77 KZ650 Front Brake Squeak

9am53 wrote:

It's funny this post is up now, I was just going to make this identical post today myself. Had my pads changed and they squeal when I am slowly apporaching red lights, but not under heavy braking...

Well, there you go. Wait 'till the last second and then hit the brakes hard! Problem solved... :woohoo:

Seriously, try sanding the pads, bevel the edges too. Put a thin layer of synthetic disc brake grease on back of pads. I've used aftermarket pads with no squeel at all and had to do none of the above.

After scrupulous cleaning of contact areas between caliper and rear side of pads, I carefully apply Permatex High Temp Copper over the entire surfaces of such contact areas before installing the pads.

This was after experimenting with several other methods such as sanding, grooving, embedding pencil leads, etc., and different products including the standard automotive anti-squeak goo (which was way too thin imo and basically worthless for motorcycle disc brake application).

At present, can't entice the tiniest squeak under any circumstances no matter what, wet or dry, hard or soft application of brake.

Same on both bikes, Z1 with single disc and KZ900-B1 LTD with twin discs. Both bikes equipped with original stock front brake calipers and discs.

These pleasing and long lasting results are with aftermarket pads from Z1E.

I would agree that the expensive oem genuine factory produced KHI Kawasaki pads may be less inclined to squeal, but am getting along just fine with dead silent braking using the aftermarket items installed as noted.

Where there's a choice, I opt for the softest pad material available. Thinking the softer material is less likely to squeak, and offer less wear and tear on the disc.

Good Luck!

[Click on image for better view]

You guys are either smarter than me or I'm just unlucky, because I tried 5 or 6 brands of pads, sanding the rotors, sanding the pads, cutting grooves in the pads, making sure the shim was positioned correctly, added brake squeel. All this added up to a whopping zero, so into the bin with all 6 sets and no more problem since using Kawsaki pads.

Is it ok to turn the rotors or do you just replace them when they get groves in them?

davej6997 wrote:

Is it ok to turn the rotors or do you just replace them when they get groves in them?

Neither. As long as the grooves are light, you leave them alone. You install new pads, mate them gradually and the new pads level the grooves as much as necessary.

The stainless rotors on bikes typically don't turn well on the machines made for turning car rotors because the cutters chatter on the face. I think bike rotors have to be surface ground which is harder than rotary lathing and takes a different machine. There are places online that provide the service if needed. I think you only cut the rotors if they are warped and don't run true anymore.

I think it was Sandy who posted a little while ago that he found he got less squeal with cheaper pads because they had a lower amount of metal in the grit and so caused less squeal. Might be an idea if shimming doesn't solve the problem!