"Pad Slap" or Possible Caliper/Rotor Issue

[plush]

It's been quite a while since I've posted on the forum, so please excuse me if this topic has already been discussed.

Over the last few months I have noticed my (rear?) brakes making a small clunking noise. FYI, 2007 Speed 3, all stock with approx 35,000 km's The noise will always occur when:

Step 1 - Drive the car in reverse and apply the brakes; and then
Step 2 - Drive the car forward and apply the brakes (this is when the noise happens)

The noise only ever happens when I follow step 1 and 2 in order. As long as I continue to drive forward there is no further clunking when the brakes are applied, and the brakes work perfect with no apparent issues. I am thinking that I have a loose brake pad or caliper component and the force of braking in reverse sets the mechanism at a certain point, and when I brake going forward it sets the mechanism to another point, thus making the noise.

I live in Alberta, where it can get wet and cold, and have driven the car through 4 winters now. I am thinking that it may be due to rust on some part of the brakes, but am not sure. I have never had any brake work done, but at my last inspection the dealer claimed that I had quite a bit of pad left on all brakes.

Just wondering if any one has experienced this issue, or would like to speculate on the cause.

Thanks.

 

[spdjnke]

Mine does it when it's been sitting on a incline for a few days with the e-brake applied...I would check your Ebrake adjustment first. Chances are that's going to be your culprit.

 

[plush]

Yeah, I thought that it might have something to do with the e-brake, but I can make the clunk/sound happen by performing steps 1 & 2 regardless if my car has been parked with the e-brake on. Could that still possibly be something to do with the e-brake?

 

[spdjnke]

hmmm, in that case I would take the rear wheels off and check the rear link bushings.

 

[H3br3w_Ham3r]

Mine does this too but the noise is more of a metallic click than a clunk. I took my car into Mazda before and they said it was the brake shims so they replaced my front brakes for free. The noise came back but its just the pad moving around. A clunk sounds like it could be more serious though so it might not be a bad idea to have a look around the breaks.

 

[meicalnissyen]

Yeah, I thought that it might have something to do with the e-brake, but I can make the clunk/sound happen by performing steps 1 & 2 regardless if my car has been parked with the e-brake on. Could that still possibly be something to do with the e-brake?

proly low miles, crap weather, has the adjustors stuckup clean and lube the rear brake assy

you'll likely get 100K outta thos rear pads

 

[plush]

Dealer said that the front pads needed to be replaced. So they did this and flipped the rotors as well. this seemed to solve the problem for about 1 day, and now it's back, albeit, not quite as bad as before. I'm pretty sure that it is just the pads moving back and forth a little, but what bothers me is that I have owned this vehicle for almost 4 years, and haven't had this problem before. Is there a certain part/assembly that might need to be lubricated? I would hope that the dealership would have tried something like that.

 

[meicalnissyen]

Dealer said that the front pads needed to be replaced. So they did this and flipped the rotors as well. this seemed to solve the problem for about 1 day, and now it's back, albeit, not quite as bad as before. I'm pretty sure that it is just the pads moving back and forth a little, but what bothers me is that I have owned this vehicle for almost 4 years, and haven't had this problem before. Is there a certain part/assembly that might need to be lubricated? I would hope that the dealership would have tried something like that.

replacing the front pads solved the rear noise for a day?
the screw adjustor, and the moving parts at the end of the ebrake cable
use brake grease, small amounts, only where the metal parts rub against each other