Strange sound from my SX4's brake caliper

Kaumad · 7th November 2011, 16:39

Ok, here is a strange sound problem. It is a bit difficult to explain but I will try my best!
I have an SX4 which has run about 45k kms. I have tried to maintain my car well and as a result I have not spent on anything major mechanically over the past 3.5 years.

Over the past few months, there is distinct “clunking” [or ‘clanking’ if you would like] from the left front end while driving over short, small undulations on the road. Now here are the characteristics of the sound and occurance:
1. The sound is audible when the car is driven over short small undulations at normal city speed. When I say short small undulations, I am looking at for example, the small hardened lumps formed by melting / flowing tar on otherwise straight smooth roads.
2. The sound does not occur when I drive over the same set of undulations while braking - that is there is no sound when the brake pedal is depressed and driven over the same patch.
3. The sound resembles two thick metal plates making contact continuously - like your typical circular plate weights used for exercising making contact. Can you imagine the sound? [it is about 2-4 clunks per second depending on vehicle speed]
4. There is no sound [or barely any sound] when I drive slowly over real bad patches or on kuchcha roads which involves significant suspension travel.
5. Basically the sound is audible only when driven at normal speed on patches which induce short quick vibrations. I hope I have explained it well enough!!

Now, coming to what I have done to have this sorted out.
1. We changed the caliper pin - no result.
2. The OE brake pads were in bad shape, though they could be the culprits. Changed them. Nope - no change. The MGP OE pads replacement are quite bad and therefore I recently installed HAWK pads. The braking has improved significantly but the sound persists.
3. We also dont think it is the suspension.
Based on the description above, we have narrowed it down to the caliper being the culprit. Luckily the owner of the garage I take it to also has an SX4 [the Chennai folks will know who] - so, we plan to swap calipers and see if the sound persists.

What do you guys think? Anything else that could be the reason?

Jaggu · 7th November 2011, 16:43

Have you tried using silicone grease which handles high temperatures on the caliper pins? This did the trick for me in my Swift D. Almost all the MUL vehicles have this problem with their front disc set up

getsriram · 7th November 2011, 17:51

I had similar sound problem with my SX4. Not sure if it is the same sound

But i changed the caliper pin and lubricated the entire suspension related mechanism. The sound was gone. It is smooth now.

I am not a technician. But when I had this problem, the other area we were suspecting was the lower arm. Get the entire thing properly lubricated. It does work for Maruti cars.

knob · 7th November 2011, 17:55

Not the pin's fault but the pin hole is widened by wear and tear. You may rap copper shimm over the pins and put red grease and fit it back. Another possible is the tyrod. it will be moving inside the hole even it is tightened on bottom part. You need to put a metal washer and tight nut. I had solved both issue on my 1000 like this only.

vigsom · 7th November 2011, 18:04

The only solution to the caliper pin noise is to use grease , and keep re-greasing as and when the noise reappears.No other wrapping is recommended/required.

As far as I know , Nygro RX2 is the recommended grease .This is available as a TVS genuine part in a sealed pouch about 3/4inch by 3/4inch

I have used all kinds of greases but found wheel bearing grease to be the most effective.

Kaumad · 7th November 2011, 18:35

Thanks guys for your inputs.
Knob - I doubt if the tierod is at fault. As I had mentioned earlier, when I go over the same rough patches with the brakes slightly applied, the sound vanishes. So, as others and you too have pointed out, it must be the caliper, whatsay?

I will try some grease as you guys have suggested.

Jaggu - been a long time since we met up at you-kno-who's place man!
All well?

arun_josie · 7th November 2011, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaumad

Ok, here is a strange sound problem. It is a bit difficult to explain but I will try my best!
I have an SX4 which has run about 45k kms. I have tried to maintain my car well and as a result I have not spent on anything major mechanically over the past 3.5 years.

