Topic: NEED HELP...'77 CB550 Front Brakes

[sniper1]

I've been having problems with the front brakes on my '77 CB550. I recently replaced the pads and all was good for the first 500 miles or so, but recently I have noticed alot of squeaking and binding. I raised the front end and tried to adjust it but with no luck. What I notice is when I leave the Caliper set bolts slightly loose there is no binding and the wheel spins free. When I tighten these down, it siezes up the front tire. I have tried adjusting the stopper bolt, but it makes no difference what I do with it while the caliper set bolts are tight. I also can not get the pads to gap correctly according to the manual they just rest tight against the disk. It doesn't appear as though the disk is warped, and the caliper seems to work right.

Should the caliper set bolts be left slightly loose? This does not make sense to me.

Could the new pads be too thick??

What am I doing wrong? I have been through three different manuals and I think I am doing everything right.

I would really like to have good stopping breaks but, this is ridiculous. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[wookie]

Sounds like your pads are too thick.  You could shave them down a bit.  Are they oem?

[sniper1]

Yes they are. Shave them down with what, sandpaper???

[number13]

Does your caliper bracket move freely?
If not you will get rubbing and squeaking.

[sniper1]

It moves freely until I mount the wheel up.

[Kevin400F]

I think the key here may be your statement "all was good the first 500 miles or so"....

Obviously, the pads didn't get thicker after 500 miles, so something else must be happening.  The piston could be binding, the new pad could be binding in the caliper, or the recouperation hole in the master cylinder could  be blocked, preventing proper retraction of the piston. 

With the "caliper set bolts" tight, and the arm "stopper bolt" backed off, can you apply pressure to the piston side of the caliper (with your knee, for example), pressing it toward the disc, and create a gap with relative ease?

There will always be some a minor amound of drag between the pads and disc....when you say binding, is it a significant amount?