rattling front brake pads

[ozzie alpine]

Hi all,

Although my brakes work well, my front pads are quite loose in the calipers and rattle badly. They also squeal a bit. The pads are not worn.
I'm missing the shims and "damping spring" shown in the picture (items 13 and 18)

My parts manual says that the damping springs (13) are "for service purposes". Does this mean that they weren't originally fitted? I presume that these are the clips that stop the pads from rattling?

Any idea where I can get some?

thanks

 

[dlyle123]

Ozzie, I had a rattling on my front brakes too and it turned out to be loose pins. I replaced the pins and the problem went away. This may or may not be your problem.

As for the dampening spring...I've never seen those on any Rootes car. I think you're right in that they were for services purposes only and never fitted.

Doug

 

[mikephillips]

I've never run across the clip on any. does your parts book list any specific applications, like early or late only??

 

[puff4]

I have a set on my car, and they do indeed kill the rattle. Before I obtained them I fixed the rattle by using safety wire instead of the P-clips to secure the pins... the wire pulled the pins together and prevented much of the rattle.

 

[65beam]

anti rattle spring

i have never seen these springs on a car . i do have a rootes workshop manual that has an illustration showing the pad retaining pins passing thru the slotted ends of the anti-rattle springs . they were used with a different anti squeal shim that was cut different to accommodate these springs . it says they were used on some series 1 and 2 cars . they could not be used with the regular shims . must have been something rootes tried and decided wasn't worth the extra cost.they look like they won't work with the normal brake pad due to the cut of the shim and pad . didn't rootes have front brake problems early in series 1 production ? the shop manual has the number WSM124/2. WSM124 does not show this illustration .

 

[ozzie alpine]

OK, I think I have it figured out…

According to my parts manual it looks like those "springs and shims" were for Series1 and early Series 2 cars, ie those cars with front pads that have no holes in them for the pins (the pins just push against the outside edge of the pad rather than through them – this allows the pad to move around quite a bit).

Later cars, ie with front pads that DO have holes in them for pins, do not have any listing/images of the springs and shims in the parts manual. Presumably they didn’t need them because the pins hold the pads in place more securely.

Mine is an early Series2, and the pads have no “pin-holesâ€.

Maybe I could simply fit a new set of pads from a later series (ie with holes)?
Do you reckon they’ll fit?

 

[puff4]

Hmm... that doesn't explain my car, a nearly completely original SV. I bought a set almost 15 years ago and they fit on my car just fine. If I recall, the set came as a full 'kit'.

 

[Tom H]

Hey, I have a couple of those springy things laying in one of my old parts trays. Seeing this drawing, I'm now guessing they came with one of the sets of pads I bought decades ago. I had totally forgotten they were for my Alpine!

Maybe I'll try installling them next summer.

Tom

 

[todd reid]

I'm sure the purists will yell at me, but this is how you fix this problem in the real world. You buy a bottle of brake quiet! This goes on as is a thick liquid and dries to the consistancy of permatex form-a-gasket. The pads are "glued" to the pistons and cannot rattle. The stuff peels off easily with your fingers when it time to change pads.

 

[65beam]

rattling pads

todd,
i have to agree with you. i havn't used the shims for years . i also am a baby boomer that grew up hearing the rattles and weird sounds of the cars of the 50's and 60's . i worry when i don't hear sounds from my older cars . makes me think something is not working at all .