How can I get my rear brake to stop squeaking at slow speeds?

Question

I have 60% of brake pad material on each side of the rotor.

I removed and cleaned pads and caliper, and it quieted it down for about a week but i picked up the squeek again, noticable at around 15 on down.

WTF? any ideas or hints?

2005 Suzuki SV650

Answer 1

Have the same problem  with OEM pads on a EBC rotor.  I'm told the pads are too hard for the rotor.   I live with it.

Here's a fix I read on a Honda owners site.  I have not tried it:

If the brake compound is one solid surface, without a groove dividing it, take a Dremel and grind one in.

Answer 2

it could be your rotor, make sure it's smooth with no lip on the edges, mine are squealing right now too and I just put new pads in back a few months ago, so don't think your pads are just going to fix it.

Answer 3

If you find out let me know. I have had mine cleaned and adjusted and they still squeak like h**l. One more thing, change your bong water dude, it shouldn't be rusty.

Answer 4

it might be what your pads are made of but if you put some of that silkoline special pad and disc cleaner on it will stop the squeaking alot better.(or wire wool)  Also make sure you haven't got anything stuck in your pads, if you have then you will see slight scratching on the disc.

matt

Answer 5

Times were brake pads were made from asbestos. They seldom made noises but with the laws changing the went to a fiber material which lasted half the life but the pads are half the price. Then manufacturers wised up and made a metallic composite pad. Longer life but higher heat and faster glazing over. They squeal and that's a fact. They last much longer than any pad made before but there is a trade off  for that. Try removing them and using a contact type of paper between the pad and the caliper. It is included in SOME replacement pad sets but the pad has to be completely clean for it to adhere. They also make a spray that you can use on the back of the pads. It works in some cases but eventually they squeal again. Replacing them will work for a few miles and then they'll start again. Just something we live with because of Uncle Sugar and the EPA.

Answer 6

Remove the brake pads and score them with a wire brush - that will remove any embedded brake dust / road debris.

Then clean them with "brake cleaner" (available at bike and auto parts stores).

Answer 7

it might be that the rotor needs to be smoothed out if possible. or sometimes if its newer pads/rotors the breaks may squeak til broken in. well at least in cars. that or u might have too much brake dust. that was the case on my car.

Answer 8

Try backing up a few feet while holding the brakes on before you start out on a road trip.  This is an old trick and just a temporary fix, but it is so easy to try and it might help stop the squeaking for awhile for free.

Answer 9

Simple answer:

Properly Grease them.

Simple as that.

For a temporary "fix",,,just stomp them a time or 2 from 40~50mph

It'll eventually come back though.

Most likely,None of that means anything significant to you

.........................................

Here's a story.

Disc Brake noise has been around since Disk Brakes.

As several folks have mentioned,,it got Worse when asbestos from the compound.

It wasn't so much the absence of the asbestos,,,

but  what "replaced " it.

There was a period of time when it was a mad scramble  to come up with Street Pad material that

*was quiet

*didn't excessively dust

*had appropriate friction/stopping properties

*had reasonable wear characteristics

We'd taken asbestos for granted,

and part of learning that lesson about how complacent we'd become,,,we also realized that we did NOT know as much  about Friction Material as we sorta assumed we did.

So for a period of several YEARS,,

EVERYBODY was working on a solution.

From the VEHICLE MFGRS,,to all the Brake Component Co's,,,the aftermarket Mfgr's,,,

all the Indie Techs,,,all they way down to Individuals under their shadetrees.

It got Soo Bad,,,and Expenses rose into the MILLION$$$$,

That many of the Car Makers issued Policy stating that Brake Noise was NOT a Problem/Fault,,and thus would no longer be warrantied.

They traded One set of Complaints for  an even "LOUDER NOISE" from their Customers,,,but at a substantial cost savings.

Eventually,,Friction Material advances and some design changes led to almost a Total Solution.

INSTALLATION PROCEDURE remained a part of that solution.

The POINT of all-the-above BS is that  Vast Majority of Noise Problems have been "officially Solved".

After an IMMENSE amount of research & development,,,there's NOTHING left to Guess about these days.

MOST of the solution to noise is now "Built In".

As You Yourself are experiencing,,,,the Noise Issue Still Exists.

Thing to realize is that in Old Days,,,we could simply slap on some pads and go---because of the Materials' accomodating nature.

BEST parts NOWDAYS,,,are only a PART of the solution.

Installation PROCEDURE has become a critical factor,,,where it was almost a NON factor in the past.

What is required is a CORRECT Lube TYPE and Application.

Pad "SHIMS" are also a critical component.

Most Pads these days Include some type of pad-backing shim.

Vibration Dampening Polymers applied directly to rear of Pad is also very common.

----------------------------------

All of that means

A)It's Crucial to Clean and Lube all the contact and losd-bearing points on the PAD,,The CALIPER,,and all the Sliding Pins and their Bushings.

B)Use Backing Shims--Your SV650 comes OEM with them

The Shims need greasing too

C)An Important "OPTION" is to Spray Rear of Pads with the Anti-Vibe stuff

All That has proven 99.99% effective on 99% of all brakes

...............................

Latest Greatest LUBE>>

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automot...

SAME PRODUCT>>

http://www.gwrauto.com./Ceramlub.htm

This needs to get sprayed on back of pads,,,with Shims or Not.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automot...

..................

There are comparable products on the Mkt,,,use whatever you can find

The Better the Product,and More Care USING,,the Better and Longer the Results.

......................

Spray Back of Pads

Grease all shims,,pins,mounting bolts,,slider bushings

Grease all areas on Caliper where EDGES of Pads contact the caliper/mount.

"Everything" gets greased EXCEPT Friction Material and Rotor Surface.

..............

There's a buncha tricks left over from the Dark Days of Noise which help,,,,shaping/venting pads,etc.

Never hurts to do those things.

But the above Lube procedure will Stop the Noise,,,whether the other stuff is done or not.

Whatever Grease you chose,,,,make certain it's FOR Disk Brake Lube.

Toothpaste will work,,,,for about 2 stops.

AntiSeize lasts about 10~20 stops.

It requires a Specially Formulated Lube to effect a "permanent solution",,,,and NOT jeopardize the brake system.

Good Luck