2007 Mazda3 GT rear brake rattle after replacement

[johnny_h]

I replaced the brakes on all four wheels with mazda oem pads and rotors 4 months ago and 2 months after I changed them, the rear brakes started to rattle but the noise goes away when I apply the brakes. I am pretty sure it's the outside pad that is rattling and I thought maybe the e-brake needed adjustement to bring the caliper piston closer to the pads to keep more tension on them, so I adjusted the e-brake to make it tighter but the rattle is still there. The only thing I can think of now is replacing the caliper anti-rattle "spring", maybe it has become too weak?

Has anyone else ever had this problem, if so, how did you fix it?

 

[concept]

I found this answer to a very similar question that was posted by an owner of a 2006 Mazda 3:

The rear pads have undergone 1 or 2 design revisions, that I know of:
1 design had the inner pad backed with a clip to help it stay with the cylinder.
1 design had the inner pad topped with a small, broad-v-shaped spring on the top to press it down into the guiding slots.
There might be another revision as well.

When that little piece of steel either corrodes or breaks or pops out, it results in some rattling.

The front inner pads also have spring loaded prongs that attach it to the front piston. My front right succumbed to salt rot after 2 winters, and there was quite a bit of squeak and rattle.

__________________

 

[johnny_h]

Ya I seen that answer as well. I think the 2 designs don't apply the GT model only to the 2.0l models correct? Mine had the broad-v-shaped spring since it was new and I just installed new oem pads and rotors, so that piece is new, it's not broken off. I also gave the dealer my VIN when I ordered the pads and rotors to make sure I had the right ones.

The werid thing is that the noise didn't appear right away, only 2 months after they were installed.

 

[concept]

I hate to say this, but you may have to take a closer look. Something is not right.

 

[johnny_h]

Well the way I see it is that the inside pad is the one with the spring on top and the outside pad is the one without the spring, so I am sure the pads are in the right place. There is only 2 possible causes, either the piston backs off too far and leaves some slack in the pads which causes them to vibrate or the anti rattle spring is too weak and it is not holding enough tension on the pads to prevent them from vibrating.

 

[concept]

Do you have a factory service manual? There may reside in it, a clue related to assembly sequence/technique.

 

[johnny_h]

No I don't but good point, I'll try to find it online

 

[L3vzoomzooom]

Did you bleed your brakes, and did your replace your hardware? 973 or 1044 pads? I have '07 2.3L and I used 973 pads over the 1044 pads because they attach to the piston.

 

[johnny_h]

I didnt bleed the brakes and i didn't think there wad any hardware to replace apart from the sliders and the caliper outer spring clip. I don't know if it was the 973 or the 1044 pads the oem part number was C2Y3-26-48ZB