front end rattle

rowingone · 11-27-2013, 05:28 PM

So I have a 2006 330xi with 140K with a rattle in the left front. It goes away when I apply the brakes so today I took the caliper off to inspect . . everything is fine .. recent new brakes from the BMW dealer. The car has new sway bar links, lower control arms, thrust bushings look fine. I torqued the strut towers and strut nut. I used the chassis ears and it is a high metallic sound that I get mostly on my washboard road at speeds over 10mph. I dont get how those brake "anti rattle" springs work but they are installed properly. Any ideas . . the fact that I can apply the brakes when I hear it and it goes away when I step on the brake has me convinced it is brake related but maybe not? Help!?

rowingone · 12-16-2013, 02:50 PM

any ideas out there??

rowingone · 01-26-2014, 10:36 AM

Any Help? I replaced the bushings on the brake pads pins . . didnt help. Bent the rattle clips so they are tighter . . didnt help. Dont know what else to try . . they are almost new BMW pads installed by the dealer before I bought the car.

Casca · 01-26-2014, 11:30 AM

Did you check all of your brakes or just the one? I had a metallic squel sound suddenly appear. It sounded like it was coming from the front to me and I was sure it sounded like metal on metal.

I jacked the front and checked those wheels couldn't find anything. Spun and sounded fine. Raised the rear and spun the driver side wheel....found the noise. It was a leaf....yes, a leaf from a tree....lodged between the caliper and rotor. Did not see that coming at all. Just saying do a cursory check of all wheels/brakes/suspension before getting in depth on one wheel unless you were able to reporduce the sound there for sure.

rowingone · 01-26-2014, 11:47 AM

Good advice . . I will check out the back brakes

rowingone · 01-26-2014, 02:30 PM

checked all brakes . . everything is perfect. There is nothing wrong with the brakes but the noise goes away when I apply them . .doesn't make sense to me . . what other suspension parts would be "stabilized" by lightly applying the brakes? I apply the brakes lightly with my foot on the gas and the noise immediately stops . . let off it starts again. I have taken every caliper off and inspected . . shaken every suspension part . . I am baffled!

Casca · 01-26-2014, 03:01 PM

I would guess it's one or more of your brake pads vibrating. Probably the "ears" that hold them on the caliper. if you are comfortable working on them, take the pads off and apply

http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-40300-...ds=brake+paste

to any metal to metal contact points. Especially the ears and the grooves on the caliper itself for the pads to slide on.

That paste is like a really thick wax. Does not dry to a rubbery compound like some other stuff, so should be fine on the "ears" of the pad. I started using that on my last brake job, no noise, no problems.

Edit: Actually, I used that wax on the back of the pads and Dow corning 111 on the ears and other moving parts

http://www.amazon.com/Dow-Corning-Si...ow+corning+111

rowingone · 01-26-2014, 06:07 PM

Thanks for the tip . I will try the Dow 111.

rowingone · 03-02-2014, 02:40 PM

Well the Dow stuff didnt work . . I put shims in to prevent the up and down movement of the pads . . didnt stop the sound . . and yes I then removed the shims . . any ideas out there? I have worked on cars forever and never had a problem that I couldn't figure out . . I am frustrated and clueless. There are no worn spots in the pad carriers . . . and yes I bought a new set of pads and still same problem.

Casca · 03-02-2014, 03:31 PM

Maybe it's not the brakes. Make sure your sway bar and end links are tight. Not just by shaking it. Actually put tools to it and re-tighten the end links.

rowingone · 03-02-2014, 04:15 PM

My buddy runs an Audi Independant shop .. put it up on the rack and torqued everything . . . if its something internal in the shock . . but light application of brakes stops the noise. . .

rowingone · 03-23-2014, 12:49 PM

anybody have something else to try!!??

rowingone · 05-06-2014, 09:27 AM

well finally I figured it out . . since the caliper carriers are the same part number I thought I would change them side to side and see if the noise went with the carrier . . visually I couldn't see any problems with them . . so after the switch . . no noise! I assume there was a warp in the one and when I switched it the other side it fit better to the caliper. Bottom line is don't throw money and parts at a problem if you can isolate it for labor only!It is amazing how much more I enjoy my quiet car now!

