Banging noise when braking

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
Pocwolfsburg
Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2017 9:13 am
My tercel:: 86 sr5

Re: Banging noise when braking

Post by Pocwolfsburg »

I have factory tire size on factory wheels. These cars also have coil spring rear suspension. I too have had wheel hop issues on other cars I've owned and this is not that as far as I can tell. The frequency is definitely speed dependent and it only happens when the wheels are on the ground (I've had it up in the air and there is no sound). I only mention the driveshaft because it has 170k on factory u-joints (non-replaceable) and even though they seem tight, I can't be sure until I get the shaft out and inspect it. It also has a carrier bearing which, while it feels good, is another potential noise maker.
Oh, I should also mention that it sounds different and four-wheel-drive. It's still there but it sounds different.
jimcrazy
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 515
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:33 pm
My tercel:: 1985 4wd 1986fwd 1983 4wd

Re: Banging noise when braking

Post by jimcrazy »

don't bother taking the whole drive shaft out,just unbolt it from the rear end and the flange behind the steady bearing,,make sure you mark the two flanges at the steady bearing so it goes back in the same place it was,,the ujoints are replaceable use a Rockford 430-10 or a neapco 1-0430
Pocwolfsburg
Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2017 9:13 am
My tercel:: 86 sr5

Re: Banging noise when braking

Post by Pocwolfsburg »

Update:
I finally got around to changing the carrier bearing and there is no change in the noise. The bearing was good but the rubber surround was worn. Still in-tact, but worn. I'll be replacing u-joints before winter (hopefully), thanks to the information provided by jimcrazy.
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Banging noise when braking

Post by Petros »

do not replace the u-joints unless you know they are bad. Always diagnose the problem before you try and fix it. or you waste time and money.

seems to me if the banging only occurs when the brakes are applied, the problem would be with the brakes, not the u-joints.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
oldfaithful
Top Notch Member
Posts: 118
Joined: Thu May 21, 2015 2:06 pm
My tercel:: 1984 Tercel 4WD

Re: Banging noise when braking

Post by oldfaithful »

Are you sure you have 4WD Brake shoes and drums and not 2WD Wagon shoes and drums. They will go on but the backing plates are not the same where the hold down pins go through. If you look on the inside of the drums the 4WD says max. dia. 301 mm and the 2WD say max. dia. 291 mm if my memory serves me right, the 4WD shoes have a round hole where the hold down pins go through from the backing plate, where as the 2WD has an oval hole. I've bought brake shoes at parts stores and they have argued they are the same, believe me, they aren't. Petros is correct in saying, it is not a driveshaft problem as it only occurs when you are braking. Are you sure your hold down springs and pins are all in good shape?
Jarf
Top Notch Member
Posts: 354
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 9:20 pm
My tercel:: Currently without
Location: Ontario

Re: Banging noise when braking

Post by Jarf »

Late to the party but...

OFF makes a very good point about having the correct shoes installed.
If I read correctly, the noise was present before the brake job so I would tend to think wrong parts are less likely but do need to be ruled out.
Did you get a chance to see your old brake shoes?
They should be evenly worn top to bottom and side to side, uneven wear indicates a problem.

I would want to take a very close look at the parking brake.
The cables attach to levers that attach to the shoes, the lever must be back against the aft shoe, on both sides.
Sometimes the cables will be tight and/or hang up just a little.
Have seen far too many dimwits "adjust the parking brake" by tightening the cable at the handbrake handle end (in car).
While it effectively reduces the number of clicks the lever will pull up it also screws up the relationship of the actuator lever to shoe.

So if the lever inside the drum is sitting forward of its correct position, it pushes on the adjuster assembly/equalizer bar and in turn pushes the top of the fr shoe forward, applying the brakes now results with the forward shoe making contact first, then the rear, this results on the shoes constantly winding up inside the drums during braking, the symptoms will present as a slight vibration at the brake pedal to an obnoxious thumping that sounds like she's coming apart, depending on badly out of adjustment things are.

Make sure the hand brake cables are free, they should fully compress/return without any help, what so ever.
Once all is free, slacken the nut at the handbrake handle, assemble the rear brakes and set the adjusting nut so that excess slop is removed but nothing should move at the lever until the handle has been raised at least 1 click.
Then adjust the rear brakes properly and test drive.

The only other point to be mindful of is the surfacing of the drum, as they are usually cut on a lathe with a single point bit, if poorly dressed they can show a thread just like on a (music) record, and some shoes will try to follow the thread in the finish, essentially trying to walk away from the backing plate, then snapping back into position. Far less likely but worth watching out for
User avatar
splatterdog
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1623
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:26 am
Location: Minnesota, USA

Re: Banging noise when braking

Post by splatterdog »

Rears- drums out of round and/or shoes that are way out of adjustment. Fronts- warped rotors and/or loose pads or caliper bolts.
Post Reply