Over the past few months, there is distinct “clunking” [or ‘clanking’ if you would like] from the left front end while driving over short, small undulations on the road. Now here are the characteristics of the sound and occurance:

I got a very similar sound couple of times in my Dzire when I was traveling from Chennai to Bangalore. Both the times the sound came when I was at around 100Km/h speed. I took the car to MASS, they checked the car and told that every thing is fine and after that I never got that sound.

Later I also tested by going at higher speeds but couldn't replicate the issue. Still wondering what caused it.

Trust_In_Thrust · 8th November 2011, 23:16

It is the caliper pin noise .Either replace the pin or calliper itself.

Kaumad · 12th January 2012, 14:50

Problem is sorted and just through will update and close this.

Thanks a ton for your replies guys but it was neither the caliper nor the pin that was the culprit. As you know, the brake pads have have 2 small rectangular extensions on either slide which guide and seat the pads in the calipers.
These guides in the new Hawk pads were a tad smaller than the housing and there was no flush fit. While driving the pads were free to move and they were hitting against the caliper / housing which caused the sound.
Thanks to Raghav's idea, we inserted shims [8 in all] in the calipers and eliminated the 'play' of the pads. All sorted, super silent now

IndigoXLGrandDi · 24th July 2014, 17:14

How much of Grease should be used to lubricate the Brake Caliper Pins?

Should the "Caliper Pin Well" be filled with grease?

I know I am sounding

but please experts pour your thoughts on this.

I have seen mechanics just apply a little bit of grease on the pin only and not in the well. This grease does not last for even 2000-2500 kms in case of our Indigo XL Dicor and the Pin starts making noise (or should I say keeps banging inside the caliper) on rough roads. So I fill grease in the well as well as apply grease on the pin generously.

Am I overdoing it?

Mods, I am unable to understand whether to post this here or in Mechanical Empathy | Preserve the Car While Driving.

7th November 2011, 16:39	#1
Kaumad BHPian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Chennai Posts: 181 Thanked: 669 Times	Strange sound from my SX4's brake caliper Ok, here is a strange sound problem. It is a bit difficult to explain but I will try my best! I have an SX4 which has run about 45k kms. I have tried to maintain my car well and as a result I have not spent on anything major mechanically over the past 3.5 years. Over the past few months, there is distinct “clunking” [or ‘clanking’ if you would like] from the left front end while driving over short, small undulations on the road. Now here are the characteristics of the sound and occurance: 1. The sound is audible when the car is driven over short small undulations at normal city speed. When I say short small undulations, I am looking at for example, the small hardened lumps formed by melting / flowing tar on otherwise straight smooth roads. 2. The sound does not occur when I drive over the same set of undulations while braking - that is there is no sound when the brake pedal is depressed and driven over the same patch. 3. The sound resembles two thick metal plates making contact continuously - like your typical circular plate weights used for exercising making contact. Can you imagine the sound? [it is about 2-4 clunks per second depending on vehicle speed] 4. There is no sound [or barely any sound] when I drive slowly over real bad patches or on kuchcha roads which involves significant suspension travel. 5. Basically the sound is audible only when driven at normal speed on patches which induce short quick vibrations. I hope I have explained it well enough!! Now, coming to what I have done to have this sorted out. 1. We changed the caliper pin - no result. 2. The OE brake pads were in bad shape, though they could be the culprits. Changed them. Nope - no change. The MGP OE pads replacement are quite bad and therefore I recently installed HAWK pads. The braking has improved significantly but the sound persists. 3. We also dont think it is the suspension. Based on the description above, we have narrowed it down to the caliper being the culprit. Luckily the owner of the garage I take it to also has an SX4 [the Chennai folks will know who] - so, we plan to swap calipers and see if the sound persists. What do you guys think? Anything else that could be the reason?
	() Thanks

7th November 2011, 16:43	#2
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,369 Thanked: 17,300 Times	Re: Strange sound from the brake caliper in my SX4 - at least thats what I think Have you tried using silicone grease which handles high temperatures on the caliper pins? This did the trick for me in my Swift D. Almost all the MUL vehicles have this problem with their front disc set up
	(2) Thanks

