BXProject

[Bx Bandit]

....when using brakes in reverse. Any one know what causes it and what the cure is?

If *think* I know...... .....walks off cheekily whistling....

pride comes before a fall and all that as you lot point out the obvious!

[jonathan_dyane]

Depends on the nature of the clunk

Most likely candidate is the front brake pads moving in the caliper. Unless it's like a *bad* clunk...

If it is the pads another brand might be better, but tbh it's the sort of thing I tend to ignore...

[Fish_Botherer]

My experience too - though has only happened to me on one BX of several. Can't remember if it went away when I changed the pads or when I changed the BX...

[Bx Bandit]

Mr Dyane is getting warm there, although I use Bendix pads which I *think* are original spec. and so should negate the 'replace pads' option...Whilst I agree it does depend on the nature of the clunk, I have made the assumption it's brake pad related, for following reason:

Fitted new pads and greased caliper sliders.....so my surprise I had no clonk!
A few thousand miles later, I need to remove pads........blaa blaa then reassembling put the brake pads in as before without paying attention. Only this time....clonk! Re-packed the grease on the sliders but to no avail.

Had a re-fit today and a penny drops! I've only 1/2 tried my theory. If it does work, it's annoyingly obvious! It's happened on all 3 BXs DLM but to varying degrees which makes it all the more annoying. Any way I'm in grave danger of feeling smug rather to soon but as this hase been one of my bug bears of the BX for so long I'm feeling chuffed at the prospect of curing the problem.

[Philhod]

You remain snug my friend, but check the ARB clamps and rubbers as these are the cause of "loud" clunks and can have not nice consequences. Btm joint is worth a cheque as well.

If it is pad refit connected, all I can say is I've not experienced it in the BX. A clue may be my once a year "regime". each year at major service I remove the pads, take out the bolts but not Hydraulically and remove the disc. all is then derusted and cleaned and sliders greased. when re assembling and connecting/adjusting the handbrake cable, I clean out and regrease the auto adjust mechanism...and ...err, no clunks

[Fish_Botherer]

Not necessarily a reverse-induced clonk, and I'm sure it'd be showing itself in other ways, but a pothole-provoked clonk caused a bothersome saga for me with lower arm bushes and locating rod some time back. The bushes proved to be both disintegrating and corroded onto the rod.

My guess is that you're referring to something very simple and straightforward....

[charlie]

i always thought the clonking sound when you brake in reverse was something to do with the position of the brake piston grooves in relation to the studs on the brake pads themselves

cause theres a little gap

so if you adjust the piston groove upwards so that it it rests against the stud of the pad, ie no play

the pad cant move and no clonk when you brake in reverse

i thought this out ages ago

all by myself

but i might be wrong

what do you think bannnditttttttttooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Bx Bandit]

fuck off you - I have patent pending on that! The clonk I thought was a well known foible of the BX. It's mentioned here and I've had it on all 3 BXs and heard it on at least 3 others!

I haven't tried the solution out methodically yet. The initial test was good but after a long run and needing to turn round there was a mild clonk.

[Fish_Botherer]

OK - so trim up a thin slice of rubber hose/seal to fit around the stud if it's bothering you then?

[docchevron132]

There always will be, the piston can of course rotate, so like, erm, it'll move when the pad moves up or down like...

[charlie]

or or or or or or

he said all excited like

but a dab of some sort of silicone / sealant in the groove while the pad is being fittted to


STOP THE CLONK

[docchevron132]

Nope, because the clonk is the pad moving in the jaw, not in the piston, so unless you sikaflexed the pad to the caliper it'll still move.
WARNING: do not actualy sikaflex the pads in, they wont work very well!

[Bx Bandit]

There always will be, the piston can of course rotate, so like, erm, it'll move when the pad moves up or down like...

True, and I think rotating the piston after fitting the pads reduces the movement but not eliminates it. So the trick is.................fuck this, any one fancy a pint?

[docchevron132]

Yes, a pint sounds iddylic! Bit late now though... dang!

[Bx Bandit]

It's never too late, sniff Ajax if you have too............just simulate!

[Philhod]

Ended up doing the weekly shop with er indoors this am

I found this bottle of beer resting amongst the specialty cheeses. It was called Maple moon and has a lovely flavour, redish in colour and 4.9%.
It's brewed by Joseph Holts, a family firm going back 5 generations and based in the centre of Manchester.
I used to drink their bitter (a lot) when I worked in Trafford Park. It was crazy stuff, a different taste and although only 3.9% it used to affect your arms and legs long before your head. weird!!!!

In other words, you knew what was happening but couldn't do anything about it coz all your hinges had gone

[Bx Bandit]

Maple moon! Sounds good mate, not heard of it before!

Just in case anyone was wondering.....I ended up 're-setting' the caliper/pads as described on both the TD and the 16v......it made no difference on the 16v but stopped it on the TD! So hard to tell.
Only other thought was that there a 4 slots to take the lug on the caliper piston, 2 with an extra thinner slot next to it. Is the spigot only meant to go in one 'type of slot'?

If it ain't the pads moving then what else could this clonk be? Worn sliders?

[mat_the_cat]

There's a guy over on BXC that goes by the name of Boxwolf...he may well know the answer!

[Bx Bandit]

really..........??? I will check it out......

[Way2go]

I found this bottle of beer resting amongst the specialty cheeses. It was called Maple moon and has a lovely flavour, redish in colour and 4.9%.
It's brewed by Joseph Holts, a family firm going back 5 generations and based in the centre of Manchester.

I seem to remember that Holts was a manufacturer of Anti-Freeze! Not of Austrian extraction are they?