Topic: Noisy brakes

[Luythen]

Hey all

During these last few days since last thursday when i got my permit I have been riding a bit as anyone in the good weather.

The bike im riding is a cb500 f from 1978.

I have one problem with this bike. the brakes are making a lot of noise whenever im using it. this weekend i took apart the fromt caliber cleaned it well and good, and applied a layer of kopper grease to the brake pads, (not on the brake surface itself of course) in order to stop the noise, and it did work for a few kilometers, after coming off the freeway after a 70 km trip at 130 km/h i notised that the noise had returned.

today i notised that the rear brake had begun making noises while braking as well, being a drum brake the only reason i can think of is that it needs new brake pads.

Can anyone help me silence the front brake, do i have to use a silicone grease in stead, or is the problem not in the interior caliber but the brake pad surface?

Hope you can help me

Sincerely
Henrik

[Jonesy]

Normally with disk brake components you want to use hi-temp silicone brake grease. I've had great luck with a product called "Disk Brake Quiet" by CRC. It comes in single-use tubes or in a spray can. You apply it to the backside of each brake pad per the instructions, let it dry about 10 minutes, and reassemble. It worked well on my CB360, so I also used it on my brake squeal-prone CB750. Also, is the rotor glazed? It can help to lightly scuff it with sandpaper. As an extreme measure, I've heard you can hacksaw a groove in the center of the pad to change the frequency at which it vibrates, moving it out of the audible range, but I've never tried it.

There are also some other techniques in the FAQ section regarding this subject.

[kghost]

Yes, the old hack saw the pad works, you can also try beveling the edges of the pad with a file. If you don't have a file a piece of rough concrete works.

That combined with the high temp mentioned above should get them to stop sqealling.

I asume they only make noise under braking? If  they are making noise when you are not braking something is misajusted or the caliper piston is binding.

The rear drum will get dust in it and cause sqealling. If you clean the drum and pads it will probably stop.

[Henry Dorset Case]

Touch wood, its worked (so far)

While its quite good fun pulling up beside cars at traffic lights, and making people in cages look to see where the "dying cat playing the bagpipes out of tune high on crack" noise is coming from, it gets pretty old if you are the rider.

I pulled the pivot arm, cleaned and lubed the pivot pin (with copper kote cos its what I had), sanded the glazing off the pads with 600 wet and dry, and reassembled it carefully.  I also put a bit of copper kote (again, it was handy) on the back of the fixed pad.  Not on the piston side because it had the nylon ring.

I also hacksawed the groove across the pad.  I think they are Vesrah


I did a 160km ride yesterday and it didnt make a noise except coming back to town under light braking while I was pootling up to a light and waiting for a car to cross.

Thanks to the people who posted, and the FAQ, what a great resource.

BTW if it doesnt work, I was going to try and graft a CB400N front end on complete, except for the comstar wheel of course...... but it looks like a LOT of work.

Thanks again.