740 brakes rattling? Don't rush off for a brake job yet...

My front brakes have been rattling while driving down the road. By
lightly pressing the brakes the rattle goes away.

What to do? Well - I read a lot. Discovering I have bendix front
brakes I was ready to replace the pads and rotors and get a pin kit.
<$Money$>.

So, today I jacked up the front, pulled the wheels, loosened the bottom
bolt on the bendix calipers and raised the calipers to release the
pads. The pads had plenty of life and the rotors looked decent. What
caught my eye was on the outboard pads it appeared the anti-squeal
paste a.k.a "rubbery goo" was all AROUND the calipers on the pad, but
not UNDERNEATH the calipers where they secure the pads. To me this
meant just enough of a gap to cause a rattle.

I visited the local auto shop and bought a spray can of brake cleaner
and 4 packets of anti-squeal paste (1 per pad per front wheel). I
cleaned everything and used steel wool to clean the rotors. I rinsed it
all with brake cleaner. I then inspected the pivot pins to make sure
they were well greased. I inspected the boots to the pins and the
cylinder boots as well.

I then applied the anti-squeal paste to the entire backside of the
inboard pads and also to the outboard pads. I waited for the goo to dry
a bit so it wouldn't drip. I then mounted the pads and set the calipers
back in place. I then pushed the anti-rattle clips downward toward the
pads to snug them. I secured the pins and then once again sprayed the
rotors with brake cleaner while turning them to clean anything that
might have gotten on the pads. They felt much more secure and tight.

I then remounted the wheels and took her for a drive to set the pads.

No more rattles.

No need for new pads

No new rotors until I replace all the front end bushings to see if my
minor shimmy goes away.

No more $$$ for brakes for a good while.

Total cost: $5.00

 

In the case of our '85 765T, the brakes rattled with aftermarket pads but
not OEM pads. The side clearance was just a bit much with the aftermarkets.

Mike

 

Good point. What I mainly could detect was when I grabbed the caliper
assembly and squeezed it while rocking back and forth, I could detect
play in the depth. When I locked the calipers down over the pads, it
was a very snug fit on side clearance.

 

This happened to us when a spring broke on the brake pad .Check your struts
are tightened up as well.