Ticking sound when braking?

"BaconSandwich is tasty." (baconsandwich)
08/07/2018 at 22:19 • Filed to: None

Over the last little while, I’ve noticed a very slight ticking noise when applying the brakes. It seems to only happen under moderate braking at lower speeds. (It may be happening at higher speeds, but I have been driving with the windows down, and the wind noise could be masking it). It seems to be consistent with the tire rotation - as the tire slows in rotation, the noise also slows.

I thought it sounded like it was coming from the rear passenger side, so I pulled the tire and drum off, and did a bit of poking around, but couldn’t see anything amiss. I was secretly hoping to find some sort of uneven wear on the brake shoes or some sort of sign of uneven wear , but I couldn’t see anything amiss. (Although it was a good reminder that I need to replace my rear shoes soon). I also checked out the front disks and pads, and they seemed fine. (Although I suppose I could replace the disks as well - it’s probably getting close to replacement).

It’s a 2001 Honda Civic - drums on the back, disks on the front. Any guesses on what it might be?

One thing I didn’t check for was stones stuck in the tire. I’ve been running my winter tires through the summer, as they were working poorly as winter tires last winter, and I figured I’d put a new set on this winter. I suppose it could be possible that there’s been a large stone caught in the chunkier tire tread, but it seems unlikely that such a stone would remain lodged there for several weeks. I would also think that such a noise would be apparent even if I wasn’t applying the brakes, which makes me want to rule that out.

I’ve never done the CV joints or wheel bearings, but I would think that would make a consistent noise - especially for CV joints while steering.

DISCUSSION (14)

OPPOsaurus WRX > BaconSandwich is tasty.
08/07/2018 at 22:39

My first thought was a stone or nail

BaconSandwich is tasty. > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/07/2018 at 22:50

Maybe when I pull the car out tomorrow, I’ll see if I can spot anything stuck in the tread.

LOREM IPSUM > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/07/2018 at 22:56

I know on bmr’s, when some of the front control arm bushings start to go it can make some funny noises while braking. Pretty sure you’d feel it in the steering wheel though.

Maybe worn caliper bushings?

V8VespaStoppie > BaconSandwich is tasty.
08/07/2018 at 23:02

Sisters car had the problem, it was the brake pad shim.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > V8VespaStoppie
08/07/2018 at 23:32

Huh. I’ll have to take a look at the shims. Was one of them cracked/broken, or just somehow pushed out of place from where it should be?

BaconSandwich is tasty. > LOREM IPSUM
08/07/2018 at 23:34

I don’t think it’s a control arm bushing. I replaced both control arms (with bushings) and sway bar end links earlier this year. I wonder what the symptoms are of a broken/worn out sway bar bushing?

LOREM IPSUM > BaconSandwich is tasty.
08/07/2018 at 23:48

I believe clunking over speedbumps and uneven pavement would be indicative of such, but hard to say exactly what one might hear.

If the caliper bushings are worn, it’s conceivable they could be binding and releasing, making a noise, but unsure if you’d feel it in the pedal or not if they were that far gone. As the other gent said, it could be the pads or shims as well. Bushings are cheap and easy to replace, and pads aren’t that expensive either, so maybe worth refreshing them just for kicks. Worst case, you have some spares for next time. (Assuming you can't find any other obvious causes whilst poking around)

BaconSandwich is tasty. > LOREM IPSUM
08/08/2018 at 00:11

I'm wondering at what point I'm going to need to rebuild the calipers and replace the rubber brake lines. So far they still look decent, but they are 17 years old now.

LOREM IPSUM > BaconSandwich is tasty.
08/08/2018 at 00:27

I did the ones on my e38, new bushings, boots, guide pins. Was quite a bit easier than I anticipated. Did mine to resolve a sticky caliper.

No telling if this would resolve your particular issue, but if you’re pulling the wheel and tearing it all apart anyway it’s inexpensive and easy enough to do while you’re there, especially if it’s all due anyway . Good time to replace the lines and push some fresh fluid into the system as well, though my mental math counter is beginning to acknowledge that this will end up costing more than the “almost nothing” I had in my head when we started the discussion. Such is the way though, I guess.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > BaconSandwich is tasty.
08/08/2018 at 02:20

I have a tic tic tic sound on the VW. Turned out to be a rust patch that developed under the pads whilst parked over a couple of rainy days with the handbrake on. Took a little while to go away...

Bylan - Hoarder of LS400's > BaconSandwich is tasty.
08/08/2018 at 03:24

I had a low speed ticking in my front drivers wheel after getting my tires re-balanced with sticky weights that go on the inside of the rim. The clearance between caliper and rim was small enough to cause the wheel weight to rub slightly, perhaps check this unless you have hammer on wheel weights.

PartyPooper2012 > BaconSandwich is tasty.
08/08/2018 at 07:55

Warning. Dad joke ahead

Area of a circle A = r^ 2

The square part is the one making noise as it goes around

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Bylan - Hoarder of LS400's
08/08/2018 at 08:27

I have hammer on weights.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > PartyPooper2012
08/08/2018 at 08:28

Dad jokes are the best kind. I look forward to when my girls are old enough that I can start using them.