Caliper Brackets

[Chris03]

'03-V8, 62k. So, my front calipers are rattling over bumps. What generally wears out, the bore in the mounting bracket, or the pins? If its the bore then I will be replacing both, but, if it's the pins, then that is the easier solution. I've never seen them wear out on any vehicle that I've ever owned (all fords) only freeze up. Is this a common problem with the LS?

 

[MaddShadez]

Are you sure its the caliper rattling? I had a rattle in mine for a while and it was because the anti-rattle clip on the brake pad broke and fell off. I would pull the wheel off and take a look first. Usually the issues with the brackets are related to the pins rusting and seizing in place.

 

[Chris03]

I pulled the one wheel off to take a closer look, but, did not think to look at or for the clips. Bought the car in February and they look recently replaced along with the rotors. Both sides have the rattle and considerable "up and down" movement of the caliper within the brackets. I will look next time I have the wheels off this weekend. Thanks.

 

[LS4me]

I pulled the one wheel off to take a closer look, but, did not think to look at or for the clips. Bought the car in February and they look recently replaced along with the rotors. Both sides have the rattle and considerable "up and down" movement of the caliper within the brackets. I will look next time I have the wheels off this weekend. Thanks.

The caliper should NOT move vertically in the bracket. The caliper should slide horizontally as the caliper is "floating".

 

[Chris03]

Agreed. Hopefully not a combination of both...

 

[LS4me]

I pulled the one wheel off to take a closer look, but, did not think to look at or for the clips. Bought the car in February and they look recently replaced along with the rotors. Both sides have the rattle and considerable "up and down" movement of the caliper within the brackets. I will look next time I have the wheels off this weekend. Thanks.

The caliper should NOT move vertically in the bracket. The caliper should slide horizontally as the caliper is "floating".

 

[1LoudLS]

this is a new one to me, haven't seen a loose caliper that tightening up the bolts didn't fix...

I can't really see the pins loosing material, I guess I can see the bore getting messed up. maybe the pins had froze up, and whoever fixed them did something to cause them to not fit the pins tight enough, like they drilled out the rust or something.

I just had to do my fronts again, and one of the pins had froze up and cause only one of the pads to get used up because the boot ripped. when I did it, I got all new pins and boots, and the new pads came with new hardware.



look to see if the bracket moves with or without the caliper. if the bracket moves too, then it can't be the pins or the bracket bores. and has to be loose bolts that hold the bracket, if they don't move together, also check to make sure the the caliper is fully tightened to the pin/bracket. with either of these, a cross threaded bolt may not go in any further making it feel tight, but not in far enough to actually hold the two parts together.

 

[Fredbgt02]

like most have said, as i just finished mine tonight lol. if everything is tight,caliper bracket bolts and the 2 bolts that attach the caliper to the pins there shouldn't be much play. maybe just take it apart make sure the pads are set right, nothing is cross threaded or hung up and reinstall or change out whatever is worn. the pins and boots are cheap enough that i just change them everytime i do pads.

 

[1LoudLS]

the pins and boots are cheap enough that i just change them everytime i do pads.

while I usually dont replace pins unless there is a problem, I definitely have started to replace the boots every time I do anything with the brakes. dont know if its a big of an issue with non ford cars, I had too many boots tear and let moisture in a seize up the pin in all the Ford's I have owned.

 

[Chris03]

Thank you all for the input. It turned out to be the anti-rattle clips. I have to assume that the previous owner did the fully loaded caliper-bracket-rotor slap and did not check for the clips as there was no evidence of them ever being on the pads or any marks on the inside of the caliper where they should contact. Just an FYI, I measured my pins and the new pins I bought (just in case that was the problem) and the new pins were .010 smaller in diameter than the ones on the vehicle... Figure that one out...
1LoudLS - thanks for your input as well, and your quote is on point, brother!

 

[1LoudLS]

the new pins were .010 smaller in diameter than the ones on the vehicle... Figure that one out...

when you were measuring, did you make sure that you didn't measure with the calipers on one of the flat spots? there are three flat areas around the pins that could account for differences in measurements. if thats not it, I'm sure its not that bid of a deal, one hundredth of an inch isn't too big of a difference (for that application at least) and just gives a little room for a little more grease, with the lenght of the pins, that shouldn't allow for any amount of movement in unwanted directions.

1LoudLS - thanks for your input as well, and your quote is on point, brother!

no problem, its just been something that i have noticed on both of my LS's, a ranger, and the wifes escape.

tell me about it, that line was simultaneously one of the funniest and truest things I had read in a long while. jeez, thats been the longest I think I have ever left a quote there, its been there for at least a few years but I haven't came across anything that was good enough to replace it yet!

 

[Chris03]

About the pins. I've seen the ones with 3 flats on them. Both of mine were completely round, the ones in the car and the new ones. Although I did not use the new ones, I would figure they would have been bigger, not smaller, as if one froze up, you would be honing out the bore. Either way the clips did the trick!

Still hard to top that quote, but, I like the one that is supposedly by Benjamin Franklin (although it may only be urban legend) "Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy".