Hey guys,

When I hit a bump on the road, even the smallest one, I hear a rattle on both sides of the truck in the front. Thing is, when I press the brakes, even slightly, the rattles go away. Any ideas what this could be?

Thanks in advance. :cool:

I've got the same thing replace idler arm pitmen arm and a bad tierod end
still got the bad rattle .
Mines really bad when turning left at high speeds

Maybe a loose brake caliber.:confuzeld

loose caliper, steering shaft, pitman idler arms, upper, lower ball joints, wheel bearings. could be a bunch of different stuff. Take it to a dealer to get it looked at then you know what to fix or replace if you want to save a buck and do it yourself.

Probably lose brake pads. Mine does the same thing. I think my steering shaft is doing the same thing. Pretty sad with only 13000 miles on it.

You said it sounds like it is coming from the front. I may be off here, but. On all my half and three quarter ton trucks I have gotten a rattle over bumps as well. It turns out to be the rear leaf springs. There is a plastic bumper that is supposed to be between the bottom and and next spring. That plastic piece will break eventually. If you look at your springs there should be a bumper. There is a hole in the bottom spring that it snaps into. If that is not there, go to dealer and buy some. Pretty cheap. Jack up rear end of truck to spread the springs and snap it in. That annoying rattle is gone. Hopefully it is something this simple and not something in your frontend. I just know how sound travels through steel. Can throw ya off. Good luck.

i have the EXACT same noise in mine, and it goes away with the slightest tap of the brakes, just like you said. the roads around here are all lousy, so i get it all the time. it drives me friggin bananas! i'm going to spend all weekend on my truck doing some much needed maintainance, i'll post back with whatever fixes it. time/money is no object, i WILL figure it out! i have an 06 gmc ecsb lbz with 50k on it fwiw.

Moving to drivetrain - MOD

My rattle was a missing plastic spacer in the rear springs.

I just had the same thing and I replaced brakes in the front and the noise is gone. Also, there was a rattle in the front and it was the hubs as both of mine went bad too. Check the hubs to make sure they are tight.

I second the hubs / wheel bearings.
Mine used to do that. I replaced one wheel bearing that had a lot of slack and it stopped. Then i started to notice the noise slowly coming back. Replaced the other wheel bearing and it was gone again. No noise now for the last 10k miles.

Best of luck to you!

My experience is the brake pads are sloppy in the slides.

I tried RTV slilicone on assembly to "hold" the pads to the caliper and on the piston side - but the rattle quickly comes back.

I was so pi$$ed off last time I took the stainless slides off put them on the anvil, and beat them open - to make the clearance tighter. It worked for the whole summer, but now its back.

Putting winter wheels on today and will do this again.


As for the guys with the rear leaf spring insulator falling out. Go to an industrial supply store (hydraulics, bearings, etc) and get an O-ring about 1-1/2" I.D and about 3/8" thick and roll them onto the bottom leaf (jack up the frame to get the leafs to relax) I havent had a plastic insulator last more than a month.

The O-rings are over a year now, same ones and no leaf slap.

what i found out to cause alot of my rattleing was the caliper bolts inside of the caliper. inside of the caliper there are two rubber bushings that the tips of the caliper bolts slide into. they seems to wear out pretty quickly and let that bolt slap around in there over each bump causing your rattle and goes away when you hit the brakes.

Had a good look at it yesterday. In pinpointing the same noise, I put just the pins back in the caliper mount (thru the accordian boots) and was able to get about 1/8" of slop and the same noise. Bushings shot.

Located a "Boot and bushing kit" for the caliper mounts from the local parts store...doing the re-bush next week.

The retainer pin (BOLT) that goes through the calipers has a rubber bushing device that goes in the caliper.
When these wear out the caliper can drop down some and will rattle terribly on the bolt.

Check these out, the new parts are available at most parts stores and can be replaced easily.

this problem is common with our vehicles. the issue is isolated to the brake pad clips. the clips are not suffienently designed to keep the pads firmly in place. the pads rattle around inside the calipers and rotors. i had this looked at several times before the dealership identified the problem. my pads started this below 20000 miles. i did buy and install new pads with new clips and it was solved. the sound does go away when you use the brakes because of the firm pressure on the pads while in use. for $200 bucks to make the sound go away, i pulled the new pads and clips back out and re-installed the originals as the did not have much wear on them as it was. i have gotten used to the sound. i will save the new pads when i NEED to replace them. still on OEM pads at 85000 miles in the front and still rattle. maybe ac delco has inproved on them by now, but i doubt it.

