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Rear Wheel Mechanical "Clatter"

11K views 1 reply 1 participant last post by  ScotzBenz 
#1 ·
Question: What in the parking/emergency brake would cause a clatter on small bumps?

Background: I've had an annoying "clatter" from my rear end, very apparent when, for example, hitting even small bumps or potholes while driving close to a building (windows down). I've been underneath, checked everything out. As per one potential issue outlined in CD service manual - changed my shocks. Eventually put some rubber bungie cords temporarily on my exaust mounts to rule out the possibility that the exhuast is hitting a shield/body. I even took a microphone and put it on the rear fender and recorded the noise!

I once again consulted my service manual and noted that the emergency/parking brake has it's own drum and pads, and a notched wheel adjuster (just like in my 1955 Chevrolet BelAir!). I adjusted them tighter without positive result. I then however got the idea to drive the car down a local sloped backroad that has some small speedbumps.

I drove, listened and confirmed that the bumps were sufficient to cause the clatter. Then I redrove the route at the same speed (20mph/30kmh), but engaged the parking brake a few clicks, just enough to keep my speed down. Voila! - NO CLATTER.

This isolation is as far as I've gotten, and I believe I've finally isolated it. I'll remove the brake disk and take a look at the next sunny-day-off oportunity. Without having yet been inside the emergency/parking brake region of my car....... Any thougths out there on what I should be looking for? Scotz
 
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#2 ·
No Takers? I'll reply to myself then as an FYI to anyone else who might have this issue (please do the same for me too, when you figure your own issue out!).

I took another close look at the emergency/park brake adjustment. Followed my handy manual, backed off the cable completely (lots of slack), popped off the back wheels, adjusted notched adjusters inside of lug bolt holes as per specs, and tightened down the cable again - No noise.

Now, one point I will note is that I had probably missed the issue the first time around (when adjusting my brakes) because I have yet to have adjusted brakes on a car that engaged the parking brake shoes when the pedal was so "high" on the pedal swing - actually minimally actuating the park-brake before hitting the first click.

Still seems a bit overtight to me, but I drove, stopped, felt the inside wheel (cold), smelled ("fresh"), drifted down a slight incline from a stop in neutral, and nothing suggesting any braking going on. It appears that until virtually all of the slack (felt from the individual brake cables at the rear of the cable adjuster bolt) is taken out, something is left to flop around in the brake drums and make a clattering noise.
 
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