Getting Ready For My St. Louis Ride - Need Brake Advice

[DarkSideR]

I leave Saturday for St. Louis, and will be putting a new rear tire on for the trip (Vredestien Sportrac 3 205/60). While I have the rear wheel off I am going to replace the rear brake pads.

The current pads squeak. To eliminate the squeaking, is it as easy as using the paste applied to the backside of the pad or is there an adjustment I can make?  ???

[Joe Hummer]

Make sure your pin is clean and the spring is making good contact with the pads.  A little Brake Quiet on the pin and contact points on the caliper wouldn't hurt.  Also make sure the pins that hold the caliper to the bracket are lubed up good.  That way, your caliper can float. 

Joe

[F6Dave]

Also clean the 2 pistons before pushing them back into the caliper.  If I don't have brake cleaner handy, I often just spray some WD40 or silicon spray on the pistons and wipe the crud off with a Q-tip.

The brake pedal pivot is another part that needs attention.  They tend to corrode and bind up.

[Jess from VA]

I use regular waterproof grease on my caliper pins and it never got it on the pads.  This not only quiets them but more importantly keeps them from hanging up causing irregular wear on the pads and ultimately the rotors.

I also push my caliper pistons almost all the way out and scrub them liberally with gunbore solvent and a brass brush on a pistol rod every time. Then a smear of fine oil.  After scrubbing the always nasty gunk off everything with aerosol brake cleaner (and eye protection).

[DarkSideR]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your advice. I took into account everything above and the rear brake is now quiet.

I think I stumbled upon a possible and common mistake made when servicing the rear brake. I noticed the spring wasn't making good contact. So I bent it back into shape, put in on the caliper, put the pads in, and when I flipped the caliper over the pads swung around and completely bent the spring again to the point where it wasn't making contact. 

And so I took it all apart, bent the spring back (this time heat treated it with a torch so it would hold its shape) and was careful to make sure the pads didn't damage the spring again. I also greased the pins, cleaned everything real good, and use the anti-vibration goo on the back of the pads.

Oh yeah the new tire, so far it's handles great.

[PhredValk]

What pads are you using? OEM are best, but there are some brands that don't work properly with the Valk's rotors; ECM quickly come to mind...
fred.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your advice. I took into account everything above and the rear brake is now quiet.

I think I stumbled upon a possible and common mistake made when servicing the rear brake. I noticed the spring wasn't making good contact. So I bent it back into shape, put in on the caliper, put the pads in, and when I flipped the caliper over the pads swung around and completely bent the spring again to the point where it wasn't making contact. 

And so I took it all apart, bent the spring back (this time heat treated it with a torch so it would hold its shape) and was careful to make sure the pads didn't damage the spring again. I also greased the pins, cleaned everything real good, and use the anti-vibration goo on the back of the pads.

Oh yeah the new tire, so far it's handles great.

Man that`s a mean looking bike you got there. Very nice!