Brake 'clank' Noise

[cheeky]

This is weird. The brakes on my IS200 are excellent and work well. The discs look good and pads still have wear. However, if the car changes direction, in other words if going forwards and then reversed up a bit or vice versa, there is a loud metallic clank from one of the front wheels. Usually this only happens once after the change of direction. Then all is silent and all is well. Any bright ideas? If not ill get it checked at the service in 2000 miles time. Cheers all.

[lexus loon]

I had this previously,take the caliper off,take pins out and clean them up,check the caliper pistons as they may be stiff.Its easy to remove them with a tyre inflator coupled up to the caliper fluid inlet,put lithium grease on the slide pins .Hope this works,and its not as big a job as you think,there are videos on here to show you how if needed.

[cheeky]

Lovely, thanks... I'll have this done at service time in the early Autumn.

[ColinBarber]

this is normally the slider pins corroding which stops them moving freely. If is gets worse then you will start to get binding brakes.

Other causes could be just the brake pads moving (more common if non-genuine pads are used) or actual wear in the calliper.

[petayV8]

Ive got the same problem. Will copper grease work?

[lexus loon]

Personally id put lithium grease on the slider pins as my mechanic friend sald copper grease hardens on the pins and causes problems.Its easy to buy at any motorist discount store.

[petayV8]

Personally id put lithium grease on the slider pins as my mechanic friend sald copper grease hardens on the pins and causes problems.Its easy to buy at any motorist discount store.

ok thanks for this info

[BillNick]

I had this for a long while before I rebuilt my calipers (new pistons, seals and all greased up).

I have put them back on with new discs and pads and still get the same clunk sound on change of direction.

The slide pins took a fair amount of grease as well as new boots etc.

Is it possible the clunk is actually coming from the back? I hope my pads are not moving as being brand new there will be minimal clearance for them to move about let along clunk.

Any other suggestions? If the back was to make this noise, what would cause it?

[ColinBarber]

Ive got the same problem. Will copper grease work?

technically it isn't the right thing to use. It isn't really a lubricant and its main purpose is to stop corrosion/fusion between two metals surfaces that are held together (e.g. wheel hub and back of alloy wheel). It is mildly abrasive so will actually wear moving parts.

That said the amount of movement on the sliding pins is minimum and people have been using it on brakes for years without problems. It potentially could also react with the rubber boot.

High temp lithium or red rubber grease is the best thing to use.

[ColinBarber]

I had this for a long while before I rebuilt my calipers (new pistons, seals and all greased up).

I have put them back on with new discs and pads and still get the same clunk sound on change of direction.

The slide pins took a fair amount of grease as well as new boots etc.

Is it possible the clunk is actually coming from the back? I hope my pads are not moving as being brand new there will be minimal clearance for them to move about let along clunk.

Any other suggestions? If the back was to make this noise, what would cause it?

If it isn't the brakes then potentially front suspension (ball-joints) however you would normally experience the issue when going over bumps etc.

Unlikely to be the rear disc brakes but if the guide pin was worn/missing the pads could move about. Worth checking the handbrake is releasing correctly.