Brake Squeal
 

Hi. I've had an annoying typical brake pad noise ever since fitting Carbon Loraine pads SBK5? to the fornt brakes. The pads appeared to have ceramic backing. The noise dissapears if I brake hard. I tried the usual smear of copper grease on the back of the pads but it hasn't made any difference.
Any ideas?

Do you put brake grease on the pistons also

Not directly, never have. Grease was applied in a position that would interface between the two.

Are you thinking that I may have applied it in an area that would not come into contact?

I've never had a problem with front brake squeal and I used CL SBK5 on both the race bike and the 748.

I do have a real problem with squeal on the rear brake of the 'Tard though, and that has SBK+ on the rear!

I find that a good clean down with brake cleaner and NOT applying copper slip actually cures the noise, but it does come back.

I'm not using the bike(s!) at the moment so it's not a problem, but I'm going to try and strip the rear caliper off and clean it up again over winter, so I'd interested to know what you do Glen.

The brake was fine with Brembo and EBC pads. I can't help wondering if it is something to do with the backing material.

Got to be worth cleaning the Discs and Pads with a proper brake cleaner just in case they have got contaminated

Ok. I will give it a real good clean with brake cleaner and see if it improves.

Did you clean and grease the pistons as crud builds up and if one seazes the pad will vibrate

The squeal can sometimes come from the interface between the side/edge of the back of the pad and caliper, so it can help to have a little dab of copper grease there. Cleaning will always help because it is dust/dirt between the surfaces that normally squeals, but cleaning only works until the dust builds up again.

One other thing that can sometimes cause a squeal is the leading edge of the pad where it touches the disc. Sometimes if that leading edge is very square it causes a squeal, which can be solved by filing an angle onto the leading edge.