Noise from the front brake calipers

[PerfectStranger]

A couple of days ago, I replaced the brake pads, all went smoothly.
At that time, I took the caliper holder from the caliper body, you know that piece of metal that bolts to the forks. This fits to the caliper via two pins protected by rubber boots, one pin sits on the caliper, the other sits on the holder.
The caliper actualy slides on this holder. I lubed these pins and the boots with silicone grease, as per the official Honda Shop Manual's instructions.
Yesterday I replaced the front brake fluid and again all went smoothly.
The front brake performance is great.
But... today I noticed an odd noise from the front calipers when going downhill to enter the garage as I applied and released the brake, you know, with both feet on the ground and the bike almost stopped.
It's this type of "clack, clack, clack" noise.

After parking the bike, I got off and grabbed the left caliper with my hand and wiggeld in several times from left to right and id does have a smal amount of play, hence making the noise. The other side is just the same and it even does this when you gently kick it with the tip of your boot.

I know this noise was not present before, as I do park the bike in the same garage every day but yeasterday it didn't do the noise... byt I also don't remember doing the brake apply-release like I did today.

Now, what can be the source of this? Aren't the calipers designed to have a slight amount of sideways play?

Maybe I misassembled something? I dount it because it's not the first time I took the calipers out but it is the first time I chenged the front pads and removed the calipers from their holders...

Any thoughts?

If you would like to see a vid, I can make onbe in a couple of hours.

Thanks a million.

Cheers.

[BobA]

When you changed the pads did you remove either of the two small stainless steel sprung plates that sit inside the caliper??

One helps locate the pad that doesn't move (sits opposite the piston)

The other locates between the caliper body and caliper hanger.

If you did remove them, did you put them back in correctly, or round the right way with the pad locating one?

Did you use copper grease behind the new brake pads?


Just some ideas that spring to mind.


Good Luck


Bob

[PerfectStranger]

Yes, I did remove them and I did put them back correctly.
As for the copper greae, I used it on the pads ends (both on the ends with and without a hole) and also on the plates where the ends with no hole sit and also on the pin body that goes through the holed-ends of the pads. As for the pads backs I only used automotive pad grease (gray color) on the back on the pad that sits against the pistons.
Mind you, one of those sprung plates was torn on one of the sides but I put it back jsut the same because I didn't have another to replace it. I will order all 4 plates and replace them, but... the older pads did not show this clak-noise.

I'm wondering if this might be happening now because I took the calipers hangers out...

Are your ATs experiencing the same noise?

Thanks

[tedmagnum]

Im going for the anti rattle spring plates too.....

You may have put them in incorrectly or they have slipped out of position.

There arnt that many moving parts which could make that noise.

[PerfectStranger]

Im going for the anti rattle spring plates too.....

You may have put them in incorrectly or they have slipped out of position.

There arnt that many moving parts which could make that noise.

I'm gonna order all 4

I'll post the results.

Thanks for helping me out

Cheers

[tedmagnum]

I'm gonna order all 4

I'll post the results.

Thanks for helping me out

Cheers

Dont order them.. The steel is very thin and very very easy to bend into shape. They just need to grip the caliper body !

[AlanH]

It may just be free play on the caliper slider pins (not the pad retaining pins) that's causing it rather than the pad shims. I've had a few high mileage Hondas and they generally get a bit of free play on the mounts which is usually most noticeable when you've just cleaned off all the crud and re-lubed them.

By all means try tweaking the shims to eliminate the possibility that it could be pad rattle but if that doesn't cure it I really wouldn't worry about it. It will quieten down as it all starts to seize up again

[chronyx]

Mine does this too!! Seems to be the disc just picking up the pad slightly with each revolution. The disc isn't warped so I think the hub is knackered as the bearings seem OK.

Probably from a disc lock 'incident' years back...

[PerfectStranger]

Dont order them.. The steel is very thin and very very easy to bend into shape. They just need to grip the caliper body !

One of them is torn... I just bent it back into position but notice it was torn, don't know how it happened...

[PerfectStranger]

It may just be free play on the caliper slider pins (not the pad retaining pins) that's causing it rather than the pad shims. I've had a few high mileage Hondas and they generally get a bit of free play on the mounts which is usually most noticeable when you've just cleaned off all the crud and re-lubed them.

By all means try tweaking the shims to eliminate the possibility that it could be pad rattle but if that doesn't cure it I really wouldn't worry about it. It will quieten down as it all starts to seize up again

Hi Alan, you've probably just got it right, why the calipers are doing this...