Squealing brakes

Message

R3sp4wN · #1 Unread post by **R3sp4wN** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:05 am

My brakes were replaced last October and have recently begun to squeal. I am not sure how the motorcycle brakes work, but when my car's brakes start squealing, I know it is time to get them replaced. Is it normal to have to replace the brakes in less than a year? Would there be any other reason they would be making noise? I get the noise when I lightly press the rear AND the front brakes. When I firmly press them, I don't get the noise. And yes, both brakes squeal... I have noticed when only using the rear brakes and vica-versa. Thanks for any help-advice you guys can provide.
_________________
Pre-paid legal services Forum

#2 Unread post by **Skier** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:22 am

Rust on the rotors? Gunk on the rotors at all? Does it go away with more or less pressure? Disc brakes on both ends or is the rear a drum brake?

JC Viper · #3 Unread post by **JC Viper** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:16 am

Stock brake pads tend to wear out after several thousand miles (7k - 12k last time i had stock pads) but squealing can also come from dust on the rotor or pads.

I'd suggest checking the pads for their wear level and the rotor for any deep grooving. If the pads looks like they have a good amount to them left I would get some brake cleaner and wipe the rotor down and spray some onto the brake pad area, wait a few minutes and push the bike back and forth braking constantly to clean it off.

I have a sintered brake pad from EBC and they haven't given me any squeals. Maybe going a step up for the next set of pads would be ideal but sintered pads tend to be somewhat overkill unless you ride in the rain a lot.

Thumper · #4 Unread post by **Thumper** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:01 am

If both are squealing, check for dust (it happens to my bikes a lot this time of year...lots of dust in the area) on the pads or rotors. Rust, too. If you've ridden through a puddle and gotte dirt on the pads, that might squeal.

If it were just one I'd think maybe a caliper came loose...might be a long shot to think it had on both brakes, but it's always worth looking at.

Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:17 am

Clean the back of the pads too. The part that contacts the caliper piston.

gsJack · #6 Unread post by **gsJack** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:53 am

Your VLX has a disc front brake but the rear is a drum brake. I've had disc brakes squeal on bikes but not drum ones. Cleaning out the dust can be helpful particularly with drum brakes.

I had front brake squeal on my old Hondas and after 30k miles they'd squeal like a banshee with new Honda pads on them. Rotors became glazed and they squealed, noise is vibration. They had drum rears.

I discovered EBC Kevlar pads about 20 years ago, they were advertised to elimanate brake squeal then and they solved my squeal problems on the old Honda front discs.

Those EBC Kevlar pads are now called EBC Organic pads and I don't think they are as good as they were then. I've used the EBC-HH pads on the GS500s too and they never squealed on the front but the rear disc did for a while. For rear disc brakes the alignment of the pads to the rotor can be critical for brake squeal and they wore in to stop the squeal.

Check your pads for wear first, you should be able to see how much lining is left on the front pads without taking it apart. My Honda rear drums had an indicator on them to show when the brake shoes were worn out. Owner's Manual should show that.

HYPERR · #7 Unread post by **HYPERR** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:39 am

fireguzzi wrote:Clean the back of the pads too. The part that contacts the caliper piston.

Yeah the grease that the mechanic put on the back of the pads are probably gone and making the brakes squeal.

ofblong · #8 Unread post by **ofblong** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:53 pm

I have the same bike and the back pad squeals if you just barely apply pressure. Whenever I apply some extra pressure the squeal goes away. I have not ever had my front discs squeal. My drums are no where near to needing replaced and the fronts are getting close. the fronts have almost 23k miles on them origional owner of this bike never replaced the pads. I need to though cause its just on that line they put on the pads to say "hey replace me". The rear pads have quite a bit of pad left on them though

. I have found that if I loosen up the spring tension on the pedal for rear brake I dont get squealing but then I have to push down quite a ways for the brake to even make contact.

NorthernPete · Sun Aug 24, 2008 4:59 pm

My kawis front breaks squeek steady pretty much since I got it...the whole assembly has been changed out and it still squeeks. If you figure out what causes it, let me know.... I just learned to live with it for now.

JC Viper · #10 Unread post by **JC Viper** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:42 pm

NorthernPete wrote:My kawis front breaks squeek steady pretty much since I got it...the whole assembly has been changed out and it still squeeks. If you figure out what causes it, let me know.... I just learned to live with it for now.

We have the same bike but mine stopped squealing after using sintered brake pads. Then I added a new EBC rotor since my original rotor looked like an aged record. The drum squealed a bit but then went away on its own.

Oh and I got so neurotic that I cleaned the brake piston and seals...