Makstton Technical Guide

Clicking Noise After Upgrading Brake Calipers and Wheels

This guide applies specifically to a repetitive clicking or ticking noise that occurs while the vehicle is moving slowly and steering, especially near full steering lock.

If your vehicle produces a different type of noise, inspect the other possible causes listed later in this guide.

After ruling out tire rubbing, brake-caliper interference, incorrect center-bore fitment and improper wheel-bolt torque, one possible solution is:

A 0.1mm copper shim.

Why Does the Noise Occur?

This issue is more common with the following combinations:

  • Forged wheels;
  • Aftermarket brake systems using hard-anodized 7075 aluminum rotor hats;
  • Heavy vehicles;
  • Vehicles with a small PCD.

A forged wheel installed with a compatible OEM brake assembly will often operate normally. A 7075 rotor hat used with an OEM cast wheel may also operate normally.

The noise is therefore not always caused by one defective component. In many cases, it results from the combined wheel and rotor-hat interface.

Important factors include:

  • Wheel-bolt torque;
  • Contact area between the wheel and rotor hat;
  • Flatness of both mounting surfaces;
  • Center-bore and bolt-hole compatibility.

Once the basic installation requirements have been confirmed, insufficient friction between the two mounting surfaces may allow microscopic movement under steering load, creating a repetitive clicking noise.

Our Assessment of the Mounting Interface

The Brake Rotor Hat

Makstton believes that the smooth surface of some hard-anodized 7075 rotor hats can be an important contributing factor.

Hard anodizing provides surface protection and a consistent appearance, but an excessively smooth mounting face may reduce friction where the wheel and rotor hat meet.

The Wheel Mounting Pad

The wheel design can also influence the issue. Some aftermarket wheels reduce the size of the mounting pad or remove additional backpad material to reduce weight.

Compared with many OEM wheels, this may significantly reduce the contact area between the wheel and rotor hat, making microscopic movement more likely under load.

Why Use a Copper Shim?

Copper paste, metallic grease or sanding the rotor hat may temporarily reduce the noise, but these methods do not always provide a stable long-term result.

Since July 2026, Makstton has supplied 0.1mm copper shims for field testing on vehicles fitted with both aftermarket brake systems and forged wheels. In most documented cases, the noise was substantially reduced or eliminated after installation.

The copper shim works by:

  • Improving conformity between the mounting surfaces;
  • Increasing friction at the interface;
  • Reducing microscopic movement between the wheel and rotor hat.

Copper is used because it is thin, heat-resistant and soft enough to conform to minor surface variations. At only 0.1mm thick, its effect on wheel offset is negligible.

Installation Requirements

The copper shim must be installed between the wheel mounting pad and the rotor-hat mounting surface by a qualified professional workshop.

  • Clean and inspect both mounting surfaces;
  • Confirm that the shim sits flat and remains correctly centered;
  • Tighten all wheel bolts to the vehicle manufacturer’s specified torque;
  • Recheck the bolt torque after a short road test.

A copper shim is not a universal solution for every steering-related noise. It should only be considered after tire contact, brake interference, incorrect fitment and other mechanical faults have been ruled out.

If the Copper Shim Does Not Work

If the shim produces no noticeable improvement, the noise is probably not caused by the wheel and rotor-hat mounting interface.

Continue checking the following areas:

  • Strut and steering-knuckle connections;
  • Underbody panels, chassis braces or protective covers that may not be seated correctly;
  • Dirt, corrosion, coating residue or damage on the vehicle hub;
  • Tire contact with the liner, suspension or chassis;
  • Loose or worn suspension and steering components.

Vehicle noises often require several inspection steps. When the source is unclear, each possible contact point and mechanical connection should be checked systematically by a qualified workshop.