clicking sound when braking from right side of car

[Mike_G]

Noticed today when I apply the brakes, I get a rythmic metalic clicking sound from the right side of the car (front right I believe). The speed of the clicking follows the speed of the car. This only happens with the brakes applied. I am going to take the wheel off and take a look around but any thoughts?

Brakes are ZL1 calipers/ rotors and pads installed about 1 year ago with about 5k miles on them. Only suspension component that hasn't been replaced on that corner is the lower control arm. Car has BMR sways, detroit speen endlinks and coilovers. Don't see any issues with any of these.Clicking sound is there with sways disconnected as well.

[JusticePete]

On a lowered car, the first place to look is inside the rear wheels to see if the e-brake cable is rubbing.

[Mike_G]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

On a lowered car, the first place to look is inside the rear wheels to see if the e-brake cable is rubbing.

e brake cable is zip tied to the toe rods (BMR toe rods and trailing arms) and that was still in place when I had it apart last night. I think it is coming from the front just from me listening to the sound while pulling into the garage. seemed louder once the front wheel went inside.

Any other thoughts on what to check? Doesn't seem like a wheel bearing noise. Doesn't sound like a ball joint noise either as that is normally one pop when you step on the brake when the ball joint moves. This is a repetitive click that slows down with speed as you brake. I will check the brakes as well but rotors and pads are fairly new.

[JusticePete]

Simple things first. Check the tire for foreign objects.

[Mike_G]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Simple things first. Check the tire for foreign objects.

Nothing in the tire

[JusticePete]

Jack it up and rotate the wheel by hand. Can you find the source or narrow it down to a small area?

[Mike_G]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Jack it up and rotate the wheel by hand. Can you find the source or narrow it down to a small area?

I tried this last night and when the rotor stops turning I can feel a slight knock in both the lower control arm and tie rod end. I can feel this on both front sides but seems a little more pronounced on the passenger side. This is not translated to any other front suspension component that I can tell.

[Motopsycho]

I think I can identify with what you're describing. I also hear a click sound when I put the car into reverse and back slowly up my driveway. It only happens once, but not continuously when I and moving. I've also heard it once occasion when I start off from a stop. My only thoughts are that it could be the sound of retaining clips that could be on the brake pads. I'm not sure if there are clips or not, but that's what it sounds like when I hear it. I'd have to pull the calipers off to see if my thoughts are correct.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Mike_G

I tried this last night and when the rotor stops turning I can feel a slight knock in both the lower control arm and tie rod end. I can feel this on both front sides but seems a little more pronounced on the passenger side. This is not translated to any other front suspension component that I can tell.

Interesting. There should be nothing but smooth and certainly nothing you could feel in the control arm from a slowly rotating and stopping rotor.

Do you have slotted or stock rotors?

Thinking it through it would be a bearing, but the bearings have been very durable on the 5th Gen. To have two bad bearings...

Pads are in good shape?
Do you road course your ZL1?

[JusticePete]

Your ZL1 does have aluminum hats. Are all the screws / bolts in tight?

[JusticePete]

Mike_G,

We may have a solution.

#PIC5136K: Clicking Noise From Front Wheels - (Aug 28, 2012)
Subject:
Clicking Noise From Front Wheels

Models: 2009 - 2012 Cadillac CTS-V

________________________________________
________________________________________
This PI was superseded to update recommended field. Please discard PIC5136J.
________________________________________
The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

Condition/Concern:


A customer may comment on a clicking noise emanating from the front wheels. This condition is noticed at low speed (walking speed) during full wheel lock turns on dry clean pavement (Full lock parking lot maneuver). The clicking noise is generally noted as approximately 1 to 4 "clicks" per wheel revolution.
The CTS-V has lightweight high performance front rotors with an aluminum center. The clicking sound is caused by interaction between the wheel mounting face and wheel mounting surface on the brake rotor caused by the aluminum-to-aluminum interface.

Recommendation/Instructions:


Note: Do NOT replace the Front wheel or brake rotor for the clicking condition (The new brake rotors that were being installed previously for this condition should no longer be installed. The procedure to use now is cleaning and replacing the wheel nuts as described below.)
Procedure:
1. Remove wheel
2. Clean wheel as follows:
Use clean cloth dampened with GM Brake Parts Cleaner 12378556 or equivalent. b) Wipe the mounting surface of the wheel to remove any residual grey or black material that has accumulated on the wheel mounting surface. Be careful not to use the Brake Cleaner on the painted or clear coated surfaces of the wheel. It is also helpful to use a Scotch-Brite Cleaning Pad to aid in cleaning. Be sure NOT to use the scotch pads (Roloc disc) on the aluminum material. All cleaning MUST be done by hand, do NOT use ANY air or power tools!
3. Clean the rotor top hat as follows: a) Use clean cloth dampened with GM Brake Parts Cleaner 12378392 or equivalent. b) Clean the wheel mounting surface of the rotor (rotor top hat) to remove any residual grey or black material that has accumulated on the rotor. During the cleaning process be sure to clean the rotor near the wheel pilot at the center of the rotor. It is also helpful to use a Scotch-Brite Cleaning Pad to aid in cleaning. Be sure to NOT use scotch pads (Roloc discs) on the aluminum material. All cleaning MUST be done by hand, do NOT use ANY air or power tools!

