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I'm failing. My normal remedy is.
Dull rotors and pads with 60 grit clean with alcohol.
Not working this time even with different pads.
Any other tips?
New bike, obs.
Oil. That's what some bloke told me after I pulled into a station with some noisy brakes on my train (Sprinter tread brakes for those that know and christ do they squeal) "OW MAYTE, YOW WANNA PUT SOME OIL ON THEM BRAKES YA DO".
Give it a go and let us know how you get on.
Have you checked whether any pistons are sticking? I had howling brakes on SRAM Guides and nothing worked. Chap at Gorilla Brakes said it would be sticky pistons and it was.
Oil. That’s what some bloke told me after I pulled into a station with some noisy brakes on my train (Sprinter tread brakes for those that know and christ do they squeal) “OW MAYTE, YOW WANNA PUT SOME OIL ON THEM BRAKES YA DO”.
Actually he might be right if you put the oil on the pistons.
Maybe piston seals leaking small amounts of brake fluid onto the pads. It was almost impossible for me to see the leakage as was so slight. I had it on my Shimanos and was going out of my mind. New pads, rotors, etc.
Bought new brakes in the end.
Or new bike needed?....
Have you tried reseating the calipers?
Had this issue with my brakes the other week and i did the following
Start with a full clean and refit of the caliper and pads
Remove the caliper, push the brake lever so the pistons pop out a bit and clean them with a cotton bud and isopropyl alcohol
Press the pistons back into the caliper, then clean the disc with isopropyl alcohol, then fit the caliper and centre the caliper over the disc without the pads fitted
Give the pads a good sanding, preferably with a sanding block for a nice even finish
Fit the pads and then pull the brakes, there should be no rubbing as the caliper is centred, if there is rubbing then the disc is not true and this can cause noise when braking, even if there is no rubbing a disc that isn't true can cause squealing when braking
If no rubbing check to make sure the disc is centre the whole time as its passing through the caliper, if you see it move closer to one of the pads then its not true, you can use an adjustable spanner to bend the disc back in the places it moves nearer the pads
My brakes are squeal free after doing this, they were making a right racket before i did a total refit
If this fixes the issue but it comes back within a ride or two then it could a slightly leaky piston seal, had this on a Shimano caliper, brakes worked fine but very noisy, cleaned everything up and was fine for a ride or two then it came back, couldn't even see the leak but Shimano pressure tested the caliper and it had a very slight weep
What glazes the pads? They were dull 6 miles ago when I put them in ,they are now shiny.
The discs are still dull and the wheels run freely with brake noise when spun.
Heat will glaze the pads, normally if you drag the brakes and heat the pads beyond their temp operating range they will glaze over
Just because the wheel runs freely with no brake noise doesn't mean the caliper is centered correctly, are the pistons showing equal protrusion from the caliper? pad wear even?
Fixed!
I think the discs were contaminated. Previously I've squirted cleaner on and wiped it off. This time I kept cleaning them til the kitchen roll wasn't getting dirty.
Sorted.
Disc cleaner and a chefs blowtorch work for me.
You can also apply a small amount of copper slip on the back of the pad if they still make a noise
Clean, sand, blowtorch pads until they smoke
Did it work?
My old SLX brakes make a sound like the circus has come to town
a squeaky bump
What glazes the pads?
You can also get cold polishing if yo unever get them hot enough - more likely in an MTB situation
Squealing is almost always contamination imo / ime
sounds like you've fixed it anyway but just to add I've also had luck putting the disk in the dishwaser...
If disk is dishwashered and fresh pads are put in and its still squeky then something is leaking
Yep fresh pads and dishwasher the rotors.
Then check everything is aligned properly
You can also apply a small amount of copper slip on the back of the pad if they still make a noise
I'd avoid this, it almost always finds a way of contaminating the pads, normally when it gets wet.
I do love these threads :o)
I work for an automotive manufacturer and I design brakes for a living and have done for the last 25 years.
ALL brakes squeak, squeal, graunch, moo, rattle or some other bloody noise.
BUT they all work and will still slow you down just the same. Sometimes they will be quiet, sometimes they will be noisy but most of the time they will simply work.
Try some or all of the above and when you've finally realised I am right (because I am) just ride the damn bike :o)
Try some or all of the above and when you’ve finally realised I am right (because I am) just ride the damn bike :o)
Or buy a new bike.
Yeah or buy a new bike :o)
JAG
Free Member
I do love these threads :o)I work for an automotive manufacturer and I design brakes for a living and have done for the last 25 years.
ALL brakes squeak, squeal, graunch, moo, rattle or some other bloody noise.
BUT they all work and will still slow you down just the same. Sometimes they will be quiet, sometimes they will be noisy but most of the time they will simply work.
Try some or all of the above and when you’ve finally realised I am right (because I am) just ride the damn bike :o)
Most of the time - I think that's the problem with your statement. When it comes to brakes, most of the time isn't really good enough, is it?
Having had Shimano callipers leak tiny amounts of oil onto pads and have the brakes shriek like a cat being skinned alive, but do nothing to slow you down, I can tell you that "most of the time" doesn't really cut it.
ALL brakes squeak, squeal, graunch, moo, rattle or some other bloody noise.
Boggo standard Tektro rim brakes, Swissstop pads, decent aluminium rims. 2hrs in the hosing rain today on the road bike, consistent, reliable braking into every corner, no squeaks, graunches or otherwise. Even the Avid cantilevers on my gravel bike are silent in all conditions when my mate's Avid and GRX disc brakes are honking and howling like stuck geese
Brakes don't have to be noisy unless, it seems, you want the extra power of disc brakes (not much good if you're too frightened to pull the lever because of how noisy it will be) and aren't prepared to be constantly cleaning/blowtorching or dishwashing your rotors 😀
....actually I'm getting carried away, I will concede that the cantilevers on my gravel bike will grind if I've just been through a boggy bit, and yes, in the long run that is the sound of my rims getting worn away, but in the scheme of things it is still a million times better than the noise every set of discs I have owned would make in the wet or after river crossings etc.