What the hell is the noise?!

[Irishman999]

After a couple thousand miles after my brake job my front left hub was making a really irritating clicking sounds associated with the brakes. Every bump I hit the caliper rattled and sounded like it was falling off. I used cheap ass brake pads and they were well under 50% life left.

I replaced my caliper as well as brake pads, (better quality this time). The noise stopped until now.

Any idea's? Im thinking bearings again since Im not sure what else it could be.

 

[crazy4offroad]

Brake pad kit probably didnt come with the anti-rattle clips, just turn the radio up.

 

[Irishman999]

Brake pad kit probably didnt come with the anti-rattle clips, just turn the radio up.

Its obnoxious, your sure I shouldn't be concerned?

 

[crazy4offroad]

You should know by now I'm full of **** lol. Whichever side it's coming from, jack it up and kick the tar outta the tar, see if it makes the noise. If it does, lay down where you can see the inside of the wheel and try to wiggle it around. If you can see the wheel and rotor move but nothing else it could be the wheel bearings. If the whole shebang moves look closely at the ball joints and tie rod ends for play. If everything seems tight it could be the pads rattling. If it doesnt rattle while you're on the brakes that's what I would begin to suspect next.

 

[Irishman999]

All the noise stops when I apply brakes. This problem is driving me ******* nuts man, I just put these pads on! They were not even the cheap ones either.

 

[crazy4offroad]

It's possible the brakes could stop the wheel bearings from clicking, I would check it out anyway to be safe.

 

[Old77]

Definitely sounds like a wheel bearing issue!

 

[Mr Clean]

Like Crazy said, jack one side of the truck up at a time, about three or four inches off the ground, grab the tire from the bottom, and lift up, if it moves or you have some play, bad ball joints. Check your lug nuts, I had a clicking in the front end of my 77 Jimmy, and it ended up I was about to loose the tire because I had four of the eight lug nuts loosened up on me. Is it 4wd or 2wd? If it is 4wd it could be you u-joints in the front end.

 

[Swims350]

well not sure on a 4x4 but 2wd you can put a chisel or pry bar under the outer brake pad with it all bolted up, raise that pad up are far as it goes and then take a hammer and punch or whatever to lay on the top tabs that come up out of the caliper and bend 90 degrees coming outwards, place the screwdriver or whatever on top of the tab while still prying the pad up and bend that tab down, that holds the pads in place so they don't clack. had to do that many times and it usually doesn't show up until the pads get worn down some.

I know on my 88 k1500 it doesn't have those and it sucks because mine clack on every bump.

 

[CknightK10]

I would replace all of the wheel bearings, and make sure the lock nut is not loose. somthing similar happened to me but my wheel bearings turned out to be ok. just my lock nut was not tight.

 

[Irishman999]

Yea it looks like its time to buy some bearingsssss. Damn it. If the wheel bearings have slack that means the whole rotor is moving outward burning up the pad, so that explains the excessive pad wear.

 

[Old77]

At least you've found the problem and bearings on these trucks aren't too terribly expensive if I remember right.

 

[crazy4offroad]

I cant remember how the 2wd front wheel bearing preload gets set. Is there a cotter pin/funky washer under the cap? Or a spanner nut/lpin washer/lock nut like a K's? You might just try to get a little more preload. But if it's clicking, that leads me to believe a roller bearing came out. I thought you did a write-up on this not too long ago?

 

[Old77]

It's been a long time since I replace the wheel bearings in my truck but if I remember right there's a cotter pin there.

 

[crazy4offroad]

I just read your write-up on the K10 brake job, you mentioned it had a clicking sound in the last post, back in October.