Help with Front break squeal?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 14
From: Idaho
Help with Front break squeal?
So I pulled my front brakes apart and cleaned them up, measured the stock (HD) rotors within spec & after a few rides the squeal is back once more. New Ferodor racing front & rear pads too, plus the brake pad silicone stuff. For those of you who have had to deal with this, what in the world have you done to solve this.
(2000 Ultra, stock brake system)
It was recommended that I flip the rotors, but they are marked "left" and "right" would there be any issues flipping them? or is this going to cause catastrophic failure?
Thanks
(2000 Ultra, stock brake system)
It was recommended that I flip the rotors, but they are marked "left" and "right" would there be any issues flipping them? or is this going to cause catastrophic failure?
Thanks
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
the squeal is caused by the pads vibrating.
the pins need to be greased so that the pads slide back and forth and make contact evenly.
the no-squeak silicone stuff is to help dampen vibrations on the backside of the pads.
the hardware that holds the pads should be new or really clean, sprung clips won't hold the pad(s) well.
chamfering the leading edge at a 30ş or 45ş can help- the leading edge is the edge closer to the ground.
and the harder the pad is, the more likely to squeal ( but less dust)- it's a trade off. I don't know that brand so I can't guess how they rate for hard/soft.
if the rotors have grooves in them, they need to be resurfaced, or the new pads will work like a stylus on a record
if they are warped, they need replaced
and new hardware on the rotors if you do.
I wouldn't flip flop the used rotors- that sounds weird to me
mike
the pins need to be greased so that the pads slide back and forth and make contact evenly.
the no-squeak silicone stuff is to help dampen vibrations on the backside of the pads.
the hardware that holds the pads should be new or really clean, sprung clips won't hold the pad(s) well.
chamfering the leading edge at a 30ş or 45ş can help- the leading edge is the edge closer to the ground.
and the harder the pad is, the more likely to squeal ( but less dust)- it's a trade off. I don't know that brand so I can't guess how they rate for hard/soft.
if the rotors have grooves in them, they need to be resurfaced, or the new pads will work like a stylus on a record
if they are warped, they need replaced
and new hardware on the rotors if you do.
I wouldn't flip flop the used rotors- that sounds weird to me
mike
Last edited by mkguitar; Apr 27, 2012 at 08:31 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,890
Likes: 73
From: MA
MK pretty much covered it, but I have found that chamfering the leading edges of the pads has been the most effective remedy. Just to take the guess work out of it I chamfered the back, bottom and front edges of my pads with a file.
As for flipping the rotors, there was a squealing issue with the rotors around 2006 (I can't be sure the exact model year(s) involved) but it did include my '06 FLHTCI. Had the dealer flip them at that time.
I don't have a before pic, but this is the after pic showing the left rotor on the right side.
As for flipping the rotors, there was a squealing issue with the rotors around 2006 (I can't be sure the exact model year(s) involved) but it did include my '06 FLHTCI. Had the dealer flip them at that time.
I don't have a before pic, but this is the after pic showing the left rotor on the right side.
Last edited by soos; Apr 27, 2012 at 08:51 PM.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 14
From: Idaho
the squeal is caused by the pads vibrating.
the pins need to be greased so that the pads slide back and forth and make contact evenly.
the no-squeak silicone stuff is to help dampen vibrations on the backside of the pads.
the hardware that holds the pads should be new or really clean, sprung clips won't hold the pad(s) well.
chamfering the leading edge at a 30ş or 45ş can help- the leading edge is the edge closer to the ground.
and the harder the pad is, the more likely to squeal ( but less dust)- it's a trade off. I don't know that brand so I can't guess how they rate for hard/soft.
if the rotors have grooves in them, they need to be resurfaced, or the new pads will work like a stylus on a record
if they are warped, they need replaced
and new hardware on the rotors if you do.
I wouldn't flip flop the used rotors- that sounds weird to me
mike
the pins need to be greased so that the pads slide back and forth and make contact evenly.
the no-squeak silicone stuff is to help dampen vibrations on the backside of the pads.
the hardware that holds the pads should be new or really clean, sprung clips won't hold the pad(s) well.
chamfering the leading edge at a 30ş or 45ş can help- the leading edge is the edge closer to the ground.
and the harder the pad is, the more likely to squeal ( but less dust)- it's a trade off. I don't know that brand so I can't guess how they rate for hard/soft.
if the rotors have grooves in them, they need to be resurfaced, or the new pads will work like a stylus on a record
if they are warped, they need replaced
and new hardware on the rotors if you do.
I wouldn't flip flop the used rotors- that sounds weird to me
mike
Thanks , curious any sort of file or just any file to work the edges of the pads?
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 325
Likes: 2
From: Texas
Coincidentally I installed a 2012 wheel/ tire on my 07 SG today and I was looking in the manual to see how to torque the brake rotors and to my astonishment the 07 manual clearly states that the rotor marked right goes on the left and vice versa. I thought that surely it was a typo, but it restated it two more times and then had a diagram showing it as well. I was really stumped as to why they would have them labeled like that, but after doing an online search I found out that HD did it specifically to get rid of squealing.
By the way, for those that don't have a service manual if you remove your rotors and swap them you need to install new fasteners. It states this in the manual and I also confirmed it with one of the techs at the dealer, they're one-time-use only.
By the way, for those that don't have a service manual if you remove your rotors and swap them you need to install new fasteners. It states this in the manual and I also confirmed it with one of the techs at the dealer, they're one-time-use only.
Last edited by TheArchitect; Apr 27, 2012 at 11:14 PM.
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When my 07 SG was new, the LH rotor was marked RH & the RH marked LH so I asked the Serv Mgr, a good friend, & he said that was correct. Something to do with warping I recall.... But they still warped at 20k miles anyway. I never reuse rotor bolts, just an old habit from years gone by. You can dress old rotors by putting them on a flat surface & lightly sanding them with a powered palm sander, use 220 grit
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