Newbie question on brakes

[mkauffman]

Hello,

I recently developed a clunking sound somewhere in the front end of my ’76 Spider that goes away with pressure on the brakes. That makes me think it’s a problem with an anti-rattle clip (or retaining spring or whatever you want to call it). That seems like a pretty simple DIY repair, even for a non-mechanic like myself, but with one wrinkle: Would the steps necessary to access/inspect/replace the springs (pulling cotter pins, driving out the locking blocks, pulling away the caliper) then necessitate bleeding the brakes? From what I’ve read, I’m inclined to leave bleeding to someone with more experience. It doesn’t seem to me that any of this would implicate the hydraulic system, but I’d rather ask and look foolish than not ask and risk looking doubly foolish!

(Also, I noticed that at higher speeds – 50 or more – the sound is considerably more pronounced when turning the wheel even slightly to the right compared to going straight or turning left, though again the sound goes away when I press even lightly on the brakes. Anything about that suggest that it’s something other than the springs?)

Thanks,

Matt

[So Cal Mark]

no need to bleed unless you open the hydraulic system

[DUCeditor]

Sounds are pretty hard to diagnose via descriptions. A "clunk" does not sound like a small part. Do be aware that gently applying the brakes can take the slack out of the entire front end.

Have you the capability to get the front wheels off the ground? If so you might check for play in the entire front end by grabbing each front wheel and shifting it top to bottom, left to right. Also, if you have someone to assist you, have them gently apply the brake while you are rotating each front wheel. Does any of this initiate the sound? If so can you localize it?

-don

[velozi]

Could be that the wheel bearings are bad or loose.

[mkauffman]

Thanks all.

I'll have it up on jack stands in the morning and will give the wheels and the entire front-end a once-over to see if that helps locate the source of the problem.

Matt

[DUCeditor]

Let us know what you find Matt. Ours may be next.

-don

[mkauffman]

Don: Thanks for the nudge. Have been meaning to write, but that daily “work” thing kept getting in the way this week.

In any event, this is a lesson in not overlooking the obvious. (And addressing problems promptly, as boxdogracing noted earlier.)

Since the noise stopped with braking, I convinced myself after a little research that it was the retaining springs. Even spent a bit of time peering through the openings in the wheel to see what I could see before getting a chance to jack the car up.

So over the weekend, I get my jack and my stands and take the tire iron out the trunk to loosen the lug nuts … and discover one of the lug nuts has gone AWOL from the left front wheel – and the other three nuts were loose enough to turn by hand. I still pulled both front wheels and give a visual inspection, but after replacing the missing nut and tightening everything up, it drove flawlessly. And I took it on a longer drive, keeping an ear out for unusual sounds and checking the nuts midway and at the end, and everything’s fine.

So there I was days earlier peering through the wheel at the brakes – and not noticing the missing lug nut. (Or maybe it hadn’t fallen out yet.) The car didn’t shake or wobble, but given that the wheel was loose enough to make noticeable noise, it could have been catastrophic. So I’m chocking this up to a good newbie learning experience.

Still don’t know why (or when) they became loose. I’ve only owned it two months, so I can’t say if it’s a problem that developed quickly or if the PO did a crummy job putting the wheel back on some time back.