Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

Screaming Brake!!

Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

Screaming Brake!!

Old 05-24-03, 07:15 PM
  #1  
hello
Thread Starter
 
roadfix's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 18,684
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 191 Post(s)
Liked 109 Times in 48 Posts
Screaming Brake!!

How do I shut my screaming ........

Last edited by roadfix; 11-06-06 at 06:05 PM.
roadfix is offline  
Old 05-24-03, 07:46 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: NC
Posts: 3,594
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 120 Post(s)
Liked 96 Times in 50 Posts
toe in the pads, maybe?
Phatman is offline  
Old 05-24-03, 07:54 PM
  #3  
山馬鹿
 
Spire's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 1,407

Bikes: Nakagawa

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Make sure there is no crap on the pads also.

Perhaps take them off and clean them or sand them a little bit to make sure. The screaming (which is vague description) could be a piece of metal lodged in the brake pad rubbing against the braking surface on the rim.
__________________
Become King of the Square! https://kingofthesquares.com
Plan or Find your next ride on Sporra!

Spire is offline  
Old 05-25-03, 06:32 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: St Louis, Missouri
Posts: 91
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I've not found anything that works 100% of the time.

Were they ever quiet?

If so, I assume the pad alignment is OK and go to work on other issues. My first shot is to dress up the pads using a fingernail emery board. It has the right grit and a nice flat surface. If that doesn't work, I go to work on the rim with something like lacquer thinner.

If the brakes were never quiet, I start with the pad alignment with the rim. I adjust the toe in on road calipers by snugging a 6" adjustable wrench onto the arm and slightly bending the arm.
Spoke Wrench is offline  
Old 05-25-03, 10:11 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Middle of Pacific
Posts: 78
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have the same problem (check my post dated 5-7-03 "Yet another squealing brake problem"). I have tried everything and it still squeals. Only weird thing is that it squeals the loudest on cold mornings and goes away by the afternoon. If I ride the brakes down a hill to warm 'em up the squeals goes away until they cool off. Read my post for ideas and good luck.......you'll need it.
JimB is offline  
Old 05-25-03, 08:48 PM
  #6  
The Red Lantern
 
Rev.Chuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Raleigh NC
Posts: 5,965
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Park makes a tool for toeing caliper brakes. It is a slotted lever, that you use to twist the arm.
__________________
Are you a registered member? Why not? click here to register. Its free, and only takes 27 seconds!
Help out the forums, abide by our community guidelines.

I am in the woods and I have gone crazy.
Rev.Chuck is offline  
Old 05-27-03, 01:08 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Middle of Pacific
Posts: 78
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Oh Great Rev. Chuck ---- If brake pads have the concave/convex washers to adjust toe/tilt wouldn't twisting the arms result in the same thing as "adjusting" toe-in at the pads? Also, wouldn't twisting the arms also throw off the noodle alignment with the clinch bolt?
JimB is offline  
Old 05-27-03, 05:59 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Middle of Pacific
Posts: 78
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks George.....Now it makes sense. But bending the arms sure sounds risky but I guess there's no other way. Too bad that somebody doesn't make some kind of tapered pads so that it'll have toe-in automatically when it's installed. Maybe a little thicker so that they can be shaped by a file or sanding block. Just a thought......
JimB is offline  
Old 05-27-03, 08:27 PM
  #9  
The Red Lantern
 
Rev.Chuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Raleigh NC
Posts: 5,965
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Jim, sometimes you just gotta bend stuff. You can file or grind a bevel into the pads but if you tweek the arms, on a caliper you only have to do it once.
Road pads are not as bad for squealing as MTB pads, so this is not somethingthat happens a lot, on newer stuff any way.
__________________
Are you a registered member? Why not? click here to register. Its free, and only takes 27 seconds!
Help out the forums, abide by our community guidelines.

I am in the woods and I have gone crazy.
Rev.Chuck is offline  
Old 05-28-03, 12:21 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Inoplanetyanin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Castaic, CA
Posts: 715

Bikes: 96-97 Gazelle Medeo.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Screaming brake pads, huh?

Same thing was happening on my bike, one time after taking the wheel off and readjusting the brake caliper and pads. It turned out that I put the pad the oooposite way to which it used to be directed and as soon as I reversed it, the scream disappeared.

If caliper bolt is not tightened well, caliper will be loose which will result in "grabbing" brakes - very dangerous.

So, if those particular pads didn't make the noise before, try to change positions few times.
Inoplanetyanin is offline  
Old 05-29-03, 02:28 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Avalanche325's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Pasadena, CA
Posts: 3,162

Bikes: Litespeed Firenze / GT Avalanche

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Give the pads a sand with an emory board. Clean the rim. You may have to use a 3M pad if it has pad material ground into it.
Avalanche325 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.