Brakes popping?
 

I have an 88 SE. Six months ago I swapped the stock brakes for the Turbo II 4-piston brakes and 5-lug hubs. Everything went really well and, except for a slightly-soft pedal, the brakes worked really well -- on the track and street.

However the past couple months or so I've been noticing this really weird problem. Sometimes when applying the brakes moderately I will hear a brief pop from the front left or front right calipers. Brake feel doesn't change and it doesn't affect the braking at all, but it certainly doesn't sound great. I think it happens more often when turning and braking at the same time.

The front calipers are new and the other weekend I went thru and tightened the caliper mounting bolts and looked for anything weird. I couldn't find anything out of order.

Any ideas? The brake fluid needs to be flushed, but would that in any way result in a popping sound?

Thanks for your help.
-Jonathan

How fast are you going when they pop? i might have the same problem, went through the whole front suspension and everything is tight.

It reverbrates inside and i feel the pop in the pedal....

Speed doesn't matter. It will still hear _one_ pop even when just creeping along and then braking. It's not every time, but pretty frequently. No reverberations or anything -- just a sound.

Doesn't sound like suspension to me. Could it be the ball-joint? Hmmm...
-Jonathan

I thought it might be the sway bar end links but it wasnt ( i drove with a disconnected sway bar and it did it still). I tightened the rotors and still there. Has nothing to do with speed or bumpy roads and it usually happens either right after i hit the brakes or at around 20km/h just before i stop. Evry friggin bolt is super tight at the front and it still pops.

Hmmm...that sounds really really similar to my situation -- except I don't get any reverberations.

-Jonathan

Its not really reverbrations, just a loud pop that seems like it has a lot of force behind it. Its really weird but its been happening for a while now and it doesnt seem to be getting any better or worse.

First thing I would check would be the retaining springs in the calipers, one might be busted allowing the pad to slip.

I would look at the wheel bearings as the second thing. Since it sounds like you already checked out the suspension.

Wheel bearings are new (7k km) and tight. The retaining spring might be whats missing, i dont think theres one on either side on the front. Can i get 1 just by itself?

Anyone know if lack of the retaining springs can cause this?

Yep, it certinly can. the pads can shift too much

I had this problem....and it just disappeared. I think it was related to the Master Cylinder which I had rebuilt. As far as I know I didn't do anything that would have made it stop....it just quit by it's self. It was very annoying. Sorry....not what you wanted to hear i'm sure. Let us know if you find out where it is coming from in case mine comes back. Actually it might have stopped when I changed the front springs and struts....I don't remember.

Todd