Rattle in front brakes of '98 GC

Bearings, ball joints, shocks, and another front end part?

KHanawalt did pass the time by typing:

A little on the brake will tighten up the whole front end, especially the suspension arms. Although those usually make a pop-pop-pop noise associated with acceleration and braking.

The other possibility is your brakes arn't shimmed properly.

Also check your antisway bar mounts. These can make creak/groan noises and rattles.

Bearings don't rattle, they rumble or groan, I think.

Ball joints have pressure on them except when bouncing, which should keep them from rattling when they're on the ground.

Shocks shouldn't stop rattling when brakes are applied.

I don't know of another front end part that tightens up under braking except for the control arms.

KennyH

Horsepower is cheaper than therapy.

I thought about that. They don't seem loose. I whacked them with a rubber hammer and tried to wiggle them by hand to see if there was any play, but they were tight and didn't make a peep when hit with the hammer.

How do you shim them? I thought they just bolted on and off and self-adjusted.

I'll check those, but braking shouldn't affect them at all. Thanks!

KennyH

Horsepower is cheaper than therapy.

KHanawalt did pass the time by typing:

A 10 lb hammer lacks the same effect as a 5-6,000 lb vehicle. ;)

They should. Sometimes when changing pads the shims can stick on the caliper. Usually they stay fixed to the pad but some pads don't come with them. It's wierd. Raybestos pads have them built in.

braking, directly, no.. but the weight transfer as you slow down, yes.

That looks interesting. Is that a rear wheel in the picture? I don't have any springs like that on mine, so I assume whoever replaced pads before me left them off.

Dang goofball. I'll find some. That's likely the problem. Thanks!

KennyH

Horsepower is cheaper than therapy.

The mass of the vehicle isn't what causes the rattle, it's vibration. The hammer causes vibration. Mass has an affect on resonance, but I don't think the whole 5,000 lbs. is making my brake pads rattle.

I think the guy in the previous post may have the answer.

Thanks!

My pads have that smooth plastic looking thing on the back. I still think it may be the dampening springs. Thanks!

KennyH

Horsepower is cheaper than therapy.

I wold be more inclined to think anti-rattle clips not installed on the front brake pads correctly (or just gone all together) They need to be at the end of the pad that the rotor sees first. Also don't go with cheep brakes. I use Stewart Rittle brakes and they have eliminated any comebacks due to noise or dusting, they also wear really good.

Jeremy

Great! That sounds like the fix. Another question: One end of the pads has only one ear for contacting the caliper. The other end has two ears that trap that end of the pad on the caliper. Which end goes which way? I have the trapping end seeing the rotor first, which would be the end those springs go on, Is that correct?

Maybe when I get some springs there will only be one way they go. Thanks.

KennyH

Horsepower is cheaper than therapy.