Front discs caliper..

[chiefster1976]

Hi guys... i have a tinny type of knock on the front end of the Bongo...Going over bumps and sometimes under braking also..
its not like a clonk(drop links) more tinny..
Ive had the front wheel off and drop links seem o.k on inspection using a crow bar,
i tapped by hand in the middle and side of the brake caliper and seems to make the same noise.. i stripped the pads off regreased back of the pads/pistons/slide bolts and refitted..
still slightly knocking...
On taking off the pads the front disc seems to be loose near the front..
is this normal?? usual discs are at least have one screw holding them on, or are they just held on by the 5 wheel bolts??

[dave_aber]

Just the wheel that holds the disc secure on a Bongo.

[Tidmo]

I had something similar and it turned out the pads fitted were wrong and 'jumped' each time the brakes were appplied or released. The pads were the same shape only slightly smaller. Took 3 garages to figure it out. 321 away came up trumps in the end. Hope this helps.

[chiefster1976]

hey Tidmo... You say they were the same shape but smaller...which part was actually smaller?? PAd wear side or outer pad edges??

I have had further inspection.. When brakes are applied the knock goes away over bumps..DEfinatly the right front caliper..
Took wheel off and i can move the whole caliper side to side,moving the caliper on the 2 pins..Very strange...The NEAR side has only slight movement side to side,but pretty solid/no knocking...
I have new pads and put them against old pads and are EXACTLY the same size of pad on wear surface AND outer shape is the same also..old pads are nearly as thick as new ones,doesnt warrent changing them, so it carnt be the pads...

Im baffled as to why the caliper is moving side to side...Both slide bolts are tight and torqued, as are the 2 bolts holding the outer arm of the caliper...
Inspected slide bolts on near side and nothing any different to the off side...
I think this one has beat me!! im lost...

[Northern Bongolow]

if the carrier is mounted tight the only movement should be on the pins(side to side) this should be easy to slide if the pistons are back. are 1 set of pistons ( 2 in the fronts) retracting when the brakes are pressed and released, and the otherside sticking. the pins are known to seize/snap or stick also.the pins are also slightly different so check they are in the correct position.
a full strip on both sides should reveal the problem. there should be 2 sets of shims at the back of each pad, 4 shims in total on each front calliper.
check the noise isnt the bottom ball joint on the bottom of the swivel.

[chiefster1976]

I think i found the problem....
All 4 shims on the back of each pad are present on each side... But each metal hanger/shim that is directly above and Below the pads are not..I.E .The 2 are missing from the inner(piston side) ,but the outside 2 above/below the pads are present...
I guess this is why there is a rattle over bumps,but goes away when the brakes are applied...

http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... mgno=.html

ARe these 2 pins/shims whatever, easy to get ahold of maybe from another car?

[cfc2000]

if the carrier is mounted tight the only movement should be on the pins(side to side) this should be easy to slide if the pistons are back. are 1 set of pistons ( 2 in the fronts) retracting when the brakes are pressed and released, and the otherside sticking. the pins are known to seize/snap or stick also.the pins are also slightly different so check they are in the correct position.
a full strip on both sides should reveal the problem. there should be 2 sets of shims at the back of each pad, 4 shims in total on each front calliper.
check the noise isnt the bottom ball joint on the bottom of the swivel.

Just to clarify, the two bolts are different. The lower one is thicker and longer. It would be quite hard to fit them the wrong way round. One would float around in a hole too big for it, and the other one would have to be hammered in with a hydraulic hammer. but I have seen idiots do things like that, so worth the warning. Incidentally they don't really show up as different in any of the exploded diagrams i have seen.