Why are my brakes squeaking?

[MVent03]

I could use the dog whistle feature. I've got a dog that keeps running out Of its yard and trying to eat me on my bike. Not a very big dog, 50# ish, but it's getting really annoying. Thinking about aiming for it next time.

[BaltimoreGS]

Anti-squeal?!! It's a miracle!


Should most auto places have this?

Does it affect grip of the pad to the rotor?

All anti-squeal products are apllied to the back of the pads 

Not all actually.  We have a product at work that is applied to the disc to prevent/reduce squeaking.  I have used it on GS discs before with good results  Not sure if it is available outside of a dealer setting though.  I'll put a pic of the stuff below.

And if anybody is looking for the stuff you put on the back of the pads that previous posters were referring to, I have a bunch of that hanging around.  Toyota brake pad shims come with a little packet of the stuff but I have a big can that I use.  I usually end up with a pile of them I throw away if anybody wants them.

-Jessie

Product applied to the disc


Cut the label off

[Kijona]

My favorite term was coined by Adidasguy.

"Musical Rear Brake"

[SS Adrenaline]

If its from vibration could you then make a gasket (rubber or cork) that goes on the back of the pad?  Nothing to thick or anything and the breaks are self adjusting.

[Huff1371]

I might be wrong but anything you put on th BACK of the pad would help but would likely be temporary due to the constant thermal changes that happen in brakes. Any auto-parts store will carry something made for the "musical rear brake" haters. The stuff that BaltimoreGS posted is wonderful and I've used it on many different vehicles with success. I did find that it works best after you clean everything really good with brake cleaner. Don't inhale too much or you won't be able to ride for a couple hours

[gsJack]

I wasn't hearing any rear brake squeal for a long time on my 02 GS but it had started coming back just a bit recently until I changed the rear tire a month ago and it was gone again.  Had lots of extremely loud annoying rear brake squeal when I got my first GS about 13 years ago.

I'm surprised the rear wheel alignment issue hasn't come up yet in this thread, the squeal is affected by wheel alignment in my opinion and that of quite a few others who experienced it over the years.  Getting your rear wheel aligned perfectly can and has eliminated the squeal for some of us, no need to put that anti squeal stuff on in most cases.

[sledge]

If its from vibration could you then make a gasket (rubber or cork) that goes on the back of the pad?  Nothing to thick or anything and the breaks are self adjusting.

Noooooo!!! 

[Paulcet]

Ahh, come on, Sledge!  That's like ABS for what - a few pennies?

[Suzuki Stevo]

I wasn't hearing any rear brake squeal for a long time on my 02 GS but it had started coming back just a bit recently until I changed the rear tire a month ago and it was gone again.  Had lots of extremely loud annoying rear brake squeal when I got my first GS about 13 years ago.

I'm surprised the rear wheel alignment issue hasn't come up yet in this thread, the squeal is affected by wheel alignment in my opinion and that of quite a few others who experienced it over the years.  Getting your rear wheel aligned perfectly can and has eliminated the squeal for some of us, no need to put that anti squeal stuff on in most cases.

When they make noise with perfect alignment, Goo is the answer, Goo fixed the squeal from the front of my 79' GS750, front wheels are always aligned correctly   

[gsJack]

I wasn't hearing any rear brake squeal for a long time on my 02 GS but it had started coming back just a bit recently until I changed the rear tire a month ago and it was gone again.  Had lots of extremely loud annoying rear brake squeal when I got my first GS about 13 years ago.

I'm surprised the rear wheel alignment issue hasn't come up yet in this thread, the squeal is affected by wheel alignment in my opinion and that of quite a few others who experienced it over the years.  Getting your rear wheel aligned perfectly can and has eliminated the squeal for some of us, no need to put that anti squeal stuff on in most cases.

When they make noise with perfect alignment, Goo is the answer, Goo fixed the squeal from the front of my 79' GS750, front wheels are always aligned correctly 

I fixed the front brakes on my CB750K and CB650SC bikes with a switch to EBC Kevlar pads which were advertised to eliminate brake squeal back then.  The EBC Organic pads didn't help the GS500 rear brakes though.

Front wheels are not aligned perfectly with the calipers bolted to the forks and the discs bolted to the wheels and the tolerance stackups involved between the two.  This has been handled on the GS by use of pin sliders for the caliper and a semi floating disc and I've had no brake squeal problems at all on the front.

Actually by design it's the GS rear that should remain in good alignment between the disc and the caliper.  The caliper is mounted to a bracket that is mounted to the axle so the caliper in theory will turn with the axle adjustments staying aligned with the wheel/disc.  In practice however it doesn't quite work out this way and there has been much discussion and dissagreement here over the years on this subject.  I'll search a bit later on past posts again, took a quick look at some of them yesterday by searching for rear brake squeal posts by gsjack.  They go back 7-8 years I think. Going riding now on my squeal free GS.   

[Suzuki Stevo]

I tried sanding the pads on my GS750, wiping down the rotors with naphtha/acetone(?) changing the pads to a Vesrah  pads (can't remember what type, it was 33 years ago) blowing the calipers out with compressed air, everything I did worked, but only for a short time 
In the end Goobering up the back of the pads was the only thing that worked for any length of time...lasted for about a year If I remember correctly? 

[coasternuts]

I too also have the squeal.  However I notice it more dependent on the level of stopping.  Nice slow ease into the stop doesn't seem as bad.

[BaltimoreGS]

As I mentioned before I have a bunch of that stuff you put on the back side of the pad leftover from brake jobs at work, let me know if any of you want some before it ends up in the trash bin.

-Jessie

[MVent03]

I too also have the squeal.  However I notice it more dependent on the level of stopping.  Nice slow ease into the stop doesn't seem as bad.

My squeal is only noticeable on lighter, slow speed braking. usually under 15mph when I'm coming to a casual stop at a light or stop sign.

Hard braking makes no noise until I start to lift.


Just to try it, I put the bike in 1st, got up to about 10mph, eased on to the rear brake fairly hard while maintaining my speed with the throttle. Basically I was trying to "scrub" any junk that might be on the rear pads or rotor. I know, this isn't a good fix.

So far I haven't had any squealing after several stops that would have normally caused the squeal.