Popping sound while braking
 

I get an audible pop sometimes while braking. I switched to Hawk pads about 4 months ago. Rotors were smooth. It doesn't happen everytime I brake. Get new brake hardware? Also, about how long do stock rotors last under normal driving (absolutely no tracking)? Car has 52K on it.

Don't know about the pop but the rotor question is easy -- measure the thickness of the rotor. If it's under the spec given in the FSM, it should be replaced.

I know the rotor is in specified shape, I was just wondering.

My problem was my swaybar mount got bent and that sound was caused by the swaybar rubbing against the control arm.

do you get like one big pop when you hit the brakes? Or is it pop pop pop pop?
I am getting a series of pops sometimes when I hit the brakes and I think it has something to do with my tie rod ends going out. First I thought maybe a crack on a rotor but they are all good. Now the only thing I can find loose is the tie rod end on the passenger side definately needs replacement.

i have the same problem with my brakes, except my popping sound comes from the right rear side. It only doesit when i first apply the brakes and then it stops. kinda weird

ball joint problem maybe?

Backfire?

umm no, its definetly the brakes, the backfire on my car has a deep tone

Maybe its not the brakes. Could be that your car has loose rear suspension, most likely bad pillow ball bushings. These can easily 'pop' when the suspension loads up under braking, etc. http://www.maxcooper.com/rx7/how-to/...lls/index.html

You can check the pillowballs by jacking up the car, with the handbrake on, grag the rear tire and try to rotate. If they are bad, you will feel the back and forth slop. I know...mine are bad

Thanks for the advice. I'll try that. If that isn't it, I'll buy the hardware set. It's cheap enough.

Malloy Mazda (search for the phone number -- Ray Crowe is the man to talk to there) is a good source for the pillow ball bushings if you fid that you need some (~$55 per bushing, you need 6 to replace them all).

The toe links wear out, too. Aftermarket toe links are available, but mine wore out faster than the stock ones. I replaced the rod ends with QA-1 XML10 and XMR10 rod ends (size 5/8") purchased from Jeg's (after a lengthy investigation of my options -- the QA-1 units are deceny quality, very strong, and not very expensive). They work great with my M2 toe links.

Rotary Extreme has some toe links (and trailing links) with some dust covers that may help to extend their life. Baker Precision (http://www.bakerprecision.com/rodacc.htm) sells some dust covers (SE-010) and some boots (Medium size is what you'd need) that may also work (use one or the other), if you already have some aftermarket links. If you buy dust seals for toe links that didn't come with them, you'll probably need to modify the spacers to account for the added width of the dust seals. It looks like the boots could be installed without modifying anything, but I am not certain there is enough clearance where the links connect to the uprights & body mounts to use the boots.

-Max

Well if I'm going to be tearing into it that much, I might as well put on those eibach springs I've been meaning to get for a while. Going to need alignment redone anyway if I tear into all that. Just got to get my tools unpacked. I just moved.

i know this sounds too simple, but might as well rule out everything you can. My honda used to pop everytime I applied the brakes, only at first. If I accelerated and then braked it would pop again. Turns out one of my front wheels either wasn't tightened properly or was tightened slightly off center....so everytime I hit the brakes the wheel would shift slightly, causing that popping noise. Taking it off and re-tightening it properly did the trick.

check to see that your brakes arent sticking when you push the brake

Trailing arm bushings