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Having been an XT 500 rider for many years before my advancing age made me look for a nicer ride, I have no experience with Disc Brakes on a bike. My 79 XS 1100 Special has a moderate squeal when lightly on the binders, this seems to be both front and rear. The pads appear to have sufficient material. Is this a normal condition for an XS? Should I replace the pads? This condition is extremely pronounced with backng the bike with no brake applied at all.
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Papa Gino
79 and something XS 1100 Special "Battle Cruiser"
78 XT 500 "Old Shaky"
02 Kawasaki Concours "Connie" -
Mine did the same. Seems that some bikes have a thin metal shim that goes behind the pad... stops the high speed vibration that causes some squeeling.
Of course, there are other causes, such as the pads being "Glazed" by the heat. Take a fine toothed file to your pads. If the surface of the pads appears shiney, they're glazed. Use the file to remove the glaze till the surfaces look sort of dull again.
You'll quickly see the difference when filing as some area of the bad are more glazed than others. Rumer has it that the pads should be filed in the direction that the rotor spins through them, but I can't confirm this."Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor, not a mechanic!' ('Bones' McCoy) -
After doing many, many, many, many, many brake jobs, I can attest to bevelling the leading edge of the pads helping with squeal. Some new pads come bevelled. Even on bicycles you 'toe-in' the brake pads to stop squealling.
So reduce brain stress just bevel both edges of the pads then you can't put them in the wrong way. You're not removing enough material to affect braking performance.Pat Kelly
<p-lkelly@sbcglobal.net>
1978 XS1100E (The Force)
1980 XS1100LG (The Dark Side)
2007 Dodge Ram 2500 quad-cab long-bed (Wifes ride)
1999 Suburban (The Ship)
1994 Dodge Spirit (Son #1)
1968 F100 (Valentine)
"No one is totally useless. They can always be used as a bad example"Comment
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There was a thread or two about this earlier:
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...t=brake+squeel
You might get Randy to post a pic of the spacer. It looks like the pic he used to have up is now down.
-RB1979 XS1100 Special with 81 carbs
Richmond, Virginia, USAComment
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Sorry, moved my web page to another ISP and clean out some old stuff. I'll dig up the photo this weekend and post it.Comment
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Hey Randy
How is your charging system mod coming?Comment
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Thanks, Pat. I forgot about the bevellin'."Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor, not a mechanic!' ('Bones' McCoy)Comment
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John,
Stopped working on it. Looks like Geezer already has it nailed!
How is your back coming?
Guys, as for the beveling of the pads, remember on the front, the leading edge is the one at the bottom of the caliper!
On the rear, its the edge at the back.
It's easy to get this backwards.Last edited by randy; 09-28-2005, 05:03 PM.Comment
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