Clicking Sound when Driving in 94 q45

[AlabamaDan]

So, as y'all know I've been doing lots of work on my Q lately. One thing I did was all the brakes, rotors, etc... Now I've got a clicking/rattle sound when I'm driving down the road. It goes away when I put the brakes on. I was thinking that some of those clips that hold the pads in are bad, but I'm just hoping y'all can confirm. I'm planning to do my struts in a few weeks and thought I'd fix them then. Is that probably what the issue is?

[elwesso]

Does it happen rhythmically, or does it happen more when you hit a bump..

I dont have any shims installed in my brake calipers (granted im running Z brakes) and all I get is a click when i go from reverse to drive, not bothersome at all!

I dont necessarily think you need to get new shims, just make sure theyre all there... Of course, thats assuming that is what the problem is.

I dont always believe in coincidences, so if it started after the brakes were done thats a logical conclusion.

[maxnix]

Are you sure you have the clips installed correctly? Did you use a new shim kit?
Modified by maxnix at 1:40 PM 1/24/2008

[qship96]

I had similar noise last time I did front pads,tried to reuse shims-a week later got new shim kit installed and noise went away.

[AlabamaDan]

I didn't use "new" shims this time. I had "new" shims about a year ago and they looked good.

I used to only happen when I hit bumps, but today seemed to be more consistent. Maybe I'll just take things apart tonight and make sure things are good and tight.

[3Q Jay]

both g50's do or have done this to me. if it's when hitting a bump, thenn very very likely the pads are loose in caliper. if you have all your shims, then i would just tack the outer most shim where the caliper or pistons touch. not too much, the stuff picks up all kinda of road grime and your shims will be more difficult to clean next time. stomp the brakes good while the goo is still sticky--you are 'bonding' the pads to the calipers.

[AlabamaDan]

Checked all four brakes - no problems there. No problems with the exhaust either. I think the problem is the upper links on both sides. There seems to be too much play there. D@MN !T!

When the front the end is off the ground I can grab the tires and when I shake them it makes a little "tink" sound. Of course I can't do it when the wheels are on the ground, which leads me to wonder if that's the problem, but it probably is.



I guess ya gotta order the whole thing huh? Fix one thing, find another, fix one thing, find another....

[maxnix]

I guess ya gotta order the whole thing huh? Fix one thing, find another, fix one thing, find another....

Why it is best to do all of a subsytem at once. Saves immensely on labor.

[Haitian_King]

Fix one thing, find another, fix one thing, find another....

Truer words have never been spoken.

When will the day come that I can just drive and not worry about anything but the idiot tailgating me while I'm doing 90?

I know the Q Gods help those that help themselves, but GODDAMN! It's enough to make man tear his hair out and strike his neighbor's child!

[AlabamaDan]

Still not fixed! I have replaced the upper links, installed new tokikos up front, check the brakes and clips, and rubber covers/bumpstops. Took it out for a drive last night and it still makes a rattle/click/thunking sound when I go over a little bump in the road.

I'm usually a very calm guy, but

Help!

[AlabamaDan]

both g50's do or have done this to me. if it's when hitting a bump, thenn very very likely the pads are loose in caliper. if you have all your shims, then i would just tack the outer most shim where the caliper or pistons touch. not too much, the stuff picks up all kinda of road grime and your shims will be more difficult to clean next time. stomp the brakes good while the goo is still sticky--you are 'bonding' the pads to the calipers.

When I intalled my pads/shims I put high temp brake grease on them and did the burnishing procedure. They are stuck to the pads. Checked that when I pulled the brakes to check the clips.

[maxnix]

So tell us about the tension rod bushings.

[Haitian_King]

So tell us about the tension rod bushings.

For some odd reason, I found that sentence a little humorous. Like the Q psychiatrist.

[qship96]

I wonder if it could be worn lower control arm bushings/balljoints or the third link and its kingpin,etc I get a rattle when weather is cold going over dips in road that I have been chasing for years

[AlabamaDan]

My ball joints and tension rods look fine. IOS said basically if they aren't leaking they don't need replacing. I've got some bushings to replace on the sway bar, but I doubt that's it. Really frustrating.

