES!
Last edited by Anger336; May 24, 2019 at 06:23 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,503
Likes: 717
From: Sausalito CA
Well, are you using OEM pads?
Are you certain your OReilly pins are the exact same dimensions as OEM.
Well, I guess the cheap fix is to reinstall the pins you just replaced and see if the noise is gone.
I am starting to think this is a pad issue.
Good luck.
Are you certain your OReilly pins are the exact same dimensions as OEM.
Well, I guess the cheap fix is to reinstall the pins you just replaced and see if the noise is gone.
I am starting to think this is a pad issue.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 64
Likes: 3
From: Fresno CA
Its pretty strange, the pins are about half an inch shorter actually. But are specific to my car. I’m not sure about the brake pads, I’m not the original owner but it sure seems that they could sure be the culprit! Thanks again for your time!
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