Hi all, new issue. I'm getting a metallic rattling from the drivers side low down near the hub, I can hear it when driving over bumps and can recreate it by kicking the tyre. I took the brake apart to check nothing was loose which it wasn't. The only way I can describe it is its like there's too great a gap between the back of the outside disc pad and the back of the brake caliper (not the piston side). Anyone else had anything like this. Brake fluid seems healthily topped up.

PS I'm pretty sure it's the brake as I can get some movement out of the caliper when attached and torqued up, although this goes if I pump the brake for a little while. Nothing else seems to have any movement near it.

are you saying the pad is loose and causing the noise.get someone to press the peddle while you kick the wheel,if you still hear the rattle could be the caliper is semi seized on the one side

I recently found my drivers side front caliper slider was rusted solid, the dust cover/rubber had came loose and it was causing steering wheel wobble, not to mention very poor braking. Got it out , removed rust, regreased both sliders, job done . I got it this way btw, I would never have let it get into that state .

Well that's what I initially thought, I replaced the sliders and refurbed the whole caliper less than a year ago. What causes the brake to centre? Should the fluid pressure or the piston be maintaining the gap either side of the pad?

Ben, brake centring actually works the other way to what you seem to think. When you apply the brakes, both pads are pressed against the disc. When you release the brakes, fluid (lack of) pressure retracts the piston very fractionally as in just enough that the disc can spin, but the only thing that moves the pad back is knock-off, which only happens when the car is moving. Excess knock-off like you describe is normally caused by a warped disc, grit on the rear of the disc-hub mating face stopping the disc clamping properly flush to the hub, or a worn wheel bearing.

Mine did this and it drove me mad till I found the cause!

On top of the brake pads there is a spring attached to the pad that stops it from rattling, unfortunately half of the spring had snapped on 2 of my pads, allowing them to rattle, replacement pads sorted the problem

I can't see it being in any way dangerous, just annoying, I drove mine for around 1000 miles before I twigged what it was