11-27-2013, 05:28 PM	#1
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	front end rattle So I have a 2006 330xi with 140K with a rattle in the left front. It goes away when I apply the brakes so today I took the caliper off to inspect . . everything is fine .. recent new brakes from the BMW dealer. The car has new sway bar links, lower control arms, thrust bushings look fine. I torqued the strut towers and strut nut. I used the chassis ears and it is a high metallic sound that I get mostly on my washboard road at speeds over 10mph. I dont get how those brake "anti rattle" springs work but they are installed properly. Any ideas . . the fact that I can apply the brakes when I hear it and it goes away when I step on the brake has me convinced it is brake related but maybe not? Help!?
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12-16-2013, 02:50 PM	#2
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	any ideas out there??
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01-26-2014, 10:36 AM	#3
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	Any Help? I replaced the bushings on the brake pads pins . . didnt help. Bent the rattle clips so they are tighter . . didnt help. Dont know what else to try . . they are almost new BMW pads installed by the dealer before I bought the car.
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01-26-2014, 11:30 AM	#4
Casca Captain 41 Rep 642 Posts Drives: E90 6MT Join Date: May 2010 Location: California iTrader: (0)	Did you check all of your brakes or just the one? I had a metallic squel sound suddenly appear. It sounded like it was coming from the front to me and I was sure it sounded like metal on metal. I jacked the front and checked those wheels couldn't find anything. Spun and sounded fine. Raised the rear and spun the driver side wheel....found the noise. It was a leaf....yes, a leaf from a tree....lodged between the caliper and rotor. Did not see that coming at all. Just saying do a cursory check of all wheels/brakes/suspension before getting in depth on one wheel unless you were able to reporduce the sound there for sure.
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01-26-2014, 11:47 AM	#5
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	Good advice . . I will check out the back brakes
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01-26-2014, 02:30 PM	#6
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	checked all brakes . . everything is perfect. There is nothing wrong with the brakes but the noise goes away when I apply them . .doesn't make sense to me . . what other suspension parts would be "stabilized" by lightly applying the brakes? I apply the brakes lightly with my foot on the gas and the noise immediately stops . . let off it starts again. I have taken every caliper off and inspected . . shaken every suspension part . . I am baffled!
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01-26-2014, 03:01 PM	#7
Casca Captain 41 Rep 642 Posts Drives: E90 6MT Join Date: May 2010 Location: California iTrader: (0)	I would guess it's one or more of your brake pads vibrating. Probably the "ears" that hold them on the caliper. if you are comfortable working on them, take the pads off and apply http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-40300-...ds=brake+paste to any metal to metal contact points. Especially the ears and the grooves on the caliper itself for the pads to slide on. That paste is like a really thick wax. Does not dry to a rubbery compound like some other stuff, so should be fine on the "ears" of the pad. I started using that on my last brake job, no noise, no problems. Edit: Actually, I used that wax on the back of the pads and Dow corning 111 on the ears and other moving parts http://www.amazon.com/Dow-Corning-Si...ow+corning+111 Last edited by Casca; 01-26-2014 at 03:07 PM..
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01-26-2014, 06:07 PM	#8
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the tip . I will try the Dow 111.
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03-02-2014, 02:40 PM	#9
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	Well the Dow stuff didnt work . . I put shims in to prevent the up and down movement of the pads . . didnt stop the sound . . and yes I then removed the shims . . any ideas out there? I have worked on cars forever and never had a problem that I couldn't figure out . . I am frustrated and clueless. There are no worn spots in the pad carriers . . . and yes I bought a new set of pads and still same problem.
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03-02-2014, 03:31 PM	#10
Casca Captain 41 Rep 642 Posts Drives: E90 6MT Join Date: May 2010 Location: California iTrader: (0)	Maybe it's not the brakes. Make sure your sway bar and end links are tight. Not just by shaking it. Actually put tools to it and re-tighten the end links.
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03-02-2014, 04:15 PM	#11
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	My buddy runs an Audi Independant shop .. put it up on the rack and torqued everything . . . if its something internal in the shock . . but light application of brakes stops the noise. . .
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-23-2014, 12:49 PM	#12
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	anybody have something else to try!!??
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05-06-2014, 09:27 AM	#13
rowingone Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2006 330 xi Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: colorado iTrader: (0)	well finally I figured it out . . since the caliper carriers are the same part number I thought I would change them side to side and see if the noise went with the carrier . . visually I couldn't see any problems with them . . so after the switch . . no noise! I assume there was a warp in the one and when I switched it the other side it fit better to the caliper. Bottom line is don't throw money and parts at a problem if you can isolate it for labor only!It is amazing how much more I enjoy my quiet car now!
	Appreciate 0 Quote