:D problem solved... seems the caliper pins were pretty siezed (had to use the big gun to loosen em and a hammer and chisel to tap em out). the caliper wouldn't float and the inboard pads were doing all the work. the inside pads jiggled fore and aft like an eight inch!. i installed part number 18029812 "caliper bushing kit" (28 bucks) and cleaned up the pins on the wire wheel and generously lubed them. that and new pads/spring clips and my truck is silent! i don't think they put much lube on the pins from the factory, pretty weak if you ask me. i'm gonna tear into the rears this week and see if it's the same story. i had noticed the brakes getting weak but thought it was just my imagination. it was a pretty productive weekend. this is the first time i've had brake pads wear out the steel backing before the friction material!

this problem is common with our vehicles. the issue is isolated to the brake pad clips. the clips are not suffienently designed to keep the pads firmly in place. the pads rattle around inside the calipers and rotors. i had this looked at several times before the dealership identified the problem. my pads started this below 20000 miles. i did buy and install new pads with new clips and it was solved. the sound does go away when you use the brakes because of the firm pressure on the pads while in use. for $200 bucks to make the sound go away, i pulled the new pads and clips back out and re-installed the originals as the did not have much wear on them as it was. i have gotten used to the sound. i will save the new pads when i NEED to replace them. still on OEM pads at 85000 miles in the front and still rattle. maybe ac delco has inproved on them by now, but i doubt it.

you could get some shim stock at the hardware store and shim the clips to eliminate the rattle. if you use a little lube on the sliding part of the pads, it'll keep them from binding. imo, it was worth a $40 set of pads to eliminate the noise, but it did break my heart to toss the set of stockers with 50k on them that still looked new :(

Hey guys I have the rattle as well. If I put slight pressure on the brake pedal it stops. I removed the front tires and clearly the brake caliper is bouncing maybe 1/4" up and down. I did the check while getting new tires so I didnt have time to repair it but hopefully I will soon. I'm not sure what part will be worn out but I'm sure it will be somewhat easy to repair.

Caliper pins and caliper bushings. If you can grab the caliper and move it / wobble it at all, you will hear the same sound. Drives me insane.

Cheap fix, doesnt last long in our pot-hole riddled city though.

My truck, as well as the 5 duramaxs we have at work make this same sound. I've just gotten used to it.

problem on my dads 02' chev truck was the rear parkbrake shoes somereason they wore right out (no reason cause its a auto )and they rattled at hit the drum inside the disk so we took em out and it was gone

Just one question they don't sell shims to take up the gap?

Thanks for the info guys. My 08 has been doing this since 5000 miles and the dealer has checked it twice. I just figured out the brake thing and will schedule an appt. I'll be damned if I am paying for the fix, they can replace the pads every 3K miles for all I care but that rattle has got to go.

In my experience it has always been the "anti-rattle" clips that come with a new set of brake pads. Seems they wear out after about a thousand miles and then you're stuck with rattling brakes till your pads are worn out. I've inquired about buying just the rattle clips but they won't sell them seperately, you have to buy new pads to get them. Guess I'll deal with the rattle just like some others in this thread.

I also had the same problem, it was the clips on the calipers. Sounded worse than that to me, like a sway bar bushing. Not sure how long it will last though, had it fixed about 3000 km ago...we'll see.

Minus the fact that you guys are thread digging from over a year ago, Good info. I had my lower ball joints pinned as this noise, but now it all makes sense.

Has anyone found a "real" long term fix? I know it is brake related but don't want to fix it every week.

thanks
Trent

Has anyone found a "real" long term fix? I know it is brake related but don't want to fix it every week.

thanks
Trent

Yup... 1/2" fuel line about 2" long between the caliper pistons. There is NOTHING manufactured out there that will stop the pads from rattling - somepeople have been talking about anti-rattle clips for our brakes - no such thing. Shims...thats a Ford thing.

