2019 Low Rider - Loud Moaning Sound From Front Brake
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 965
Likes: 297
From: NoVa
From post #8:
This is interesting, Toz. Do you mean that you removed the disc, honed the points where the disc meets the hub, reinstalled and that cured the problem? If so, it sounds like a simple enough thing to try.
Mine did it for about the first 8000 miles. It took the fun away from riding the Low Rider. Then I replaced the front pads with the ebc hh sintered. At the same time I stoned the faying surfaces between disc and hub then torqued the disc bolts. I'm now at 15000 miles, no more French horn coming to a stop.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 614
Likes: 231
From: Hendeson, NV
I got the "brake dust" story last week at my 1k inspection and service--total BS. Every time Harley has a problem with their bikes, they develop a story for the dealers' service departments to put out. This problem and too many other ones are typical for a company taken over and run by MBAs, corporate accountants and finance people, and, of course, the lawyers. The US is in one of its longest running economic expansion, and people who are prime motorcycle buyers should be rushing to dealers. The are not. HD isn't meeting sales expectations, and the reason is that word is getting around about too many problems and the attitude at the large corporate dealerships that HD is encouraging.
Last edited by Las Vegas Jim; Sep 3, 2019 at 06:03 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 574
Likes: 263
From: Spokane, WA
Yep! I also installed the ebc hh sintered which are similar to stock, if I recall the stock pads may even have had an hh stamped in the number. Unfortunately, I made both changes at once. But I think it was the way the disc wasn't making full contact with the hub that caused it to sing so loudly. It was not the more common screechy scrapy brake noise, but the full flugelhorn treat! Anyway, I've been 7500 miles of totally awesome and quiet braking since the changes.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 965
Likes: 297
From: NoVa
Yep! I also installed the ebc hh sintered which are similar to stock, if I recall the stock pads may even have had an hh stamped in the number. Unfortunately, I made both changes at once. But I think it was the way the disc wasn't making full contact with the hub that caused it to sing so loudly. It was not the more common screechy scrapy brake noise, but the full flugelhorn treat! Anyway, I've been 7500 miles of totally awesome and quiet braking since the changes.
For what it's worth, I've either become immune to this sound or it's no longer happening anyway. Gotta start listening, but maybe it's gone with riding and pad bed-in, as others have said. Bike only has 2K+ miles 'cause I broke my left hand this spring and didn't ride most of the summer.
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,875
Likes: 197
From: Texas
Same issue. Scrapped the stock pads, and replaced them with the high end Drag Specialty pads. That worked for about 10 miles, then the moaning came back. Next attempt was to put a boat load of brake pad grease on the back of the pads. Didn't help at all, then I realized when I re-installed the pads I slid them in up against the pistons, thereby cleverly scraping most of the grease off. Duh! Greased up again and reinstalled by placing them in the center of the gap then pressing them against the pistons (I hope that makes sense). About 80% of the noise is gone now. It's an issue of harmonics that I suspect centers around the design of the caliper. The brake grease helps dampen the harmonic vibration of the pad. It's still annoying but not nearly as much so as before.
Oh, yeah. The service guy at the dealer said it was because of the way I was applying the brakes. Apparently I've been doing it wrong for 51 years, and have just been lucky I never experienced the noise before <sarcasm alert>!
Oh, yeah. The service guy at the dealer said it was because of the way I was applying the brakes. Apparently I've been doing it wrong for 51 years, and have just been lucky I never experienced the noise before <sarcasm alert>!
Last edited by fdh161; Sep 4, 2019 at 12:27 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 574
Likes: 263
From: Spokane, WA
Same issue. Scrapped the stock pads, and replaced them with the high end Drag Specialty pads. That worked for about 10 miles, then the moaning came back. Next attempt was to put a boat load of brake pad grease on the back of the pads. Didn't help at all, then I realized when I re-installed the pads I slid them in up against the pistons, thereby cleverly scraping most of the grease off. Duh! Greased up again and reinstalled by placing them in the center of the gap then pressing them against the pistons (I hope that makes sense). About 80% of the noise is gone now. It's an issue of harmonics that I suspect centers around the design of the caliper. The brake grease helps dampen the harmonic vibration of the pad. It's still annoying but not nearly as much so as before.
Oh, yeah. The service guy at the dealer said it was because of the way I was applying the brakes. Apparently I've been doing it wrong for 51 years, and have just been lucky I never experienced the noise before <sarcasm alert>!
Oh, yeah. The service guy at the dealer said it was because of the way I was applying the brakes. Apparently I've been doing it wrong for 51 years, and have just been lucky I never experienced the noise before <sarcasm alert>!
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,875
Likes: 197
From: Texas
Toz, when you said in your earlier post that you "stoned" the flayed surfaces, what did you mean? Sanding them? Grind them? Thx