7th November 2011, 17:51	#3
getsriram BHPian Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 69 Thanked: 6 Times	Re: Strange sound from the brake caliper in my SX4 - at least thats what I think I had similar sound problem with my SX4. Not sure if it is the same sound But i changed the caliper pin and lubricated the entire suspension related mechanism. The sound was gone. It is smooth now. I am not a technician. But when I had this problem, the other area we were suspecting was the lower arm. Get the entire thing properly lubricated. It does work for Maruti cars.
	() Thanks

7th November 2011, 17:55	#4
knob BHPian Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Kerala Posts: 71 Thanked: 6 Times	Re: Strange sound from the brake caliper in my SX4 - at least thats what I think Not the pin's fault but the pin hole is widened by wear and tear. You may rap copper shimm over the pins and put red grease and fit it back. Another possible is the tyrod. it will be moving inside the hole even it is tightened on bottom part. You need to put a metal washer and tight nut. I had solved both issue on my 1000 like this only. Last edited by knob : 7th November 2011 at 17:57.
	() Thanks

7th November 2011, 18:04	#5
vigsom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NSEW Posts: 4,029 Thanked: 30,070 Times	Re: Strange sound from the brake caliper in my SX4 - at least thats what I think The only solution to the caliper pin noise is to use grease , and keep re-greasing as and when the noise reappears.No other wrapping is recommended/required. As far as I know , Nygro RX2 is the recommended grease .This is available as a TVS genuine part in a sealed pouch about 3/4inch by 3/4inch I have used all kinds of greases but found wheel bearing grease to be the most effective.
	() Thanks

7th November 2011, 18:35	#6
Kaumad BHPian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Chennai Posts: 181 Thanked: 669 Times	Re: Strange sound from my SX4's brake caliper Thanks guys for your inputs. Knob - I doubt if the tierod is at fault. As I had mentioned earlier, when I go over the same rough patches with the brakes slightly applied, the sound vanishes. So, as others and you too have pointed out, it must be the caliper, whatsay? I will try some grease as you guys have suggested. Jaggu - been a long time since we met up at you-kno-who's place man! All well?
	() Thanks

8th November 2011, 23:16	#8
Trust_In_Thrust BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Delhi Posts: 768 Thanked: 350 Times	Re: Strange sound from my SX4's brake caliper It is the caliper pin noise .Either replace the pin or calliper itself.
	() Thanks

12th January 2012, 14:50	#9
Kaumad BHPian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Chennai Posts: 181 Thanked: 669 Times	Re: Strange sound from my SX4's brake caliper Problem is sorted and just through will update and close this. Thanks a ton for your replies guys but it was neither the caliper nor the pin that was the culprit. As you know, the brake pads have have 2 small rectangular extensions on either slide which guide and seat the pads in the calipers. These guides in the new Hawk pads were a tad smaller than the housing and there was no flush fit. While driving the pads were free to move and they were hitting against the caliper / housing which caused the sound. Thanks to Raghav's idea, we inserted shims [8 in all] in the calipers and eliminated the 'play' of the pads. All sorted, super silent now
	() Thanks

24th July 2014, 17:14	#10
IndigoXLGrandDi Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Solapur (MH-13) Posts: 1,871 Thanked: 599 Times	Quantity of Grease required to lubricate Brake Caliper Pins. How much of Grease should be used to lubricate the Brake Caliper Pins? Should the "Caliper Pin Well" be filled with grease? I know I am sounding but please experts pour your thoughts on this. I have seen mechanics just apply a little bit of grease on the pin only and not in the well. This grease does not last for even 2000-2500 kms in case of our Indigo XL Dicor and the Pin starts making noise (or should I say keeps banging inside the caliper) on rough roads. So I fill grease in the well as well as apply grease on the pin generously. Am I overdoing it? Mods, I am unable to understand whether to post this here or in Mechanical Empathy \| Preserve the Car While Driving.
	() Thanks