I will be tar-n-feathered MY FRONT BRAKE SQUEELS

1978 kz1000, put on new brake pads, wow -- how do I get them to stop squeaking? People just want to stay away from me now 'oh shit here comes that squealer.' Neighbors starting to talk, local dogs startin to bite me, various civil authorities cast condescending gazes
in my general direction and SO ON.

I've put 1000 miles on the bike in stop-n-go traffic so the 'glaze' (?) must be wore off by now. And they don't squeal when I'm riding it with hands off the front brake lever -- the squealing starts
when I squeeze the front brake, so that product you
can buy to stop squealing (this product just makes sure
your disc brake puck retreats completely into the caliper
when the brake's not being squeezed) that product won't work here.

Do I need to put a crosshatch pattern on the rotor or something? The rotor upon being measured is in spec in terms of thickness and is not a new rotor, same one as before I bought the new pads (EBC pads).

Shoot, I never wanted to be a squealer when I was
growing up.

Try beveling the edges of the pad, especially the leading edges.

Many of the non-Genuine brake pads squeal. I eliminated the noise by cutting a chamfer or bevel on the leading and trailing edge of the pads and using Permatex anti-squeal on the back of the pads. Also, wipe the rotors clean of dust as this tends to improve things a bit. The best solution is NOS Kawasaki pads if you can find them. Or, you can just let 'em squeal and consider it a safety device (like loud pipes). Ed

I have found on mine that when they squeal, if I take compressed air and blow the brake dust out of the caliper and wipe off the disc with brake cleaner and a rag, the squeal disappears until more brake dust is generated. Unfortunately it only takes about 2 or 3 stops to generate brake dust. I am at a loss as well, so if anybody has a long term solution, give it up.

Edit: you guys posted 2 responses while I was typing this, thanks!

One of my front brakes leaks too much fluid to actually squeal. I guess i should fix that.

if you still have the old factory pads pry the tin piece off and glue it onto your new one

Did you apply brake grease to the backs of them?

JMKZHI wrote:

Did you apply brake grease to the backs of them?

Nope, didn't know there was such a thing as brake grease. Didn't know about beveling the edges of the pads either. Will try both -- where do I get the 'brake grease' and what does it do -- allow the pads to rotate in the caliper?


By the way I just had new front brake rotors put on my Jeep and the new rotors came new out of the box with distinctive cross hatch and I asked the Jeep mechanic 'are those rotors used or something' but he said 'NO' and he did not know why the manufacturer put the cross hatching on the rotors -- so I wonder if anyone out there had there

rotors turned on their bike and did it affect squealing?

"Nobody likes a squealer. Except me, Danny."
(Chevy Chase in 'Caddyshack')

650ed wrote:

Many of the non-Genuine brake pads squeal.

+1 The Kawi pads have an anti squeal shim on the back that keeps a little spring load on the pad as it applies. If not, the pad vibrates against the disc face as you apply the brakes. I tried a lot of "fixes" on my squealing pads and none of them lasted very long. I finally got a helmet with better ear insulation.

PLUMMEN wrote:

if you still have the old factory pads pry the tin piece off and glue it onto your new one

On mine those are riveted on the back of the pad and have a slight angle for spring load effect. I don't think having a loose shim in their will do any good because the whole thing can still vibrate.

Basically the squeal your hearing is a harmonic vibration. Using the shims or applying synthetic disc brake grease absorbs the vibration hense no noise. Beveling the pads also seems to help. If the rotor could be mounted up some how and spun, you could knock off the glaze with a sanding disc on a drill motor. Kind of like honing a cylinder, without that the rings would never seat. Same with pads, helps them seat better.

newOld_kz1000 wrote:

... -- where do I get the 'brake grease' ...

Auto parts stores. I use Permatex Ultra Disc Brake Caliper Lube in the little packets to grease the caliper lubrication points including the backs of the pads (but not the piston of course). You don't need much - the 7g packets are plenty.

Permatex® Ultra Disc Brake Caliper Lube
Technical Data Sheet w useage info

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