Squeaky Front Brake

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JoePeps

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Noticed after Cadwell that my front brake is squeeking, was hoping it would be the shims but when I rotate the wheel it's only at one point on one disc. I'm assuming that means I've warped it?

If I have I'm guessing there's no way back, although maybe machining it?
 
Clean the disc.
If you have a cast wheel, order new bolts, remove the old bolts and then clean everything else with brake cleaner and 3m Scotch-Brite / Toothbrush.
Bolt back together.

Forged rims look for bobbin cleaning on YouTube...i posted it on here



- Alex
 
The pads produce a lot of dust after hard use. If it's a squeak when brake applied then it can probably be fixed by taking off caliper & cleaning pistons and back of pads. Clean the caliper pistons using soap & water with a tooth brush.
 
It might just be a build up of material on the disc, a good clean would be my first choice.
 
Front Brakes

Just give the brake calipers and discs a good clean. If you are doing a lot of trackdays then ideally you should be doing this fairly regularly.
 
Thanks for the replies.
Probably should go into some more detail!

I've had calipers apart, cleaned them and the pads, and the disc with brake cleaner. Pistons seem to all be moving freely. If I rotate the wheel by hand it just squeaks in one position on one disc.
 
Clean the disc.
If you have a cast wheel, order new bolts, remove the old bolts and then clean everything else with brake cleaner and 3m Scotch-Brite / Toothbrush.
Bolt back together.

Forged rims look for bobbin cleaning on YouTube...i posted it on here



- Alex

I have cast wheels so could give that a go.
Would you just do it for the squeaking side, and does the disc have to go back the same as it came off? Out of interest why new bolts?
 
I have cast wheels so could give that a go.
Would you just do it for the squeaking side, and does the disc have to go back the same as it came off? Out of interest why new bolts?
Its esstential maintenance so I would do it properly once. Same time clean the calipers as the other mentioned, when I forgot.

I'd put the discs on the same sides due to wear, like I would put the pads in the same as well...unless you need new pads anyway.

Bolt heads get mangled, and as they are loctite mediumed in then its safer to replace.

- Alex
 
Its esstential maintenance so I would do it properly once. Same time clean the calipers as the other mentioned, when I forgot.

I'd put the discs on the same sides due to wear, like I would put the pads in the same as well...unless you need new pads anyway.

Bolt heads get mangled, and as they are loctite mediumed in then its safer to replace.

- Alex

OK spot on thanks mate.
I have some Halfords brake cleaner, will that be good enough? Do you think there could be anything else causing the squeak or is it pretty straight forward?
 
Any brake cleaner will do...be libersl with it.
Soapy water is good for round 1 of cleaning the caliper.

Other things:
Also use a 7mm drill bit to check all the holes are not holding any dust. Warning. Its laborious...

And before you start, look down the rhs disc. See where the ABS black sensor is, spin the wheel and confirm it never touches. 1mm gap is normal I think (its in the manual). Not being perfectly the same all the way round is fine, touching is the no no.

- Alex
 
Any brake cleaner will do...be libersl with it.
Soapy water is good for round 1 of cleaning the caliper.

Other things:
Also use a 7mm drill bit to check all the holes are not holding any dust. Warning. Its laborious...

And before you start, look down the rhs disc. See where the ABS black sensor is, spin the wheel and confirm it never touches. 1mm gap is normal I think (its in the manual). Not being perfectly the same all the way round is fine, touching is the no no.

- Alex

Legend, def owe you a pint.
I had to drill out 1140 holes on friday at work so not too phased by 2 front discs!
 
Any brake cleaner will do...be libersl with it.
Soapy water is good for round 1 of cleaning the caliper.

Other things:
Also use a 7mm drill bit to check all the holes are not holding any dust. Warning. Its laborious...

And before you start, look down the rhs disc. See where the ABS black sensor is, spin the wheel and confirm it never touches. 1mm gap is normal I think (its in the manual). Not being perfectly the same all the way round is fine, touching is the no no.

- Alex

Last time to bother you mate....was thinking today would it be a good idea to soak the calipers in some soapy water while I mess around with the discs? Thinking of rigging something up with them still on the bike to give them a better clean?
 
OK so things continue!
Went to take the wheel off tonight and realised that the ABS sensor was pretty close to the disc, took the calipers off and the squeak was still there! Bottom one is a video..





You can see the 'polished' section on the ABS ring where the contact has been.
Plan of action? Can the sensor be pulled backwards? It was cold outside so I retreated inside without looking properly!
 
Last edited:
You can put a washer on the inside of the sensor mount bolt to pull it back a mm.

However, I would also check that wheel is centred properly. If the left hand pinch bolts have been loosened (incorrectly) for wheel removal then spacer may not be seated correctly.
 
You can put a washer on the inside of the sensor mount bolt to pull it back a mm.

However, I would also check that wheel is centred properly. If the left hand pinch bolts have been loosened (incorrectly) for wheel removal then spacer may not be seated correctly.

Thanks mate.
Last time the front wheel was off was at Donnington on a trackday when I had the tyres swapped over so I kind of 'assumed' it was done correctly. Also that was 4 trackdays and about 600 road miles ago? Either way hoping it should be an easy and cheap fix!
 
Glad you found the culprit.

Did you loosen the ABS side pinch bolts when you removed the wheel.

Did the axle get torqued correctly?

The 'nut' that the axle screws into defines where the wheel sits in relation to the abs sensor. If the pinch bolts were loosened (incorrect wheel change practice) then the nut could have moved allowing the wheel closer to the sensor. You should not have to shim the sensor back.

Alternative; ABS ring is out of true.

Alternative; front is simply over torqued.

- Alex
 
Last edited:
Glad you found the culprit.

Did you loosen the ABS side pinch bolts when you removed the wheel.

Did the axle get torqued correctly?

The 'nut' that the axle screws into defines where the wheel sits in relation to the abs sensor. If the pinch bolts were loosened (incorrect wheel change practice) then the nut could have moved allowing the wheel closer to the sensor. You should not have to shim the sensor back.

Alternative; ABS ring is out of true.

Alternative; front is simply over torqued.

- Alex

I didn't change the tyres it was the big yellow truck that goes there (I want to say MC Tyres?), I know he did torque them up but can't comment on if he did anything with both sets of pinch bolts. It would appear so but also that was 4 trackdays & 600 road miles ago so would seem strange if it's just moved but possible I guess?

The ABS sensor looks as though it is in contact all of the way round but only squeaks in one position over a few degrees of rotation so I don't think the ABS ring is hugely out of true as there's no gap anywhere when spinning the wheel.

Looks as though I need to take the wheel out and reset it's position and the 'nut' to see how it affects it. Are there any specific measurements that I can follow for the position of the nut inside the fork leg?
 
I didn't change the tyres it was the big yellow truck that goes there (I want to say MC Tyres?), I know he did torque them up but can't comment on if he did anything with both sets of pinch bolts. It would appear so but also that was 4 trackdays & 600 road miles ago so would seem strange if it's just moved but possible I guess?

The ABS sensor looks as though it is in contact all of the way round but only squeaks in one position over a few degrees of rotation so I don't think the ABS ring is hugely out of true as there's no gap anywhere when spinning the wheel.

Looks as though I need to take the wheel out and reset it's position and the 'nut' to see how it affects it. Are there any specific measurements that I can follow for the position of the nut inside the fork leg?
Never tried, I would be calling Tim @ Lind for guidance...
Others may be more sure.

- Alex
 

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