Note: Be sure to thoroughly dry the wheel and rotor prior to installation on vehicle.
4. Reinstall wheels using replacement wheel nuts with P/N 9598179 (front wheels only, so need qty. 10 for this repair) (these can be identified with a blue color on the inboard conical portion of the nut (see pic) and torque them to 150 Nm (110 lb ft).

Note: If a car had the 2-piece rotors installed (Part number 20795300 & 20795302) prior to the release of these "blue cone" wheel nuts and has a repeat wheel click concern, perform this cleaning procedure, replace the wheel nuts with the new blue cone nuts, and torque to specs.

[Mike_G]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Mike_G,

We may have a solution.

#PIC5136K: Clicking Noise From Front Wheels - (Aug 28, 2012)
Subject:
Clicking Noise From Front Wheels

Models: 2009 - 2012 Cadillac CTS-V

________________________________________
________________________________________
This PI was superseded to update recommended field. Please discard PIC5136J.
________________________________________
The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

Condition/Concern:


A customer may comment on a clicking noise emanating from the front wheels. This condition is noticed at low speed (walking speed) during full wheel lock turns on dry clean pavement (Full lock parking lot maneuver). The clicking noise is generally noted as approximately 1 to 4 "clicks" per wheel revolution.
The CTS-V has lightweight high performance front rotors with an aluminum center. The clicking sound is caused by interaction between the wheel mounting face and wheel mounting surface on the brake rotor caused by the aluminum-to-aluminum interface.

Recommendation/Instructions:


Note: Do NOT replace the Front wheel or brake rotor for the clicking condition (The new brake rotors that were being installed previously for this condition should no longer be installed. The procedure to use now is cleaning and replacing the wheel nuts as described below.)
Procedure:
1. Remove wheel
2. Clean wheel as follows:
Use clean cloth dampened with GM Brake Parts Cleaner 12378556 or equivalent. b) Wipe the mounting surface of the wheel to remove any residual grey or black material that has accumulated on the wheel mounting surface. Be careful not to use the Brake Cleaner on the painted or clear coated surfaces of the wheel. It is also helpful to use a Scotch-Brite Cleaning Pad to aid in cleaning. Be sure NOT to use the scotch pads (Roloc disc) on the aluminum material. All cleaning MUST be done by hand, do NOT use ANY air or power tools!
3. Clean the rotor top hat as follows: a) Use clean cloth dampened with GM Brake Parts Cleaner 12378392 or equivalent. b) Clean the wheel mounting surface of the rotor (rotor top hat) to remove any residual grey or black material that has accumulated on the rotor. During the cleaning process be sure to clean the rotor near the wheel pilot at the center of the rotor. It is also helpful to use a Scotch-Brite Cleaning Pad to aid in cleaning. Be sure to NOT use scotch pads (Roloc discs) on the aluminum material. All cleaning MUST be done by hand, do NOT use ANY air or power tools!

Note: Be sure to thoroughly dry the wheel and rotor prior to installation on vehicle.
4. Reinstall wheels using replacement wheel nuts with P/N 9598179 (front wheels only, so need qty. 10 for this repair) (these can be identified with a blue color on the inboard conical portion of the nut (see pic) and torque them to 150 Nm (110 lb ft).

Note: If a car had the 2-piece rotors installed (Part number 20795300 & 20795302) prior to the release of these "blue cone" wheel nuts and has a repeat wheel click concern, perform this cleaning procedure, replace the wheel nuts with the new blue cone nuts, and torque to specs.

I will look into this. I have an ss that has the ZL1 conversion for front brakes. Rotors are ZL1 2 piece and I will double check the retaining nuts on the hat. Pads are in good shape, they have about 5k miles on them as do the rotors. Wheels are forgestar F14s.

I have not auto crossed my car yet.

[Mike_G]

just an updat. Had my car in the shop getting some stuff done and turns out it was an issue with the ebrake cables. Noise fixed after they were replaced. Apparently they were routed incorrectly and had some serious wear on them. I had noticed the wear before, when I bought the car it had 11" wide whees in the back and the ebrake cables were ziptied to the toe rods. One less noise to worry about and my ebrake should work now if I ever need it!

[Mike_G]

wasn't the e brake cables like they said it was. Sound is still there. I did determione it is coming from front passenger wheel. My garage floor has a lip that drops about an inch when going to the driveway. If I back out over that real slow and turn the wheel to put pressure on the ball joints/ ect I can hear the sound sometimes when the wheel drops off the lip into the driveway. My guess at this point is one of the ball joints is bad. Since I replaced the tie rod and or radios rod within the last 10k miles or so I am guessing it is the control arm on that side. Ordered on and will see if that solves it. Should be here Thursday.