When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hey guys I've been having a little annoying problem with my rear brakes. Every time i come to a stop using my brakes, the rotor starts to hum real loud as if there are worn out brake pads on it or something. Pads are fine so i have absolutely no clue whats causing it. Could it be cheap brake pads? Its an '03 Fatboy fyi.
What you may be hearing is vibration. There is a little clip in there that acts as an anti-rattle device. It could have dropped off when the pads were last replaced. My brakes kind of groaned...but not all the time...usually when cold. You can also remove and spray the back of the pads with brake quiet...let it set for awhile...then reinstall. Some folks also report that a sticky caliper piston causes the problem. Brand new pads may also groan a bit until they wear in...mine did.
I get the same thing, and use Lyndall Pads which are slotted to remove excess dust. Did the insulating film behind the pad - still got rotor sing. Maybe a teflon shim would be more effective?
One friend suggested the rotor is glazed due to excessive heat. It doesn't appear too be, though I'll clean it with some steel wool and see what happens. Last resort may be to disassemble the caliper.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.