Clicking noise goes away when braking

Hey all,

I have a '92 Explorer XLT 4X4. Recently I have heard a "clicking" noise coming from what appears to be the driver's side front wheel. This noise appears after the car has been driven for a few miles, and goes away when I apply the brakes. It is very bothersome. With this correlation in mind, I pulled the front driver's side tire to check out the pads/ caliper, particularly the retaining spring (which appears to be in place). I have read in many forums that the CV joint could be a culprit, though this problem does not seem to be related to going around curves. Any help would be appreciated.

-Brandon

A '92 doesn't have CV joints, you have u-joints. If the hubs are working properly, the front drivetrain should be disconnected from the wheels under most conditions. Do you still have the stock auto hubs or manual hubs? If you engage the 4wd long enough to engage the hubs (then drive in 2H with the hubs locked), does the clicking go away?

Noises like this can be tough to track down, especially if they only show up sometimes and only while moving.

clicking noise

I recently discovered the reason for clicking sound on my 03--the ebrake linings had seperated from the backing plates--replaced shoes and clicking went away

I appreciate the prompt response.

I have stock automatic locking hubs, and the problem does not go away when they they are engaged.

Are the hubs releasing properly/completely?

Is the noise consistent/rhythmic? If it's rhythmic, is it consistent with engine speed or vehicle speed or neither? If it's arhythmic, does it seem to follow bumps/suspension movement? Anything loose in the front suspension? If you rotate the tires, does the noise follow the tire? For that matter, any chance you are occasionally picking up rocks in the tire, and that's what you're hearing? If you swap hubs left/right, does the noise follow the hub?

Just kind of throwing ideas off my head. Noises like this can be real irritating to track down.

It is a rhythmic "clicking" sound associated with the vehicle's speed. It starts to appear after driving for a few miles. However, I can sometimes here what appears to be something rattling from the driver's side front wheel when I go over bumps. It's an either/ or situation; if I don't have the brakes applied going over, say, a speed bump, then there is no rattling. If they are applied, then there is no rattling. I assume it has something to do with the brakes for this reason.

Solved

The solution was as simple as switching the retaining clip on the interior driver's side brake pad from the top to the bottom of the pad. I can't believe I missed it.
Anyways, thanks for the help and the prompt suggestions.

Also the rattling sound seems to be unrelated, possibly something I've overlooked underneath the vehicle.

-Brandon