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So I just wrapped up changing out my brakes and all associated hardware for new, and during the swap I noticed all the new caliper guide/slide bolts are just plain steel bolts whereas one of each of the OEM bolts on the front calipers (possibly the rear as well can't really remember) were slightly shorter than the other and had a rubber section at the end. See the pics below for comparison.
I did some quick checking around the net and the consensus seemed to be that people were using the aftermarkets without issue so that's what I did. However I now have a clunking noise coming from each front corner when hitting bumps that was not present prior to the change and I have not messed with the suspension just yet which leads me to suspect these bolts. I have no other odd noises coming from the front end during braking or any other driving events and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue or if timing is just ***** and I should have the front end inspected for worn out bushings etc?
For anyone who stumbles across this thread, these guide bolts in the OEM fashion (with the rubber isolators) are only available by purchasing a new Brake Caliper Carrier to the tune of ~$85-160 a piece depending on where you shop. These are also special order items that require several days of shipping with very high expedited rates so if you're planning a good brake refresh I'd recommend swinging open a caliper and removing the guide pins ahead of time to make sure the isolators haven't swollen or degraded essentially locking the sliders in place like mine were.
You can find some examples of the slider bolts with isolators on ebay but with with limited knowledge of where they come from or the metallurgy I wouldn't trust them to keep my brake calipers attached to my car.
So I just wrapped up changing out my brakes and all associated hardware for new, and during the swap I noticed all the new caliper guide/slide bolts are just plain steel bolts whereas one of each of the OEM bolts on the front calipers (possibly the rear as well can't really remember) were slightly shorter than the other and had a rubber section at the end. See the pics below for comparison.
I did some quick checking around the net and the consensus seemed to be that people were using the aftermarkets without issue so that's what I did. However I now have a clunking noise coming from each front corner when hitting bumps that was not present prior to the change and I have not messed with the suspension just yet which leads me to suspect these bolts. I have no other odd noises coming from the front end during braking or any other driving events and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue or if timing is just ***** and I should have the front end inspected for worn out bushings etc?
OEM pins All aftermarket offerings
Im experiencing the same issue atm after upgrading my r53 brakes to the R56 Cooper S versions. I bought new pins off ebay, one was shorter then the other with the rubber grommet and fits fine; however the longer pin without a grommet is rattling over road imperfections. I'm told this configuration is correct (long pin top & shirt pin bottom) but it's nir right.
Question, did your old pins have rubber grommets on all 4 or just bottom locations?
Last edited by Paul Herrett; Jul 25, 2019 at 03:33 PM.
Reason: Question
