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Rear brakes/drums making clicking noise

20K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  John Croucher 
#1 ·
I rebuild the rear brakes, drums, wheel cylinder, hardware and hub assembly. All new parts. The rear brakes click when the brakes are applied lightly. Under heavy braking, the noise stops and the brakes work great.

I adjusted the shoes out to have minimum amount of clearance. I have checked and rechecked the assembly and cannot find anything wrong. I had the new drums turned because they were a few thousand of an inch out of round. This did not help. The brakes do not pulse or grab. Just click.

Any suggestions on what I should be looking for? I thinking proportioning valve.

Car has 87,000 miles.
 
#2 ·
Wheel bearing adjustment is off. Did you use new bearings, pack grease properly and use new grease seal? How did you adjust the wheel bearings?
 
#3 ·
Bob, how does the wheel bearing affect the brakes and cause noise? Outside of over tightening or under tightening and wobbling. I am a pretty good wrench. Replacing the rear wheel hubs was straight forward. New hubs, races, bearing, seal, grease, washer, nut, and cap. New drums, shoes, hardware and wheel cylinders. New tires and even new air. Wheel rotates freely, no shaking or binding. Brakes do not make a noise until pedal is slightly depressed and shoe starts making contact with drum. When additional pressure is added, the clicking noise stops. Unfortunately, I cannot see inside the drum while turning to see what is clicking. The wheels do not grab or pulse when the car is raised off the ground, turned by hand while someone is lightly pressing on the brake pedal. Peddle is firm under braking and does not cause pulling to one side. I have done some test braking on wet pavement to see if the brakes lock up evenly. They seem to. Hard to hang my head out both sides and see. I lowered the rear seat back to help with the diagnosis. Set in the back seat while having someone else drive. Everything seems to work except the noise. I guess turning up the sound system while driving may be the fix.
 
#4 ·
Wheel bearing is loose. When you install them, correct technique is to thoroughly grease them and the hub, place the inner bearing, tap its grease seal carefully into place with a flat mallet, or board using a mallet. The drum is placed on, then the outer bearing installed, then the washer and nut. The nut is torqued to 20 ft-lbs while rotating the drum to seat the bearing fully. Then loosen the nut and hand-tighten, then install the collar and the cotter pin. Spin again to be sure all is well.
If the bearing is loose, it will make a clicking noise until the firm pressure of the drum and brakes holds it from wobbling.

If the bearing is too tight, the drum may drag, and within a few thousand miles you'll hear a roaring sound above about 40 mph, and as it gets worse, at lower speeds. By then it can weld itself to the spindle. Ask me how I know (a mechanic did the adjustment instead of me).
 
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