08 Mazda 3 (Brake/Anti-Rattle clip?)
 

Hello all, I am posting in in hopes as someone with more knowledge on Mazda 3's can help me out.

> I recently had all 4 of my Rotors + Brake pads changed by a co-worker who does mechanic stuff on the side. THESE PADS AND ROTORS HERE
-Soon after, I started to hear a "clicking" sound coming from my rear wheels which would go away when I brake. But return immediately after.

> I decided to have a look at it myself as he has been on vacation for the past two weeks and I figured it was something to do with the brake and rotor change... EUREKA! The rear passenger Anti-Rattle/Retainer clip was missing...
- So I head to my local auto parts store and they hand me one of THESE SPRING KIT THINGS.
- I do the repair myself. Taking off a tire and snapping on a spring is easy enough. But I notice it does not fit as securely as the other one on the rear side. This one seems smaller or maybe just not bent correctly. Either way it worked for a few days till I heard the clicking again... I noticed the spring was half off, I fixed it again today. But this can't keep happening.

So the questions I need help answering are...
1) What is the official Name & Part number of the (anti-rattle spring?)(retainer clip?) for the rear brakes?

2) Is it possible the ones the auto parts store gave me, although it says its going to fit my car, is just a universal part which does not always fit all vehicles correctly?

3) Is it possible something else was wrong with the install?
Everything else seems fine, brakes work fine. Except the clicking and the one caliper(correct me if Im calling it the wrong piece) without the anti-rattle spring seems to be a bit of "play". I did not notice the same slight "play" on the side with the spring.
SEE PIC BELOW TO REFERENCE WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT IN #3. (Silver part has some play on the side with no spring)
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/me..._8531fixed.jpg

More Info & Pics:

1) Caliper DOES NOT have any play with tension spring installed. So it was just lack of the spring that gave it that slight play.

2) As you can see in the Photo Below, The spring was almost on the edge of coming off again, and I tapped it into place as far as it would go. (ZOOM IN TO SEE DIFFERENCE)
***Also compare it to Photo of the side with the stock spring below.
https://s33.postimg.cc/k3droi8nj/Before-_After.jpg
https://s33.postimg.cc/rw4fglwnz/Stock_side_back.jpg

3) More photos where you can compare stock tension spring side to aftermarket spring side
https://s33.postimg.cc/rxed9mdsv/Aftermarket_side.jpg
https://s33.postimg.cc/r7vkx9sov/Aftermarket_side_1.jpg
https://s33.postimg.cc/icuqmrr1r/Stock_Side.jpg
https://s33.postimg.cc/o111doatr/stock_side2.jpg
https://s33.postimg.cc/de7889ae7/Stock_side3.jpg

Have you rung your local Mazda dealer for a price on Genuine spring clips?

I've tried twice. been put on hold for 30+ mins both times. I would need to just show up in person one day -_-

But this might answer my questions right here :

1) Are the retainer springs the same on the front and rear brakes?
- I've found this Part # "Retainer Spring - Mazda (BP4K-33-233)" and I can find this part in places mentioning it works for the front brakes, but nowhere can I find a mention of it working on the rear brakes. Maybe i'm just over thinking it?


Edit: Third times the charm. Dealer answered told me part # I need is "BPyk-26-380a" But my god is it more expensive than the others. I guess the only question I have left is does the price seem right on this?

Here is another possibility that I ran into with my 06. This has nothing to do with the retainer springs. Honestly, the pads I buy for my Mazda (RockAuto) come with new springs every time, so i am not sure what stuff you got.

Check how much play there is in the pad sitting in the caliper. What I mean is with the brake assembled can you "shift" or move (not towards the rotor) the actual pad in the caliper? If you can, then when the car hits small bumps the PAD clicks around in the caliper. I have found this to be very common as the caliper to pad leg clearance varies dramatically on pads and most are poor tolerance. To see if this is the case for you, its not easy to fix, but can be minimized.

WARNING: You do NOT want to limit the pad movement or prevent the smooth sliding of the pad in the caliper. So what I tell you must still allow pad movement. If you don't understand everything I say below, don't try this, brakes are not for the inexperienced.

As you disassemble the pads see which side allows "rattle" pad movement (that is not sliding) where the pad will clink or ding the caliper in the pad guide ends. Mark that side "leg".

On each leg that has too much slop, wrap it with a single layer of heavy duty aluminum foil about 1/4" wide and 1" long (yeah I know, kind of crazy) and reassemble the pads making sure it still slides in the caliper. Follow normal brake assembly methods.

What we have just done is put a small layer of aluminum between the two metal parts that are hitting each other. This AL slightly damps the noise and will "suspend" the pad. It has to be metal because of the heat generated by the brakes, not much else can survive.