[maxnix]

I bet Qship96 is onto something.

[qship96]

I have chased this suspension rattle for a few years. New shocks & bumpstops , tension rods, upper links ,all sway bar bushings,and still it remains which leads me to the LCA or third links-I will bite the bullit this year and change those in hopes of a cure

The only other possible cause may be the shock mounting insulator and other parts up in the shock tower?

[3Q Jay]

ok, that'

When I intalled my pads/shims I put high temp brake grease on them and did the burnishing procedure. They are stuck to the pads. Checked that when I pulled the brakes to check the clips.

s good. and all 8 of the little edge clips that press fit into the caliper anchors are there, right?

try dragging the brakes lightly and see if the noise goes away. that would help focus on where to tackle next.

[Mint Q45A]

Just in case.... Were the guides and pins that hold the brake pads thoroughly cleaned and properly lubricated?

[Dabizzo1]

My Q did this from the front wheels when I first started rehabbing it and from what every mechanic has told me before, anti rattle clips should never be reused. From expansion and contraction under load and heat from braking, the metal fatigues and loses its tensile strength, with which it physically hold the pads in place snugly.. I had my mechanic check mine out and he simply made sure the pads were properly seated in the clips and no noise since. My 88 Scirocco 16v I restored years ago used to do this. I simply replaced the clips and voila, no more rattles. New Orleans roads do a number on wheel assemblies. I hear all makes and models of cars doing this every day, especially GMC and Ford suv's, so it isn't a noise exclusive to Q's. Hope this helps. Boris P.

[goody90q45]

both g50's do or have done this to me. if it's when hitting a bump, thenn very very likely the pads are loose in caliper.

Jay- A while back you had me remove the upper link bracket on my parts car since the holes for the main bolt on your Q's bracket were elongated. I had the same issue on the parts car bracket. I don't recall your symptoms but could a worn out bracket be the problem on Dan's Q?

Dan- It's tough to see but when you replaced the upper links did you look at the bracket holes? Knowing what happened to Jay's bracket I slid the bolt in without the link to make sure there was no play (elongation) to the holes.

[GseaQ]

Jay- A while back you had me remove the upper link bracket on my parts car since the holes for the main bolt on your Q's bracket were elongated. I had the same issue on the parts car bracket. I don't recall your symptoms but could a worn out bracket be the problem on Dan's Q?

Dan- It's tough to see but when you replaced the upper links did you look at the bracket holes? Knowing what happened to Jay's bracket I slid the bolt in without the link to make sure there was no play (elongation) to the holes.

That's a brilliantly simple - and probably extremely common thing - that I haven't heard of or thought of. Thanks!

[AlabamaDan]

Well I thought that perhaps the sound would go away when I did my rear suspension, but no luck. I don't think the upper link bracket holes were elongated. I recall them being very tight to get though, plus the upper links weren't heavily worn. I'll try the brake shims and clips again this weekend.

[3Q Jay]

Dan- i just went back in on black this last weekend to stop the rattle.story goes: replaced front pads (64u92's) and genuine rotors (plus caliper kit) 2 weeks before that. cleaned the shims real good, straightened all the bent tangs. used genuine bronze colored grease on the pad to shim and shim to shim interfaces.rattled like a mutha.so last weekend, i just lifted the calipers off, taped around everything that i didn't want overspray, and got the tacky on the piston faces and outboard caliper fingers (the inside machined surface). no overspray on the metal shims.

reassembled and stepped on 'em hard to bond the calipers to the outer metal shims.

no more rattle.

[AlabamaDan]

What do you mean by tacky? I get the impression you sprayed something. Sorry to be dense.

[3Q Jay]

sorry to be vague. it was crc brake anti-squeal. comes in an aerosol can and sprays red. i taped off the rubber boots and such. most that do this spray the outer metal shim directly, but i don't like to because it picks up extra crud.