Brake noises!

[slow_90firebird]

Hey guys this summer I had the outer pad on my RF wheel start grinding. All the other pads were still like like 8mm. I was pressed for cash so I took it apart and even though the rotor was trashed, I just threw pads in to get me by. I noticed that the RF caliper did not want to slide and had become rusted pretty tight between the bracket.

When I took it all apart I cleaned out all the sliding surfaces and sanded off any rust that was there. Even cleaned up the little "leaf springs" that I found in there for tension on the calipers. Then I applied copper brake lube / anti sieze from 3M and put it all back together.

Now the problem is that whenever I drive down any road with even the smallest bumps, it makes the most god-aweful rattling and clunking like the front end is gonna fall out. But if you lightly ride the brake pedal, it is quiet as can be over even the biggest bumps.

I noticed when I had the wheels off more lately that if you wiggle they pads they are very loose in the calipers, and also the calipers themselves now kinda slide around and have some play between the bracket.

What can i do to fix this?

1993 W250 auto

[ellis93]

You didn't bend the two ears down on the outer pads.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/ ... 48986.html?

[ahale2772]

^ agreed,

also, the calipers can wear the heck out of the brackets, its a PITA and not much you can do, there are shims they sell to take up some of the slop

[slow_90firebird]

They were already bent down from the store but I guess that I could have tightened them more.

I believe the inner pads make more noise. They sit very loose in those slots and I can move them quite a bit up and down even with everything assembled. The old inner pads had some form of tin clips or caliper slides but I couldn't tell because they were shattered and fell out in pieces. The new ones came with nothing.

I also believe the brackets might be worn. Maybe that is what that mini leaf spring is for that sits with the lock wedge... Either way that lead spring is what made my caliper stick so I grinded it a little thinner on that side. The lh side was ok...

[ahale2772]

the leaf spring did not make it stick, nor should you have ground it. brand new they come assembled with the bushing piece and the "leaf spring" piece, if you assemble them with some quality molly grease then they should never stick....having them together without greese is how the caliper wears (usually on the top of the caliper)

[ellis93]

Dude your suppose to bend those tabs down tight against the caliper,nearly all "good" pads come with a pair of clips for the inner pad and without them they'll rattle around. As far as the attaching hardware, I'd suggest purchasing a new kit. It should be fairly cheap and easy to find.

[slow_90firebird]

Hmm il have to check into that then... I really need to redo them the right way with new rotors too. Just didn't have cash for rotors or new studs.

[BILTIT]

If it is a 4wd then see here aswell:

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/ ... 96468.html

I recently rebuilt my front axle and had clunking noises from the front brakes as you describe. I ended up replacing the calipers and installing the missing clips from the link above.