Squealing Brakes
Squealing Brakes
I recently built a new front dynohub wheel for our tandem, since when the front v-brake squeals badly. I have tried everything I know of. Toe-in, scrupulously cleaning rim and pads, cleaning and regreasing the bushings. Sometimes there's a temporary improvement but not for long. Never had any problem with old wheel. In nearly 60 years of cycling and doing all my own bike maintenance I've never had a squealing brake that I couldn't cure. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Re: Squealing Brakes
Is there some play in the bushes?
I've had a similar thing with the rear cantilever on my touring bike - it needed quite an extreme toe in.
Didn't have a problem with the front.
I've had a similar thing with the rear cantilever on my touring bike - it needed quite an extreme toe in.
Didn't have a problem with the front.
Re: Squealing Brakes
When problem solving, always go for the cheapest/ least trouble and usually most logical solution first,iandusud wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 11:35am I recently built a new front dynohub wheel for our tandem, since when the front v-brake squeals badly. I have tried everything I know of. Toe-in, scrupulously cleaning rim and pads, cleaning and regreasing the bushings. Sometimes there's a temporary improvement but not for long. Never had any problem with old wheel. In nearly 60 years of cycling and doing all my own bike maintenance I've never had a squealing brake that I couldn't cure. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
That would be ,try some different brake pads in it just swap them front to back and see if the squeal moves with them.
Then swap the brakes over, then if that fails, borrow a wheel from some where and try that.
If non of those do the trick, there is a very good chance you have a poltergeist
Last edited by jo' bo on 11 May 2021, 12:53pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Squealing Brakes
Ditto. The stock Deore XT V-brakes on my touring bike squealed initially. I got rid of the squeal by swapping the stock pads for salmon Koolstop pads. I kept the Shimano pad holders and just swapped in these inserts in salmon colour: http://www.koolstop.com/english/v_type2.html.
I've also heard good things from other users about the same Koolstop pads in the grey ebike compound, but haven't tried them myself. They're supposed to cope with the higher speeds / greater weight of ebikes, and so might be worthwhile investigating for a tandem.
Re: Squealing Brakes
Lots of recent advice here including cleaning your rims with wd-40.
viewtopic.php?t=145428.
viewtopic.php?t=145428.
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840
Re: Squealing Brakes
I wouldn't sweat it. My ride to work bike had this and it helped to warn pedestrians I was behind them. The noise has gone now of its own accord
Re: Squealing Brakes
Yes, and you can choose to use it accordingly.
We started the EV15 with a big zigzagging Alpine descent and full touring loads. I liked being able to hear the squeaky brakes on my wife's bike as it told me where she was.
But I'd still try and stop it happening.
Jonathan
Last edited by Jdsk on 11 May 2021, 2:41pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Squealing Brakes
rjb wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 1:54pm Lots of recent advice here including cleaning your rims with wd-40.
viewtopic.php?t=145428.
Just remember, when you’re over the hill, you begin to pick up speed.
Re: Squealing Brakes
Badly squealing rim brakes can loosen spokes with the highly resonating vibration that goes through the wheel.
Cheers
J Bro
J Bro
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Re: Squealing Brakes
Might be too clean. When the MTB gets its yearly optical bollocking inevitably the discs and the pads get degreased to a certain extent. They sound like a howling banshee for a couple of weeks afterwards, after they have accrued some road crud and or GT85 overspray they quieten down no end.iandusud wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 11:35am I recently built a new front dynohub wheel for our tandem, since when the front v-brake squeals badly. I have tried everything I know of. Toe-in, scrupulously cleaning rim and pads, cleaning and regreasing the bushings. Sometimes there's a temporary improvement but not for long. Never had any problem with old wheel. In nearly 60 years of cycling and doing all my own bike maintenance I've never had a squealing brake that I couldn't cure. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Just remember, when you’re over the hill, you begin to pick up speed.
Re: Squealing Brakes
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. Rims too clean? - No it's the same when filthy. It'll go away after a while once everything beds in - no it hasn't. Different brake pads - I'm on my third different set with no improvement. Wear on the pivots - this I think is the most likely cause. I've just inspected them and there is quite a bit of "wiggle" on the pivots. Not particularly old having done about 3000 miles and I do most of the braking on the rear disc. Tektro RV-6 BTW. However on closer I noted a fair amount of end float on the pivots, so I have carefully filed down the length of the pivots (not the fork bosses) to reduce the end float to a minimum and reassembled. This has in turn greatly reduced the "wiggle". I haven't tested it because despite the weather forecast of light showers it is chucking it down with thunder and lightning thrown in for good measure! It'll get it's next outing on Thursday so I will report back.
Cheers, Ian
Cheers, Ian
Re: Squealing Brakes
OK, I said I would report back. Huge improvement. Some squealing when braking very hard but not unbearable (unlike before) and nothing under moderate braking. I'm hoping that it will improve as the brake blocks settle in.
Re: Squealing Brakes
Thanks for the update.
Jonathan
Jonathan
Re: Squealing Brakes
Further update. After a weekend in the Dales the squeal came back. As an experiment I fitted a full sized v-brake (Shimano XT) from my mountain bike to see if it was any better. Much better as in no squeal. Now I know that the cable pull of the Tiagra 4700 brake lever is not correctly matched to the long v-brake but I did have a "travel agent" to hand but thought I'd try without. I find it works great. I appreciate that I probably have it set up with the pads closer to the rim that with the correct lever and that I might need to adjust the cable more frequently but that's hardly a big job in the grand scheme of things. What I do get is better mechanical advantage giving me far superior braking. So I'm going to stick with this set up for the time being and see how it pans out.