Squeaky front brakes

[jkorn]

I have put up with very squeaky front brakes for years. Especially at very slow speeds. I tried everything years ago and finely gave up. So today I'm wondering if this is common to others and if anyone has solved the problem. I sure would like for the noise to go away. What an embarrassment at a stop lights..

If I could just fix this, the ole 1100 would be perfect!!!!

jeff

[ratbyk]

Squeeky Brakes

I have always found that a brake squeek in a disc brake assembly to be caused by a high frequency vibration. The pad being able to move within the caliper assembly. As it vibrates/chatters away in there it produces the annoying squeek. In automotive circles a couple of fixes have proved effective.
1. Take a center punch and along the edges of the metal backing for the pad center punch a number of marks where this portion of the pad would contact the caliper housing. Where you center punch will cause a bit of swelling of the metal adjacent to the punch mark. This provides a tighter fit of the pad within the caliper housing. Reduces the amount of movement of the pad against the containing surfaces of the pad/caliper. This will change the vibration frequency and some times eliminate the squeel.
2. There is a special automotive/brake glue or adhesive available from the jobbers. This is used frequently by brake shops to reduce squeel on occassion. Some brake pad suppliers/manufacturers will automtically supply a tube of this adhesive with each set of replacement pads that they sell. Particularly on applications that are a known offender make/model.
This adhesive is quite thick in consistency and also acts somewhat as a cushion between the steel pad backing of the brake pad and its contact points within the caliper housing.
Worth a try if you are annoyed enough to want to eliminate. There are likely lots of other tricks available but I have had success with both of these methods.
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk

[Ken Talbot]

Also check to see that the shims behind pads are in the right way around. I think the stuff Ken is talking about is silicone disk brake lubricant. It is a clear, thick silicone grease. I've had good luck with applying a nice dab between the shim and the back of the pad, as well as using it on the sliding surfaces where the pad moves in the caliper. Just be sure to NEVER let any of it get on the disk or the friction side of the pad.

[Robert Haller]

Mine squeal. Nothing I've tried yet has worked for very long.

[Jerry]

A couple things to check. first of all, make sure you have the right pads. Here is a previous post on the subject:

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Front Pads for a Special
by David Hansen


The brakes are easy to work on and the pads are simple to change. However, when you examine your front pads for wear, remember that the pads are not symmetrical. That is, they are wedge-shaped with the pad thickness pretty thin at the front of the pad and thick near the rear. Don't make the mistake of checking your pad thickness by looking at the pad from the front of the bike, you'll be embarassed when you (or the shop that works on your bike) gets the pads off and discovers that they're hardly worn at all!


Note: This does not apply to Standards which have an even thickness pad just like the rear pad. (Gary Granger)

*************************

So, pads for a Standard and Special are different.

Second, make sure all the shims are in place, including the 'butterfly' unit that keeps the pads from ratteling in the calipers. One was missing on my XJ, causing not a squeek but a rattle as I went over bumps.

Third. There is a pin that holds the brake pads in place. Pull this pin and make sure it is not worn or bent. The pads must move back and forth on this pin, and any defect may cause the pad to 'hang up' and stay in contact with the rotor.

Finally, your problem may be in the caliper piston or seal. Clean pistons and good seals will allow the piston to move forward when brakes are applied; when the pressure is removed the elasticity of the seal moves the piston back into the bore and away from the rotor. If the seals or the pistons are crudded up, the piston won't retract as designed. If the probelm does not appear to be pads, pin, or shims you are looking at a caliper rebuild.

[sixtysix]

Mine squeak, I use Yamaha pads, with factory shims and factory rotors with factory calipers that were rebuilt with factory kits. It is therefore a factory squeak and adds to authenticness of my bike. If they don't squeak you may not have an authentic Yamaha.

[fusionking]

When you turn rotors for people on a lathe the last thing you do nowadays is put a non-directional pattern on them, unlike the lines they get from turning and from use. You use a pad sorta like heavy duty style scotch-brite on a die grinder while it's turning and make the turning marks disappear, If you could do this somehow it might help depending on how chewed up your rotors are. Garry P.S. mine don't squeak just lucky I guess

[nashville_bill]

I don't have any squeaks in my brakes. I haven't had them apart so I don't know what the parts are.

Permatex makes some anti-squeal goo that you apply to the backs of brake pads. It is like a hard rubber after it dries and dampens the vibration between the pad and the piston.

[fusionking]

Well don't try to get GEEZER to try it!!!! (just kidding around geezer I got my things that I won't ever change either, If you get my drift) Chances are he's gonna tell us about some little known Yamaha dealer type product like Yama-squeal ! (actually that does sound really good, maybe having some old gray ex- YAMAHA Geezer type mechanic ain't such a bad idea after all !) By the way Geez I still gotta measure my 750-850 brake stuff. After we posted last night I spotted rotors on e-bay that some dude was claiming fit both 850 and 1100 XS's Garry

[rockyr74]

I don't see why an automotive anti squeel which is commonly applied beween the pad/piston or pad/caliper wouldn't be helpful. It shure wouldn't hurt.

[hamjam]

hi kiddies I have heard that chamfering the leading edges of the pads will remove those annoying squeeks

[ratbyk]

Brake squeel

Right on hamjam. I had foirgotten that trick. By changing the angle of attack of the rotor too the pad you change the vibration/chatter. This will eliminate the squeel as long as you change the frequency.
Simply dress off the leading edge of the pad on a bench grinder. Suggest that you wear a dust mask or hold your breath for 20 seconds while you are grinding. Modern brake pads are not supposed to have asbestos in them but who knows with all this after market stuff!
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk

[jkorn]

I think I like Garys reply the best. If it doesn't squeak it must not be stock.

I will watch for more replies and then try the suggestions and report back on any progress.

Thanks for all the great ideas

jeff

[dfrooney]

Mine started to sqeak last summer, so I took them apart early this spring and worked on them. All I did was put in new pads from the yamaha dealer and cleaned everything up really well...the calipers, the piston (inside and out), all the mounting hardware, etc. I used a soft bristle brush to scrub down all the parts and then used a combination of rags and compressed air to get rid of all the gunk. When I put in the new pads, I used the silicone grease...coated the entire back of the pad surface and the contact surfaces on the caliper with a thin, film-like layer.

Haven't heard a peep out of them since.

Dan

'80 XS11 Special

[jkorn]

Thanks so much for the info. sounds like the way to go. Do you remember the brand name of the silicon stuff you used on the back of the pads, thought I would be sure and use the same stuff.

Any tricks bleeding the brakes.

And did you tear apart the master at the same time???

Thanks again to all of you for your valuable input.

Jeff