[vigsom]

I have a Versa DX which is 50500 kms old.

There is a rattle which is felt from the underbody when the car is driven over "thinly sliced" uneven roads.Press the brake slightly and the noise disappears. This problem has been around for over 15000 kms.

On investigation,found that this noise is because of the caliper slider pins,which either wear out or need re-greasing.

I have tried the common "potato" grease, Molykote super white grease,and wheel bearing grease.

The re-greasing solution,however lasts only approx 1000 kms.

The same problem has been reported with the new Esteem(post 2003),the Wagon-R,the Swift and the Alto because of this design of the caliper.

On close inspection of the caliper and pins,I found NO scoring marks on the caliper cylinders(inside which the pins move) but there were minor scoring marks on the pins

I even sourced the OE TVS-Girling caliper sliding pins (2 left and 2 right) with NygroRX2(orange) grease and replaced the old pins - problem persists.

My questions/concerns:

1. There are guys here who make new pins to match the caliper - they charge approx Rs.600 and this solution is adapted by many workshops here with success .Somehow I am sceptical of the material of construction so haven't tried this out yet - can this be attempted without risk?
2. There are some cars whose caliper pins have a groove in the pin with a rubber O-ring around -in this case,the O-ring takes the beating and the pin remains unscathed.The O-ring alone needs to be changed from time to time.Is this mod advisable OR has anyone tried it with success?
3. Has anyone among us tried out anything else?

The simplest thing to do would be to change the caliper assembly but that costs a bomb and I feel that is not warranted.There sure are simpler cost effective solutions.

Please help.

[vigsom]

Come on guys;has no one faced this problem?

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by vigsom

1. There are guys here who make new pins to match the caliper - they charge approx Rs.600 and this solution is adapted by many workshops here with success .Somehow I am sceptical of the material of construction so haven't tried this out yet - can this be attempted without risk?
2. There are some cars whose caliper pins have a groove in the pin with a rubber O-ring around -in this case,the O-ring takes the beating and the pin remains unscathed.The O-ring alone needs to be changed from time to time.Is this mod advisable OR has anyone tried it with success?

1) This is not the method I would adapt for safety. Its not the method that is implemented by manufacturers. I know that there is a ray of hope, but avoid this.

2) The O-ring has to be changed from time to time. My friend's uncle in Bhavnagar also has similar issue which he discussed with me around 3 months back. He just said some brake noise problem. He replaced the caliper once, but now replaces the O-ring. His car had covered around 60K kms. He had driven with the noise for around 20K kms. He did not talk of pins, but just replacement of caliper once and then replacing the O-ring.

3) IMHO, there are very few members who own Versa and hence I doubt if there are many members who have faced this problem.

[rajivanoj]

I have this caliper problem in my lancer diesel, there is an grinding noise, other than engine noise, which i can hear around 40 kmph, and when i slightly press the brake, it disappears, I dont know the solution. It is irritating when i hear the noise, though it is less.

[techfreak]

Originally Posted by vigsom

I have a Versa DX which is 50500 kms old.

There is a rattle which is felt from the underbody when the car is driven over "thinly sliced" uneven roads.Press the brake slightly and the noise disappears. This problem has been around for over 15000 kms.

On investigation,found that this noise is because of the caliper slider pins,which either wear out or need re-greasing.

I have tried the common "potato" grease, Molykote super white grease,and wheel bearing grease.

The re-greasing solution,however lasts only approx 1000 kms.

The same problem has been reported with the new Esteem(post 2003),the Wagon-R,the Swift and the Alto because of this design of the caliper.

On close inspection of the caliper and pins,I found NO scoring marks on the caliper cylinders(inside which the pins move) but there were minor scoring marks on the pins

I even sourced the OE TVS-Girling caliper sliding pins (2 left and 2 right) with NygroRX2(orange) grease and replaced the old pins - problem persists.

