When braking from very low speed to full stop (f.e. parking maneuvers), i often hear a loud "pop" coming from the front brakes, regardless of steering direction. I'm pretty sure this has been discussed before here but can't find a thread.

Brakes are otherwise working good (front & rear) but it's time to do a maintenance just to be safe. Thanks in advance for any reply!

97' XLT RWD, 3.0L Vulcan, 99890miles - can't wait to see turning over to 100'000.. hope, i do not miss the moment

 

could be
brake caliper piston tight and breaking loose, corrosion
brake pad binding, dry rusty slide pins and slide grooves
loose lug nuts
control arm bushings
wheel bearing

can sometimes pinpoint side by having someone walk along side front of van while driving slowly and braking.

recently had a spring on back brake pop off and leave me with low brakes. grinding sound of spring against the drum transmitted thru the van, had to open up both sides before finding the culprit

 

Okay, thanks! - the "pop" sounds like a delayed operation from one of the mentioned parts at the caliper. Time to check everything, overhaul or better renew - work for the mechanic.

 

How loud is loud? - sometimes I hear the sound of the pads re-adjusting, but it's only with the windows open... and usually if I'm slowing down to a stop, and turning at the same time... not a loud sound though that would make someone on the street turn their head... I guess this is what shims were used for on the older type calipers? - do you feel a vibration in the steering wheel when you hear the noise? (this that I mentioned above won't do that either.) I bet it could be a wheel bearing, if these are still built into the rotors like my '89's are...

 

The 2wd vans have the more conventional rotors where the wheel bearings are pressed into them. The 4wd vans have bearings in the hub on the front, and the rotor is just a thick disc with a vented braking surface and holes for the studs.

One of the members of this forum reported a broken front spring that caused popping noises under certain motions. I think they said it was one of the coils in the spring pocket in the A-arm, so it was hard to see.

I once diagnosed a loud pop on the front end of a car that occurred under braking. I found one of the legs of the lower A-arm was broken clear through. The driver of the car did not tell me if she ran the thing up a curb, or whatever else that may have caused that damage. But the break was not visible until you took a crowbar to it and pried between the right parts.

 

Well, it sounds like one step of an horseshoe walking on hard granite floor. Since it occurs only during very slow movement stops where the engine almost idles, it is audible even with windows closed. No vibrations so far.

Took of the front wheels today, just to have a look at the calipers (can't do more). The overall condition remembers me to an undercarriage from an old train - dust, corrosion and rust anywhere.. after, i decided to order Raybestos calipers, pads, disks, brakelines over Rockauto.com which are underway now. It was my FORD mechanic some months ago while changing the shocks, he recommended to renew these parts soon. I trust him, because he's doing the maintenance on all the FORD Ranger that our community owns.

I want to keep my Rig until the end of this decade. So, this investment should be worth it! Let's see if the "pop" persists after the new parts are attached. Will keep you posted.

Thanks for all the advises and suggestions!

 

Our '93 lost the nut from one side of the swaybar. It makes a loud pop when the end of the swaybar jumps in or out of the hole, usually when turning at a slow speed.

 

I noticed the same noise in my '95. Your description of the condition is very similar to my own experience. Gotta be the same cause. I always thought of it as a soft "clunk" rather than a "pop". It occurs when I slow to a stop and turn slightly right before backing into my driveway. Pretty consistent too.
This has been going on as long as I can remember. It predates front brake work done by me and work done by my regular mechanic.
It's two years since its' last pad replacement so I need to take a looksee. If I take anything apart I will check all suggestions in this post and advise.

 

Did not get a minute to go under the Van to check for all the possibilities posted in this thread so far but i'm still curious about - coming sunday definitively..

Have this noise since bought used a year ago, at 84'000miles and took it with some ignorance. Consistent, yes in the number of appearances i do agree.


97' XLT, 3.0L Vulcan, RWD, 100617mi

 

I have a buddy who told me once that he fixes noises like this by turning up the stereo in the car REAL LOUD. Kinda scary to ignore a sound like this during braking, though. Gotta examine the front brakes closely one of these days. Forgot to mention, the '95 has over 148,000 miles on it. Nowhere near high mileage for an Aerostar.
Good luck with with the diagnostic. I look forward to hearing about what you find.

 

Hello

"Pop" Issue resolved! I've finished the Work a couple of hours ago - installed reman. CARDONE Calipers and Raybestos Brake-Lines. Before doing that, i bleed the System in following Sequence: Prop. Valve/RR/LF/LR/RF. Pedal Travel is fairly good, not better than before but not worst more. I can place my left Steel reinforced Shoe under the Brake-Pedal without touching it with the Pedal on full Stop.
It took six hours and 800ml DOT3 Brake-Fluid (FORD). Beside resolving the "Pop", a rattling Noise in Front-End has also completely disapeard. There were no "Anti-Rattling Clips" installed on both inner Pads (..). The only Noise that couldn't be fixed, is a slight "Knock" from Front-End. I suspect one or both Sway-Bar Grommets. Let's see tomorrow how it behaves after lubing those with Grease.

Many Thanks to all of You for sharing Knowledge!

off for a Hamburger or two...


97' XLT 2WD, 3.0L, Vulcan 113'000miles on Counter

 

a man in the Land of Bugatti Veyrons and Citroen C6s who loves American Aerostars?

glad you found the noise problem waterbear

yup, the brakes on these Aeros are undersized and thus overtaxed and overheated even from just normal use. heavy load and/or mountain driving make the overheating damage problem worse.

my wallet cringes when I think of the price of a L. of Ford brake fluid in France? Motul cheaper?

I'll stick with my foie gras instead of that Golden Arcs pink slime burger.
Au Revoir
California Foie Gras Ban Means the Delicacy Might be Free

what's next, they take our wine away from us?

 

Well 96_4, the only way to get something to eat three o'clock in the Morning after an extensive twelve hours Repair-Session is McD... no IHOP or TACO BELL along the Way..unfortunately

European crap-Vans do not last long - 150tsnd Kilometers and they're good for the big Crusher or the last Journey to Maghreb-Deserts.. not to mention how uncomfortable inside: Loud, crap-Seats etc. LbnL, no Repair Manuals or Parts available, no such great online-Communities, no Neighboors-Help, (wonder why it takes so long for EU to recover from Economic-crisis? Here you have it.)

I wish all the best for Everyone!


WB

 

it's a sticking caliper piston, my '92 did the same thing on the passenger side front brake. As soon as I replaced both calipers (I always replace them in pairs), the pop dissapeared.

 

Makes absolute sense that it is a caliper piston. The noise occurs suddenly as if something frees or shifts. Not an aggressive action at all but mildly annoying. It will be less annoying now that I have an idea what is happening.