what the heck is the 'whack whack whack' noise with brakes

[cutlass1991]

91 cutlass sedan

 

it's so damn loud it sounds like someone is slapping the side of my car. The sound occurs when i apply the brakes. It usually isn't as loud at first, but after driving for a while, it really becomes loud. Also, I noticed that if I corner to the right it gets louder, but when I turn to the left, it goes away. the noise happens during light to medium braking, but not under heavy, emergency-stop throw you through the windshield braking.

 

It sounds like it is coming from the rear brakes. I did a full brake job less than 2000 miles ago. New rotors, new pads, and I greased the sliders. everything was tightened to spec. They were fine until about the last 500 miles.

 

If you need to know what it sounds like, take your hand and slap it on the desk in front of you about 4 times a second. This will simulate riding in my car at 35mph while braking.

[White93z34]

check your calliper bolts

[DiscoStudd]

And make sure all of your lugnuts are tight ...

[gp90se]

1 of your axles shot?

[cutlass1991]

i sure as hell hope its not an axle that is shot. :shock:

I'm gonna tighten everything up tonight and hope for the best. w-body brakes are like the money pit.

[gp90se]

everyone bitches bout w-body brakes, ive yet 2 have any issues with any of em. good luck.

[Rabbi]

everyone bitches bout w-body brakes, ive yet 2 have any issues with any of em. good luck.

 

 

oh you just wait

[Prospeeder]

i have warped rotars and worn pads, thats it, my PM3 is fine though

[19Cutlass94]

Ive only had to replace a caliper thats it, but Id say just check and make sure everything is tight. Could it be a bearing shit the bed some where in the rear axle?

[gp90se]

everyone bitches bout w-body brakes, ive yet 2 have any issues with any of em. good luck.

 

 

oh you just wait

 

Ive driven my grand prix harder then most members on this board beat their meat. Only issue I had was a rear brake caliper going out on me, but that was after taking the front calipers off, and using the rears as the only brakes.

[fastbird232]

Just had a brake job a few months ago, back to the pulsating brakes again.

[MonteCarloChick]

Drive in reverse at about 15mph then slam on the brakes HARD. That should fix it. I had the same problem.

[Prospeeder]

how come? is it an alighning kinda thing, or what

[MonteCarloChick]

how come? is it an alighning kinda thing, or what

By doing what I said it adjusts the rear brakes.. the whacking sound is the brakes trying to gain a good grip to stop...

 

I know it sounds goofy but it works

[cutlsp]

it works for drum brakes not disc brakes.... you have to adjust the rear calipers by setting the parking brake repeatedly or using the bolt on the back of the caliper.

[gp90se]

she drives a lumina, she might have drums

[1990lumina]

how come? is it an alighning kinda thing, or what

By doing what I said it adjusts the rear brakes.. the whacking sound is the brakes trying to gain a good grip to stop...

 

I know it sounds goofy but it works

 

This is how my Dad's Suburban sets the rear drums as well..

 

 

But yeah, go to town pumping the e-brake...hopefully you don't have one like me where you pump the shit out of it, but it slips and instead of the usual 2.5pumps..it takes like 40 pumps lol

[Prospeeder]

if u press it all the way down, it sets, well, for mine at least, u guys need to grease up the gears on the pedal, the teeth get gunked up, and stick, so it wont catch, thus, having to pump it

[cutlsp]

she drives a lumina, she might have drums

thats why i said what i did about it

[MonteCarloChick]

It's a Monte Carlo and yes I have drums.. didn't know he had discs.. sorry, didn't see the rotors/drums aspect of it.

[digitaloutsider]

Monte Carlo = 2 Door Lumina

[cutlass1991]

alright i tightened a bolt on the caliper, the one that holds the parking brake mechanism to the rest of the caliper. It quieted the noise significantly, but it is still there sometimes. Man I wish I could just upgrade to the newer style brakes.

 

 

Hey, I bet the monte carlo chick is hot.

[DrWho]

I had the same problem with the the 'whack whack whack' noise on my 95 monte carlo with drum brakes.

 

I just got back from taking the drum off driver side, I found the Shoes were sort of stuck and the adjuster screw thingy was also not wanting to move , shoes had plenty of pad left on them so I just took it apart and put some anti seize on the adjuster and on the part of of the pads that touches the back plate..

 

so far so good , the real test will be next day , I had thought the drum maybe bad and even had drums ready , but the drum did not really look bad , there were no abnormal wear marks or anything I may expect.. so we'll see how this goes , I suspect that the shoe was just not fully contacting the drum when brakes applied , and so was making the noise ..

[Andrew]

way to respond to a 2.5 year old thread there NOOB!

[gp90se]

good solution to the sticky adjuster, I did the same thing on my 81.

 

Id rather see an old thread kicked up with a solution then 5 new threads on the same problem