My questions/concerns:

[*]There are guys here who make new pins to match the caliper - they charge approx Rs.600 and this solution is adapted by many workshops here with success .Somehow I am sceptical of the material of construction so haven't tried this out yet - can this be attempted without risk?[*]There are some cars whose caliper pins have a groove in the pin with a rubber O-ring around -in this case,the O-ring takes the beating and the pin remains unscathed.The O-ring alone needs to be changed from time to time.Is this mod advisable OR has anyone tried it with success?[*]Has anyone among us tried out anything else?The simplest thing to do would be to change the caliper assembly but that costs a bomb and I feel that is not warranted.There sure are simpler cost effective solutions.

Please help.

Hey this problem is not there with MARUTI only but TATA too.
I have a Tata Indigo TDI 2006 model & I have exactly the same prob, many rounds to the TASC & other garages but no solution yet.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

1) This is not the method I would adapt for safety. Its not the method that is implemented by manufacturers. I know that there is a ray of hope, but avoid this - agreed

2) The O-ring has to be changed from time to time. My friend's uncle in Bhavnagar also has similar issue which he discussed with me around 3 months back. He just said some brake noise problem. He replaced the caliper once, but now replaces the O-ring. His car had covered around 60K kms. He had driven with the noise for around 20K kms. He did not talk of pins, but just replacement of caliper once and then replacing the O-ring - which car is this?

3) IMHO, there are very few members who own Versa and hence I doubt if there are many members who have faced this problem - the same problem is faced in Alto,Wagon-R,Swift,new Esteem,Versa

Originally Posted by techfreak

I have a Tata Indigo TDI 2006 model & I have exactly the same prob, many rounds to the TASC & other garages but no solution yet. - there you go;one more "endurer"

Packing the caliper pins with grease from time to time is the most easy solution - not long lasting though but zero compromise on safety.

[DRC]

I think it is a common problem across brands.
Last time during the break service, the mechanic was packing the calipers pins with thin sheet of copper around. He said it will reduce noise. But I has never heard any noise though.

[Jaggu]

Copper shims would help if its major play, otherwise grease works best.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Copper shims would help if its major play, otherwise grease works best.

Do you have some pics of how the shims are provided?

[Trust_In_Thrust]

@vigsom ; i had this problem and used every solution in the book and also jugaads.
Grease will never be able to remove the noise , all it does is dampen it .Also grease will not help decreasing the tolerance/play in the caliper pin and the caliper itself.
Using a new caliper pin will also not stop the problem permanently as during all these thousands of kms , speed-breakers , uneven roads , potholes etc both the caliper pin and the caliper has taken groinding forces due to which part wears of leading to play in the components making a caliper .Also caliper pin is always in motion when driving .

So the only permanent solution is get a new set of calipers .I did the same .
Regards

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by Trust_In_Thrust

@vigsom ; i had this problem and used every solution in the book and also jugaads.
Grease will never be able to remove the noise , all it does is dampen it .

Using a new caliper pin will also not stop the problem permanently as during all these thousands of kms , speed-breakers , uneven roads , potholes etc both the caliper pin and the caliper has taken groinding forces due to which part wears of leading to play in the components making a caliper .Also caliper pin is always in motion when driving .

So the only permanent solution is get a new set of calipers .I did the same .
Regards

If I were to look back,this problem was NON-EXISTENT till the mega floods of 2006 when approx 3/4ths of the wheels were in water;it was after the flood that this problem started

[Trust_In_Thrust]

@vigsom ; I would suggest check the play in the caliper pin in your car vs in a new caliper.That would clear it . By your description except the flood part i am sure this noise is because of fact explained in my prior post.

Regards

[rr_zen]

@vigsom: I have experienced the same problem in my 2003 Esteem and got the pins changed under extended warranty twice. However, when the problem resurfaced, I decided I will put an end to it. This is when the service advisor at MASS told me of a solution (I am not exactly sure what was done) by adding a nylon bush which is done outside MASS at a lathe, I guess. I remember paying a few hundreds for that but believe me, there has been no noise ever since. It is almost more than 3 years since I got this done. The MASS I go to is CARS India at Ambattur.

[sarmarishi]

yup a common problem. Needs regular greasing. Costs only about Rs. 50 and 10 mins. Best to use the black grease. Stays longer.

[rg_chn]

I have the same problem in my Camry and my Accent. In the Accent it appeared after the 60k mark, and in the Camry, after 200k kms. I tried the greasing, but it only lasts for a short while.