Hey look, a new problem to troubleshoot: when I apply front brake, I hear a quick quiet clicking sound, like metal on metal. I hear the same sound when I release the front brake. I hear it when Im rolling around a parking lot. I checked all the fasteners down there and nothing is loose. Front axle looks good and the cotter pin that I put in last year has not moved. Plenty of pads left on the new brakes I put in last year too. Any idea?

Could it be that the front rotor is a bit warped?

Can you get the bike on a front stand or somehow take weight off the front wheel?  Then rotate the front wheel and see if you can reproduce and isolate the noise.

Or is it the front fork diving under braking pressure?  Stiction on the seals?

It's quiet enough that you only hear it at slow speeds?  Does it get worse or higher frequency at higher rpm's?

Quote from: Endopotential on August 10, 2017, 06:31:47 PM
Could it be that the front rotor is a bit warped?

unlikely, there's no vibration when i brake both slow or fast. this noise is independent of speed so i doubt its rotor or pads. although maybe the pads have shifted and are clicking around?

Quote from: Endopotential on August 10, 2017, 06:31:47 PM
Or is it the front fork diving under braking pressure? 

It always has, I thought this model is notorious for it. Maybe mine got worse slowly. What does that indicate and what should I do?

Quote from: Endopotential on August 10, 2017, 06:31:47 PM
Stiction on the seals?

I dont know. Do you mean the fork seals? Forks look clean 

Makes me think of stiction of forks seals as well. You often hear almost a light Snapple cap sound when the rubber starts getting dry.

- Bboy


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Disk brake bobbins rattling around? Most disk are the floating type and the bobbins can move around to allow the rotor float smoothly.

Quote from: pliskin on August 11, 2017, 01:19:50 PM
Disk brake bobbins rattling around? Most disk are the floating type and the bobbins can move around to allow the rotor float smoothly.

I can second this. Mine makes a similar noise and have traced it to the disc, the outer has a tiny fore-aft movement in relation to the inner.

Quote from: pliskin on August 11, 2017, 01:19:50 PM
Disk brake bobbins rattling around? Most disk are the floating type and the bobbins can move around to allow the rotor float smoothly.

OK, well in that case either the bobbins or seals have worn. It's a new noise. Haven't heard it for 12,000 miles!

Do you have a front fork oil leak? If the level gets low enough you will start to hear all the internal parts of the forks.

Quote from: BockinBboy on August 10, 2017, 08:21:53 PM
Makes me think of stiction of forks seals as well. You often hear almost a light Snapple cap sound when the rubber starts getting dry.

- Bboy


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Mine has this sound too.  I think it's slightly worn bushing on the fork tube.  I tuned the stiction on my forks with the speed of drop method (twisting the fork tubes in the triple with no springs until you get the fastest drop rate with a weight hanging from the axle), and it helped somewhat.

That is so clever--I had not heard of the "drop method."

Quote from: Sandgroper57 on August 12, 2017, 12:50:31 AM

Quote from: pliskin on August 11, 2017, 01:19:50 PM
Disk brake bobbins rattling around? Most disk are the floating type and the bobbins can move around to allow the rotor float smoothly.

I can second this. Mine makes a similar noise and have traced it to the disc, the outer has a tiny fore-aft movement in relation to the inner.

3 votes now. Semi-floating rotors will do this as they wear. Nothing to worry about.

Good to know on the disc brake rotor.

Quote from: ajensen on August 14, 2017, 09:21:12 PM
That is so clever--I had not heard of the "drop method."

Here is the reference I was following when i tried the "drop speed" method.  It's Step 3 here.  I didn't do the other two steps.

http://vmaxoutlaw.com/tech/fork_stiction_tuning.htm