Camaro front brake calipers - "tick... tick... tick..."

Dangerous Doug · #1 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 06:58 PM

Bob, et al:

Cobra is running great. I've logged about 550 miles in a little under a month, and I'm shaking out a few details, the last of which is a noticable "tick...tick...tick..." coming from the front brakes as I roll. I've narrowed this down to some visible movement of the pads in the Camaro brake calipers. The pads fit okay, and are in no danger of coming loose, but I can rotate the rotor back and forth and see the pads shifting back and forth between the pins holding them in place.

Ever see this issue before?

I purchased the calipers from a local Chevrolet dealer (now gone) and the pads from my local auto parts store. I am not aware of any clips or springs to hold these pads and keep them from shifting.

I'd like to figure out how to get rid of this annoying (and a little embarrassing) "tick...tick...tick...". As a last resort, I'll upgrade to SSB's.

Any advice?

DD

cobred · #2 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 07:09 PM

The outer pads should have 2 tabs at the top that hook over the caliper. You take a big screwdriver between the rotor and bottom of the pad and pry the pad up, then hit the tabs down while holding the pad up. This removes the play in the outer pad and secures it to the caliper.

Dangerous Doug · #3 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 07:50 PM

Hhhmm, I'll go take a look. These tabs are attached to the pads, or are they a separate clip-on type tab?

I've got the wheel off, so out to the garage I go.

DD

cobred · #4 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 09:14 PM

The outers are part of the pad backing metal, the inners have a seperate clip. Its the outer pad that must be bent tighter, usually an 1/8 inch or so but makes noise when its not.

Karl Bebout · #5 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 09:29 PM

Large Chanelocks (water pump pliers, to some) work well to squeeze the tabs down tight on the calipers.

Dangerous Doug · #6 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 09:45 PM

Okay, so on the outer brake pad, do you mean the 2" long tab that is on the inner edge (i.e. the edge of the brake pad closest to the spindle)?

Give that a good 1/8" squeeze and the "tick... tick... tick..." is gone?

DD

strictlypersonl · #7 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 06:31 AM

This should help.

RICK LAKE · #8 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 06:48 AM

DangerousDoug Doug There is a clip for the inner pad that goes into the piston cup to hold it. You can see from Bob's picture about what to do with the outter pad. I also reccoemnd that you go to a parts store and get a small bottle of anti squeal from peramtex. It comes in red or blue in color. You want to add a thin coat to both pads where they mount or have contact to the piston. This will stop all pad ticking noises. For the spindle you want to get a very thin coat of high temp silicone grease for where the backing plates of the pads will rub on the spindle tabs when being applied. top and bottom. Don't get either of these fluids on the brake pad surface. The other key thing is to breakin the pads CORRECTLY. Do 3-5 heat cycles and let the pads cool off. Do this about 5 times for the best performance out of your brakes. If you don't they can glaze or burn the pads, glaze the rotor surfaces and your stopping distance will extend more than what you want. Rick L.

Dangerous Doug · #9 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 11:59 AM

Pictures worth a thousand words.

Didn't know about breaking in the pads, but I think I managed this by default. The first "runs" with the Cobra were short, and involved quite a bit of braking due to the hills near where I live. Good to know.

Permatex anti-squeal.

Thanks, guys. That helps immensely.

Doug

patrickt · #10 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

Permatex anti-squeal.

Thanks, guys. That helps immensely.

Doug

I'm sure you know this, but I'll say it anyway... the Permatex goo goes on the back of the pads, not where they touch the rotors.

RICK LAKE · #11 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 12:47 PM

patrickt That beautiful trailer queen you have has chrome rotors.

Boy are they shiney.

Rick L.

patrickt · #12 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RICK LAKE

patrickt That beautiful trailer queen you have has chrome rotors.

Boy are they shiney.

Rick L.

That's what you get from keeping her in a ziplock bag 5 months out of the year.

patrickt · #13 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 12:52 PM

Dangerous Doug · #14 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 09:44 PM

And now, back to the original thread...

I pinched the tabs down while holding the brake pads tight to the outside, then went out for a drive this evening to test it out.

Perfectly quiet.

Thanks, guys, for the guidance.

I couldn't imagine how long it would have taken me to noodle that out by myself. I doubt it would have ever occurred to me to pinch those tabs in.

Appreciate the tips, and really glad to have ClubCobra---and everyone here---as an information source.

Cheers,
Doug

RICK LAKE · #15 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 05:48 AM

Dangerous Doug Hey Doug if you asked Cam, he would have showed you in 2 minutes how to fix the car.

If you read the instuctions it said an 5 and up age little person can assembly.

You have too much engineering back ground for this problem.

Gald the noise is gone.

Rick L.

Dangerous Doug · #16 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 02:57 PM

Instructions? I don't need no stink'n instructions...

ERA manual is actually pretty good. There is probably even a line in there about pinching down the tabs...

DD

RICK LAKE · #17 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 03:28 PM

Dangerous Doug You may need glasses, it's in small micro print. If you had asked Cam he would have told you about this.

This is the problem of fathers not listening to their sons.

Rick L.

Dangerous Doug · #18 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 05:29 PM

Contacts are in, but I think I need those new-fangled bifocal contact lenses. If find that for close up work on the Cobra (like, when I'm underneath it...) I have to resort to working by braille...

DD

Dangerous Doug · #19 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 10:35 PM

Okay, well, the clicking started up again. This time, though, it is the inner pads. The clip on the pad doesn't seem to do much, and the play between the pad mounts and the bolts that they ride against is about 1/16".

I'm thinking I have el cheapo pads? I'll take my calipers down to the parts store tomorrow and see if I can upgrade to pads that fit tighter or have a better clipping mechanism.

Outside of that, SSB upgrade...

...unless one of you has some sage advice?

DD

RICK LAKE · #20 (**permalink**) 06-25-2009, 03:53 AM

Dangerous Doug Go to the store and get either a tube or can of spray brake quieter. Tube comes out like RTV. The spray can comes out in blue or red color. Spray can, use a couple of thin coats and let get tacky. Tube works about the same way. Keep either off the brake pad locations and front of the pad. Cost about 10-15.00 bucks. Rick