Why do your front brakes make a loud thumping noise?

Answer 1

This is a very common problem on almost all vehicles of all makes, 99.9% of the time its the rotor which has a higher spot on its surface. When brakes are applied the pads move forward to grab the rotor, the high spot on rotor pushes the pad back while the caliper pushes it again forward, this back and forth movement of the pads produces this thumping/clunking noise. You can confirm it as the sound coincides with tire rotation; the sound fades out as you apply less brake pressure.

Almost all shops/dealerships use rotors from china, even the reputable names have out sourced to China, so don't go by the brand name, check where the rotor is made in. The QC in China is pretty bad as they don't rotate them properly on lathe to get a smooth surface.

The dealership or mechanic may try to sell you struts, cv joints, end joints, ball joints, sway bar bushings etc, use common sense, the sound was not there until you changed pads and rotors.

Symptoms:

After installing new pads/rotors, you hear a thumping/clunking noise. There is no pulsation or noticeable jerk on the pedal (rules out rotor wrapping). Sound is louder at high speeds (of course, you push the pedal harder).

Solution:

1- Don't buy a rotor which is made in China, US made may be a bit expensive but will save you a lot at the end.

2- If you do buy a Chinese one and have this thumping/clunking noise, then take off the rotor and sand it carefully with a 180 grit sand paper then smooth it with 200 grit sand paper.

3- Put the rotor back, install caliper with pads, and make sure the rotor is seated properly on hub.

4- Put the vehicle in neutral (of course the parking brakes are on and vehicle is on jacks), rotate the front hub with hand while keeping an eye on the clearance between pads and rotor, if there is no wiggling of rotor then you are ok, otherwise BUY A US MADE ROTOR.