Braking Noises - What Do I Need To Replace?

[Maccer 0]

Hi all

 

I have issues with the front brakes on my '89 1.6. For a while now they have been making a loud 'dong' sound when you first apply the brakes whilst in reverse. Now I also get an intermittant groaning/grinding noise from the front left when braking too. (I'm pretty sure it’s the front left!)

I popped both the calipers off to have a look (brake pads are good btw) and noticed they both had a fair bit of play between the caliper bolts and the insides of the sliders. The one on the left you could wiggle the bolts around a bit and on the right there was between 1-2mm gap between the bolt shaft and the inside of the slider! Presumably these should be pretty much flush.

I had deducted that my 'dong' noise in reverse is the calipers moving backwards and forwards and making the spring on the suspension vibrate, but I am curious about the groaning noise. Could this also be caused by the calipers moving slightly out of line? My disks are worn in, about 1-2mm lip on the outsides and about 2-3mm lip on the insides, and the noise as I say is a groaning/grinding noise, usually only happens from about 40mph-0 and starts loud and slows/quitens as you decelerate. If you come off the brakes the noise stops and after I've braked another couple of times it goes away for a while.

Do you think I need to put a pair of new calipers on or can I renew the sliders/bolts?

[welshpug 1,645]

is the little plate with 2 holes in it fitted under the two securing bolts?

[Maccer 0]

Hi, Yes the plates are fitted on both sides.

[welshpug 1,645]

from your description it sounds like the bolts aren't clamping down properly on the ends of the sliders?

 

if so I would clean the lugs on the hub carrier out with a tap then re-fit the calipers, if there's still play there you'll need to replace the slider pins and rubbers or get them exchanged for some reconditioned units.

 

a fairly common issue on these cars now as they're getting on a bit, still perfectly capable brakes when in fine fettle and quite a bit lighter than anything else out there short of some lightweight 4 pots.

[Maccer 0]

Not sure. That maybe the case.

When I put them back on I used a 19mm hex socket and a big torque bar and did them up as tight as I dared! This seemed to cure the dong noise for a while but the intermittant groan was still there or came back pretty quickly and now the reverse/forward dong noise seems to have come back too.

Surely there shouldn't be much gap between the shaft of the retaining bolts and the inside of the sliders? On the drivers side I reckon the gaps between the bolt shaft and the sliders is 1.5-2mm - you can literally wobble the bolt around side to side inside the slider with a big gap on one side. I will have a look again and see if there is any muck in the threads in the hub carrier, but if it is a case of getting re-con calipers does anyone have any recommendations of where to get them from?

[shalmaneser 26]

I experienced something similar, the cause is the plastic bushes on the slider pins being worn.

 

you can refurbish i believe, but I just got some new calipers - £45 quid a side and they're fine now, especially with my nice big oversize discs

 

these guys are pretty good for brake parts...http://www.brakeparts.co.uk/. I think big red does recon bits as well, don't think you get new bushes though. I bought my new calis on the 'bay tho, from these guys, very good service and price...http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/AEP-DIRECT-Citroen-Peugeot-Renault

 

I've got some front goodridge hoses going spare if you want them, they look a bit mucky but are in good working order?

 

PM me.

 

Adam.

[rtsnoz 0]

I've got the same noise in my 1.9. Does the wearing of sliders occur on the girling calipers aswell? Can only find mention of it with 1.6s.

Edited October 2, 2009 by rtsnoz