Got a clicking sound? (Braking)

[jspe8437]

I have a 04 NIssan Sentra, It been making a clicking sound when I hit the brakes. This issue happens a high percentage of the times when the car is moving one direction then stops and goes the other way, then once the brakes gets pressed slightly I get a click. It’s coming from the front end of the car, in the wheel well and it’s always just one click from one side of the car, but sometimes I do get 2 clicks from 1 side then the other. Don’t know at times when I hear the other side click if it’s the middle of the car, maybe it’s clicks on the opposite when I’m driving and it kind of sounds like the middle of the car clicking. The clicking doesn’t happen all the time it’s sort of streaky like, couple times a drive or every now and then
This issue started 3 years ago, it only clicked when going on reverse. Because I was driving forward then stop and go in reverse and it would click when slightly pressing the brake. But now it progressed to clicking in forward or reverse. Again mostly only going one way, stopping then going the other way then all I need to slightly press the brake at times the I here a click. There was one day where I was going down a straight road with a stop sign every 1000 ft or so and it clicked everytime I hit the brake to stop but that’s rare. And once in a while usually when I hit the brakes hard and almost coming to a stop it’s a loud thumping sound instead vs a click when I slightly press the brakes.
I’m going to have the wheels off and front end lifted because I’m doing my brakes soon, so I’m looking to see what you guys think the clicking sound could be. Something that gets shifted out of place from going one direction, to the other?

Topic

[Jake F]

I’d imagine it’s the pads repositioning themselves in the bracket which is normal but annoying. You can try greasing/ungreasing some contacts and see if it helps. Here’s some ideas I’ve done to stop my clicks.

If you have anti-squeal shims on your pads and have lube on them, wipe the lube off and clean the outside of the caliper piston.
If no anti-squeal shims, clean the backs and the piston exterior and rub a little bit of anti-seize on the back of the pad.
Clean the caliper mounting bracket hardware and pads that come in contact with, then re-apply (goop on moderately) some anti-seize to the friction points only.

She probably just needs a nice cleaning and re-lube for that clicking to subside for a few months. Good luck!

[Justin]

There may be some play/gap in between the pads and the hardware on the caliper bracket. I made the mistake and put cheap pads on the gf’s f1 and used their hardware also. Every time you change direction of momentum there’s a click. It’s annoying. Next time I’ll spend a few bucks on better pads. Check for play between the pads and hardware. Then clean and grease the proper areas while you have it apart.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jspe8437]

So I took apart the brakes a while ago, to change the brake pads and see what the clicking sound was. Seems like I found the clicking problem, it was the brake shims. The shims I actually took them off the pads I last replaced a while back because the ones on car now had none and I thought It’s good to have them on pads So now the frequent clicking stopped but I got another problem.
I got stuck trying to change the pads because the bottom caliper pin on both sides of car is stuck. I tried putting vise grips and tapping with hammer and no movement. So I put the used brakes pads back on because the caliper pin wouldn’t let me put new ones on. Little before and after I removed the pads it was making a lite rubbing noise when i pressed the brakes but that noise stopped the passed couple weeks, (rubbing noise, don’t know if it has to do with the stuck caliper pin). So I don’t know if the pin got freed up now?
If the pin is still stuck what’s the best way to take it out (with heat, got propane torch). If it does come out with heat or what whatever, is it !00% that I need new pins when they come out, would I be able to keep the caliper bracket and just clean the hole the pin goes into. Whats the best way about going with the stuck pins?

[Author]

Replies