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I was working on my sway bars and noticed that my front calipers have some play in them. I am new to this car so I don't know what the previous owner did. Please see picture
I checked that bolt and it seems to be tighten all the way. This is a 2006 Volvo s40 2.4i.
Without SOME play, your brakes would rub (they might rub a little anyway - kind of the nature of the beast). The caliper is designed to be able to move back and forth to allow / adjust for pad wear (in case it's not identical between the inside and outside pads).
So, it would be normal to be able to move the caliper back and forth by the distance of the gap between the pads and rotor on each side. That won't be much (1mm?). If you're getting a lot more movement than that, I'd guess your caliper isn't working correctly. Normally, as your pads wear down, the caliper will allow more fluid into the pistons, moving the resting position of the pads further toward the rotor. If there's any kind of problem with the caliper, that might not happen, or might happen on only one side.
Without SOME play, your brakes would rub (they might rub a little anyway - kind of the nature of the beast). The caliper is designed to be able to move back and forth to allow / adjust for pad wear (in case it's not identical between the inside and outside pads).
So, it would be normal to be able to move the caliper back and forth by the distance of the gap between the pads and rotor on each side. That won't be much (1mm?). If you're getting a lot more movement than that, I'd guess your caliper isn't working correctly. Normally, as your pads wear down, the caliper will allow more fluid into the pistons, moving the resting position of the pads further toward the rotor. If there's any kind of problem with the caliper, that might not happen, or might happen on only one side.
Thanks for the reply.. I can tell you from the bet that there is way more then 1mm play. I took down the rear tires and it seems to be the same way in the rear. I will try to get a short video and will post..
It is the same on both sides. I also forgot to mention when the car moving and when I tap the brake aggressive I can hear a pop on both sides could be the same sound as in the video above (hard to tell because the engine is running and you are inside the car). The car stops without any issues. When I tap the brake gently I do not hear anything... I am new to this car, it is not even registered yet..
1) the play you're seeing isn't because the calipers are loose (or "looser than they should be"), but because your rotors are loose, which is because the wheel holds them on. Snug up the caliper with some spacers and a few lugnuts, and you'll have a normal amount of play when you try to move the calipers back and forth. The fact they're moving like the can (with the rotors loose) means that the mounts are doing exactly what they should be.
2) The "thunk" you hear when you apply your brakes is most likely worn rear bushings in the front lower control arms - a very common problem. When you apply the brakes sharply, the car "pushes forward" on the wheels, which puts torque on the control arms. If there is any play in the control arms' large, rear bushings, you'll hear them move, and will feel a sharp, mechanical input through the steering wheel. The good news is, new control arms are cheap, and include ball joints. The down side is that you HAVE to have an alignment done after installation (but hey, it's probably due for one anyway).
1) the play you're seeing isn't because the calipers are loose (or "looser than they should be"), but because your rotors are loose, which is because the wheel holds them on. Snug up the caliper with some spacers and a few lugnuts, and you'll have a normal amount of play when you try to move the calipers back and forth. The fact they're moving like the can (with the rotors loose) means that the mounts are doing exactly what they should be.
2) The "thunk" you hear when you apply your brakes is most likely worn rear bushings in the front lower control arms - a very common problem. When you apply the brakes sharply, the car "pushes forward" on the wheels, which puts torque on the control arms. If there is any play in the control arms' large, rear bushings, you'll hear them move, and will feel a sharp, mechanical input through the steering wheel. The good news is, new control arms are cheap, and include ball joints. The down side is that you HAVE to have an alignment done after installation (but hey, it's probably due for one anyway).
1. Thank you for the explanation... When I put the wheel back on and from the back I am not able to move the caliper more then a hair... I thought it was suppose to be like that since all 4 sides are exactly the same, but that noise was making me think it was bad.
2. I have been suspecting the control arm to be an issue when I hit a small pot hole.. So now I have a valid reason to replace it. OI tried to move the wheel around while the car is up in the air but I cant produce much energy to feel any movement. Now all I have left to figure out is if the control arm comes with 15mm small cone diameter or 18mm..
Brake Caliper Question