The rubber fuel line acts like a sponge/spring, it holds the pad ever so slightly against the rotor to stop the chatter.

I dont have this problem any longer. ;)

Good idea with the hose BlackMax. But you're wrong on the anti-rattle clips, they do exist and also wear out after about 1000 miles. If you don't believe me here's an article on doing a brake job, it's not on one of our trucks but it is very similar with the "anti-rattle" clips on the brakes. http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/Article/66969/brake_job__gm__acadia__buick__outlook__enclave.asp x

Good idea with the hose BlackMax. But you're wrong on the anti-rattle clips, they do exist and also wear out after about 1000 miles. If you don't believe me here's an article on doing a brake job, it's not on one of our trucks but it is very similar with the "anti-rattle" clips on the brakes. http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/Article/66969/brake_job__gm__acadia__buick__outlook__enclave.asp x

Do they make them for our tucks? I've been looking for some kind of manufactured retainers but no luck with the premium pads and kits I get. hmm.

The hose lasts way longer than 1000 miles too

They come with every set of brake pads that you buy. I've inquired about them and you can't just buy the clips. I might try the hose myself.

They come with every set of brake pads that you buy. I've inquired about them and you can't just buy the clips. I might try the hose myself.

Gotta say I've done my fair share of brakes on Chevy 3/4 tons since 2000 and never seen anti-rattle clips. I've seen the stainless slides but nothing like a spring.

But I will say the fuel hose is way worth the cents/per foot to rid yourself of brake chatter.

Well that's what gm calls them is anti-rattle clips. I'm just going by what they say.

Yup... 1/2" fuel line about 2" long between the caliper pistons. There is NOTHING manufactured out there that will stop the pads from rattling - somepeople have been talking about anti-rattle clips for our brakes - no such thing. Shims...thats a Ford thing.

The rubber fuel line acts like a sponge/spring, it holds the pad ever so slightly against the rotor to stop the chatter.

I dont have this problem any longer. ;)


Any chance you have some pictures? I have never taken these brakes apart and am a little worried.

Thanks
Trent

Any chance you have some pictures? I have never taken these brakes apart and am a little worried.

Thanks
Trent

Sneak over to the DIY section and there is an excellent step by step on Chevy Brakes that Heymcall put together.

I'd like to "intervene" a little.

In my experience, your pads could have 3/16" of up/ down movement, and still not rattle. My half-assed DIY shows them, before I fit 'em. I trim and fit them so that they fall out when the caliper is lifted away.

In my experience, the factory does NOT apply enough lube, or even a proper lube, for that matter.

In my experience, the only times the rubber bushings in the slide bolt bore give any problems is, A) when corrosion grows in there, due to insufficient lube, and B) when antisieze or other improper lubes are used.

Never use Anti-sieze on the slide pins, EVER. There is a rubber bushing in the bore for the slide bolt, and Anti-sieze (and most greases), will make the rubber soft and adhesive, causing improper brake wear, feel, and performance.

This one http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=389142 (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=389142) tells which grease to use, and includes testimonials.

This gives an overview of how to service them for fit and lube http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=313310 (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=313310)

And this has part numbers for the boot and bushing kit in post #5 http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/sho...highlight=boot (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=305596&highlight=boot)


And from another post of mine
1) I tried 3 grades of Napa pads, and NONE were noise-free. I'll stick with Durastops.
2) The OE supplied and installed lube is merely that, a lube. It does NOT inhibit corrosion. I use this one solely, as it it lubes well, stays in place, doesn't make the slide rubber components "adhesive", and inhibits rust.
http://www.bavauto.com/assets/imglib500/3301.jpg


3) Whilethe grease shown below was thought to be better than OEM, it, too, (like anti-sieze) will make the rubber slide components adhesive.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/3170Gc5X0UL._SL250_.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
4) If corrosion exists in the pin bore, after removing the rubber sleeve within, an odd sized drill bit, in a drill, can be used to clean (polish) the bore.
5) Having tried rustoleum (with mixed results), and POR-15 with poor results, I now simply smear grease on the bare bracket before installing the rattle clips, and I leave the pads ends bare.