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Ok! Crazy thing I change my brake pads front! and two days later I get this nasty clanking like under my wheels up front, Sounds like the wheels are going to come off? WTF? I torqued the lug nuts checked the brake pads,
every looks fine, I cranked on everything control arms sway bar all the linkage I see no raddle by hand. As soon as I drive off sounds like an old Buick front end raddle! Any idea's? is this common on the Mini!
Change brake pads and Boom! Get a raddle...annoying as hell!
any help on this? Has this happened to anyone else?..If I knew I would change whatever the raddle is...can't figure it out...
Is it all the time or only under braking, going over bumps, certain speeds, etc? Can you distinguish exactly where it's coming from? I.E. wheels or under the car? What brand pad did you install?Sometimes brake pads can rattle in the calipers. Common fix to this is putting a 3M double sided adhesive tape onto the pad to help keep it in place. Otherwise, maybe you will need to go through and check over your work again. Could also just be coincidence and something suspension related is bad and needs replacing. I know you said you tightened it all, but check over all your bushings for signs of wear.
Not Under Braking, going over speed bumps rough roads, tight turns, sounds like under each wheel, OE Brand Pads, I'll check on brand, Brake pads make that kind of noise? Never in my life Have I ever had a brake pad raddle, been working on cars my own cars since I was 20yrs old, I'm 51 now..just saying but most of my past vehicles VW,Audi..
Really can't see Bushing wear, upper and lower control arm Bushings? Maybe?
whats easier to change the whole arms or just the bushings?
Before working here I worked at an Audi and VW specialist shop. We had dealt with brake pads moving before. Particularly one instance was a B8 S4 that had upgraded pads and rotors installed. It was common that these pads on this platform required an adhesive tape on the back of them to help with the movement of the pads. For your instance, since that is the only thing you replaced, that is why I am thinking it's the pads shifting around. I could be completely wrong though.
The front control arm on the MINI R56 chassis has three common areas of trouble: the ball joint that connects to the steering knuckle; the ball joint that attaches to the subframe and the control arm bushing. Bushing failure can cause a number of ride quality problems. You may have a shudder when braking or a clunk when you hit a bump. Inspect your control arm bushing and ball joints for looseness by jacking up the front of your vehicle and moving each wheel side to side. If you feel looseness in the attachment points, this indicates a problem. If you want you can read more about it here, which has a step by step process for doing the replacement.
Maybe someone will have some other input for you as well. Let me know what you find out. Good luck!
Before working here I worked at an Audi and VW specialist shop. We had dealt with brake pads moving before. Particularly one instance was a B8 S4 that had upgraded pads and rotors installed. It was common that these pads on this platform required an adhesive tape on the back of them to help with the movement of the pads. For your instance, since that is the only thing you replaced, that is why I am thinking it's the pads shifting around. I could be completely wrong though.
The front control arm on the MINI R56 chassis has three common areas of trouble: the ball joint that connects to the steering knuckle; the ball joint that attaches to the subframe and the control arm bushing. Bushing failure can cause a number of ride quality problems. You may have a shudder when braking or a clunk when you hit a bump. Inspect your control arm bushing and ball joints for looseness by jacking up the front of your vehicle and moving each wheel side to side. If you feel looseness in the attachment points, this indicates a problem. If you want you can read more about it here, which has a step by step process for doing the replacement.
Maybe someone will have some other input for you as well. Let me know what you find out. Good luck!
-Luccia
Yes! I jacked the front up again and I did try to shake each wheel side to side!
That seems to be fine...so I Did look at the brake pads but I will get the pad goop and redo! If its the Pads will be a strange thing...cause I have never had this happen before...but I'll have to the damn clanking is driving me nuts...
The Rotors seem to be fine no serious grooves...
Yes! I jacked the front up again and I did try to shake each wheel side to side!
That seems to be fine...so I Did look at the brake pads but I will get the pad goop and redo!
Lower control arm Bushings!
70,000 miles and they go bad!!..Really! BMW screwed the Pooch on this one!!
Knuckin Futs! So If I knew nothing about cars and had Bad hearing how would I know these go bad? BMW Blew it! RECALL!!!!
Eric,
WTH? Would make this clanking? Getting on the lift hopefully today...
PITA! at 70,000 miles...My girls KIA Is built better. Really! and BMW Makes this crap!
So fed up with this MINI. Anyone with a large Truck hit me please so I can collect INS!!!
Last edited by coachvminis; Jul 6, 2015 at 07:41 AM.
I hear you coach, but you'll get it! Remember that when it's working well, it's a lot funner a ride than your daughter's Kia. A clattering directly after an installation is most often something left loose. Take your time, do another nut-and-bolt, and you'll solve it.
Thanks for the update , I had them go on the 05' and make the grown when turning left to right before the bushings start clanking. You could here it from the wheel well when i had someone turn the wheel for me. But mine went at 230K on a 05' . Quick fix , and recommend in pairs. 31356778831
