Another Bike Question

tk123

Morning everybody. How do I get my back break to STOP SQUEAKING in the morning?! It squeaks every morning for the first few times a use it - the break works fine but the squeaking bugs me! :mad:

garthv

That'll be the brake caliper seizing. Best advice is to take it apart and give it a good cleaning. Whens the last time you changed your pads?

spockety

tk123 wrote:

Morning everybody. How do I get my back break to STOP SQUEAKING in the morning?! It squeaks every morning for the first few times a use it - the break works fine but the squeaking bugs me! :mad:

Take the brake pad out, and apply Copper Grease to the BACK of the pad, ie, NOT the bit that touches the disk.

Voila.

tk123

Thanks guys - I'll try it this evening!

Gurgle

tk123 wrote:

Morning everybody. How do I get my back break to STOP SQUEAKING in the morning?! It squeaks every morning for the first few times a use it - the break works fine but the squeaking bugs me! :mad:

Same way you stop everything else on the bike squeaking - grease

timaaaaay

Gurgle wrote:

Same way you stop everything else on the bike squeaking - grease

that could be dangerous advice unless you explain it better.
Grease and brakes do not go well together.

Gurgle

timaaaaay wrote:

that could be dangerous advice unless you explain it better.
Grease and brakes do not go well together.

Welllll.....

If the calipers are squeaking, you need grease on the calipers' axel.
If the pedal is squeaking, you need grease on its axel.
If the cable is squeaking.... ok you get it

If the pads against the drum/disk are squeaking, I would recommend not using grease. In that case, it may be somewhat safer to clean the surface of the pads.

Grease would, of course, get rid of the noise but there may be some reduction in the brakes' effectiveness. (expect approx 99.9% reduction).

spockety

Gurgle wrote:

Welllll.....
Grease would, of course, get rid of the noise but there may be some reduction in the brakes' effectiveness. (expect approx 99.9% reduction).

Ummmm, that would only be the case if you actually greased the pads on the friction side!!!

To get rid of squeaky brakes, put copper grease on the BACK of the pad, ie, the surface of the pad that is pressed against the calliper piston, NOT the disk.

Gurgle

spockety wrote:

put copper grease on the BACK of the pad, ie, the surface of the pad that is pressed against the calliper piston, NOT the disk.

Why would the back of the pad squeak?

spockety

Gurgle wrote:

Why would the back of the pad squeak?

To be honest I've never actually looked into it, sometimes these things are best not asked, they just are the way they are.

bugs

Bikes with a rear caliper with single retainer pins regularily squeak under use. Its caused by the pad(s) moving around against the piston(s), as the single retainer pin will not always hold it in a static position. Putting grease on the back of the pads reduces the metal on metal friction and hence the noise.
Same can happen on front brakes if pads are a loose fit and theres only one retainer pin.

CJhaughey

While the pads are out, I would also make sure that you grease the pad retaining pins with high temp grease/copaslip and you could also get a piece of emery cloth and lightly sand the pad itself and clean the grooves if it has any.
All these little things help with the feel of the brakes as well.