Squealing front brakes

[piggydude]

My front brakes have started squealing in a rather embarrasing fashion. What's your best tip for curing this? Does the stuff like anka demanka(?spelling) work?



Thanks



Jim

[BP_LONDON]

leave it for a week or so, the squeel usually dissapears....

[knarf]

Check for mice in the calipers.



or



Check for binding and give your calipers a clean and lube with copper grease.



or



your discs could be warped (replace discs and pads)



or



your pads are glazed ( replace them )

[T_Phil]

My front brakes have started squealing in a rather embarrasing fashion. What's your best tip for curing this? Does the stuff like anka demanka(?spelling) work?



Thanks



Jim

My Bonneville's front brake does the same thing,  it starts squealing when I go 100 km/h and stops when I slow down to about 30 km/h.   I suspect a warped disc.  I took off once with the disc lock still on.  I think that's when it started, though I'm not sure when I noticed it for the first time.



Phil

[Brock]

Never had this problem meself, but bearing in mind all the crap on the roads this time of year it could be a minute foreign body (?!) trapped twixt pad and disc. Poetic eh?

[ridin gaijin]

Never had this problem meself, but bearing in mind all the crap on the roads this time of year it could be a minute foreign body (?!) trapped twixt pad and disc. Poetic eh?

Brock's idea is worth checking out Jim. During our last off-road bash el tigre developed a chirrupy chirp in his front axle. Thought I'd maybe whacked or bounced something out of alignment. But once back on pavement I headed to the car wash place and after a good soap & rinse, no more noise.



My daughter says I should get a Tiger poster to keep him company in the garage. Anyone know of a good place for a big one? Orange maybe?

[tigerjohn]

Basically, your discs and/or calipers are probably full of road crap! Warped discs would give a pronounced shudder - unlikely to be your problem. Clean discs and calipers as best you can. I sprayed WD40 onto my calipers, which sorted the noise.....but take GREAT CARE not to spray any onto the brake pads or discs!

[Guest]

AND THE ANSWER IS :-



It's not warped discs.



All you need to do is take the pads out and smear a little copper grease onto the backs of the pads. Then put them back in. Et voila!



It happens a lot. It's just the pads resonating in the calipers. Usually at light pressures e.g. when you're easing the pressure off when coming to a stop.

[knarf]

Man !!!



You need to clean your calipers every month or two if you use the bike daily.  WD40 will wash the copper grease away and cause any rubber on the caliper to rot even quicker.



* Remove pads, put to one side carefully avoiding putting them near grease etc.

* Unbolt the caliper ( no need to remove the wheel).

* Carefully pump the brakes ensuring both pistons move out in equal distances (not to far and don't trap your finger or people will laugh at you)

* use brake cleaner (this evaporates leaving no residue) to clean using old toothbush. You want em nice and shiny.

* Push pistons back in, watch for the other poping out as you push one in. Removing resivour cap can aid in this.

* Ensure its really clean and copper grease piston tops.

* Fit back on bike as they came off.

* Now inspect and clean the back of the pads with brake cleaner and copper grease.

*re Fit pads



If this is too hard buy a car  :P











[/list]

[Badger]

It would be better to use rubber grease on the pistons. Copper grease is OK ok the backs of the pads and slider pins.

[Roy]

My 02 Tiger drove me crazy with squeaking front brakes.  I tried all of the known tricks to quiet it down.  Turns out that one of the wheel bearings had failed.  It allowed enough misalignment of the pads to make things really squeal.  The bike had very few miles on it at the time.  Replaced the bearings with SKF bearings myself (easier than messing with the dealer) and not a squeak since.  Have not had the same issue with my 05 Tiger as of yet.



Roy