2012 HD 3500 GMC front end rattle.

[pfi572]

I have had a rattle on the passenger side when hiting small bumps in the pavement since this thing was new. Finally found it and it is the front brake calipers rattling. The noise drives you crazy at least me it does.
Just thought i would post this as it has taken me 11000 kms to find the god dam thing. Googled it and seems to be a common problem with GM or Chev.

 

[Stg2Suby]

Thank You for the info! My 2009 GMC is driving me nuts with similar rattle on small bumps expansion joints etc. Is there a fix?

 

[Adrenaline Addiction]

Yes, it's the caliper bushings. Easy to replace. I have an 07 that I've changed a few sets. For as long as the brakes have lasted in my dmax's, I can deal with a bushing change once in a while. I have 360000 kms on the original front brakes, just changed the rear for the 2nd time.

Our 08 has 170000 kms, I just put the first set of rear pads and bushings in. Front brakes are original and just like new.

 

[pfi572]

I have it apart right now and bent the stainless clips to hold the pads tighter but going to dealer tomorrow to see if there is something else. I dought they will have anything but will keep you posted. May just replace the brake pad keepers and see if that fixes it.
I hate taking to dealer as they will fart around with it for a day and still have the rattle.
If truck was older i could see it maybe but the dam thing is brand new. Had i don't know how many fords and with lots of miles and never had this problem.
This why it has taken a while to find as i never even thought it would be the calipers. Sounds just like a loose shock or a bad bushing in a shock or swaybar link.
Keep you posted.

Thank You for the info! My 2009 GMC is driving me nuts with similar rattle on small bumps expansion joints etc. Is there a fix?

 

[Badass69]

Just go to Napa and buy the parts instead of GM. Unless of course you are hoping for warranty on it, which it should be covered.

My one old 06 used to start rattling every 10-15K. I drove a lot and the first repair was done by GM so they got stuck honoring the parts on warranty ( they warranty their work for one year) and they changed them 3 more times..... same intervals.......which was honestly really annoying.

My current 05 rattled when I got it of course so I let it ride for a while. I changed the pins, bushings and pad anti-rattle clips and probably 40K later it's still quiet. The anti-rattle kits are what you are calling "brake keepers" lol. Napa has a kit for them...... for me it was $30 for the front and $40 for the rear IIRC. I still have the original brake pads all around on my truck with 150K so yours should stay quiet for a while.

On a side note the GMT800 chassis ( 07 classic down) has really annoying torx head caliper pins in the rear with hex head pins up front. If you do decide to change them just get the Hex head for all around and throw that torx junk in the garbage. The front and rear caliper pin dimension wise are identical. I never looked on the GMT900's ( current trucks) to see if they still do that.....

Oddly in 100000 kms that was the one problem ( about the only one) the 09 2500HD I had didn't ever exhibit and assumed maybe they had fixed it somehow....... obviously not.... even with the 2011 chassis revamp....... good ole GM.

If anyone is in doubt or wondering how to diagnose it's really easy. When you hear the noise apply pressure to the brakes. If it goes away, it's antirattle clips, bushings and or pins.

 

[pfi572]

The pins now have alan head bolts with rubber plugs over them to keep the dirt out. I asked around to lots of peeps with gm's and nowbody had this problem but i guess its only some trucks that have this problem.
I am not even going to bother with warranty as it is such a pain to make a appointment, take there at 8 am, truck sits outside till 4 and then maybe it gets looked at to find out that they couldn't hear it and truck is fine.

 

[Badass69]

The pins now have alan head bolts with rubber plugs over them to keep the dirt out. I asked around to lots of peeps with gm's and nowbody had this problem but i guess its only some trucks that have this problem.
I am not even going to bother with warranty as it is such a pain to make a appointment, take there at 8 am, truck sits outside till 4 and then maybe it gets looked at to find out that they couldn't hear it and truck is fine.

Lol. You sound like me....... and with the 09 I had it was either "Cannot replicate customer condition" or "It's Normal". After fighting with the third dealership I just gave up giving a ch!t. Le the transmission slip, the dash rattle, the doors creak and pop and so on. Less than 10000 kms after I got rid of it...... the engine blew up in it ( lifter fell apart, ate a lobe off the cam wasting all the bearings in the process). God I hated that truck.

But it sounds as if they have changed the pins again. Allen head is like what the older trucks ( GMT400 or 88-98) had attaching the calipers. I kinda like that mine has 18 mm bolt heads....... makes it easy to take apart.

Lot's of people don't fix or hear anything either. While looking at used trucks recently every single one I drove needed an intermediate steering shaft, which is more of a when, not if with the GMT800's...... But no one cares. Most needed caliper bushings and or anti-rattle clips as well, and this was all low mile trucks with usually under 80000 kms.

Good luck, and it should be an easy fix for you!

 

[Slamnek]

My 2010 also has that rattle as well as the steering shaft that loosens up and rattles. i thought my drivers side ball joints were done but its just the shaft. GM had better start stepping there crap up this is my 3rd gm that has had that rattle but they don't recall because it does not hinder performace or cause a saftey issue, its just an annoying rattle.

 

[pfi572]

Okay so the rattle is the pads . The stainless clips that hold them in needs to be bent so that the pads don't rattle. Went to dealer and they gave me some new ones so installed. When installing the passenger side pins that hold the caliper on it didn't have a rubber bushing on the top pin as i found out when i changed the drivers side clips.
The top caliper pin is suppose to have a rubber seal or bushing around the center of the pin that is about 1cm wide. This would explain also why the passenger side had most of the noise.
After changing the clips the noise is gone but still going to change the pin as this only makes sence as it will cushion between pin and caliper.

Hope this helps someone else.

 

[Stg2Suby]

Hope this helps someone else.

Yes much appreciated thanks again

 

[brian h]

you can get a after market steerinng shaft to get rid of that noise,the original shaft makes the noise at the slip and spline the coating comes off causing the noise, you can get the after market shaft a hydra steer in edmonton