1998 C230 front brake problem

[emann34]

I replaced my front pads with Akebono Euro Ceramic and the rotors with Balos. Pretty straight forward, however, now Im getting a popping noise when I apply the brake when reversing and when initially going forward after reversing. I know for a fact that the pads are moving I just cant pinpoint the cause.

The pads in my car do not have the pins going across the caliper and the shims, they just have two small springs on the outer part of the pad. They just sit on the caliper holder and the caliper holder did not have any type of hardware for pad seating.


Any ideas what might be causing my pads to move? Shims perhaps? The Akebonos came with a flimsy shim. I dont recall my old pads having shims (OEM Mercedes) but the backing plate was pretty thick.

[matt09]

I have everything stock, and I also get the popping sound when I brake going in reverse.

[jnenad16]

take the brakes off and inspect it, but I dont think the popping sound is coming from the brakes, though. have you done any suspension work recently?

nenad

[emann34]

No suspension work, just pads and rotors.

[matt09]

Same here. I tried to picture in my mind what could be doing such sound, and I thought it could be the rotors rotating a few degrees and being stopped by something when applying the brakes while going backwards.
Something like this:
before
http://www.sumopower.com/Rear%20Endless%206%20Pot%20Caliper.jpg
after
http://teolimarketing.com/Images/Red-Caliper-S2000.jpg

[jnenad16]

yeah, but he said he replaced them with balos, which are OEM replacement, not drilled or slotted.

the other thing I forgot to ask, did you seat and tighten the rotors properly?

nenad

[xvvvz]

FWIW, I had a Honda with the exact same problem very soon after it was purchased new. We took it in to the dealer and the mechanic easily solved the problem because it apparently is pretty common. The pads were shifting just a bit and causing the sound. You had to change the cars movement from forward to back or back to forward AND apply the brakes. That is what cause the shift. The slap/click noise then occurred the first time you braked while traveling back into the other direction. I can't remember if he just added more anti squeal compound to the back of the pads or if he also adjusted the clips. Whatever he did, it stopped the problem. Sorry I can't be of more help. It was a while ago.

Doug

[matt09]

Doug understood what I was trying to show with the pictures. They are bothrandom cars and rotors that I googled, I just wanted to show how the rotors where moving.

I guess I'm gonna have to take the wheels off and see what I can do.

[xvvvz]

Not that I am an expert, but just to be clear, my understanding from the mechanic was that the pads were shifting within the caliper as opposed to an issue with the caliper shifting on the rotor.

Doug

[matt09]

Yeah, I got that. I thought it was the rotor at first.

[OCKlasse]

Originally posted by xvvvz
Not that I am an expert, but just to be clear, my understanding from the mechanic was that the pads were shifting within the caliper as opposed to an issue with the caliper shifting on the rotor.

Doug

My 98 C230 does the same thing, and I have Akebono pads...

[emann34]

Thanks fellas.

At this point Im going to guess its the fitment of the Akebono pads, e.i. slightly different from OEM and are moving a little within the caliper.

Im going to change the shim to metal and add anti squeal paste to both the backing plate of the pad and the outside of the shim to see if it helps. Lastly, I will bleed/replace brake fluid to tighten things up.