Brake rattle fix?

[kleake]

My brake pads rattle, and I see many have had this happen. Any good fix? It's done it since day one, but is getting louder and now I have to apply front and back brakes slightly every time I drive on my gravel driveway or in a rough parking lot. Curious if the dealers are stepping up with a fix rather than us having to buy the anti rattle clips and such?

 

[HotRodZilla]

I think there ate spacers that are supposed to be in there. Don't remember as I haven't had my brakes apart in a while. Maybe your missing them??

 

[RadioHowie]

Curious if the dealers are stepping up with a fix rather than us having to buy the anti rattle clips and such?

The "anti rattle clips" should have been installed at the factory...and transferred to new pads when they are changed. New pads, in my experience, don't come with them.

#7 in the pic below:

Also, #5, the pad retainer spring, should be applying some inward pressure on the pads to keep them from rattling.

 

[kleake]

Pads have never been replaced, but I did have them off once to inspect for the rattle. I don't remember seeing any clips of any sort in there, but I will be pulling the wheel off again this week for my tire issue and will look at this again. If I don't have the clips, I will be making a stop by the dealer to see if they will fund the clips.

 

[ionbeam]

Curious if the dealers are stepping up with a fix rather than us having to buy the anti rattle clips and such?

The "anti rattle clips" should have been installed at the factory...and transferred to new pads when they are changed. New pads, in my experience, don't come with them.

#7 in the pic below:

Also, #5, the pad retainer spring, should be applying some inward pressure on the pads to keep them from rattling.

That 'Howie, whatta joker. I would suggest that your Gen II front brakes look more like this:

No pad clips, just two brake pad springs #4 on each caliper.

Are you sure that it is the pads that are rattling and not the rotors? It has been common for Gen II floating rotors to make noise.

 

[RadioHowie]

OOPSIE!!! Yep, my pic's for a Gen I.

Sorry for the mistake.

Thanks, Alan.

 

[kleake]

That does look a little closer to mine, and I think I do remember those spring plates. I'll check them when I pull the wheel in a few days and see what I can see. I know I can move the pad easily so maybe those need to be bent to hold tighter.

 

[kleake]

While I had my wheels off to get the tires replaced I inspected the brakes. The clips are there, and they put a downward pressure on the pads, but they still rattle side to side since the clips only put a downward pressure on them. What I did that has at least temporarly solved it is to put a thin layer of silicone right where the cup meets the pad. Not enough to make a mess and get everywhere, but just a thin layer to help the pad stick to the piston. This worked so far, and the rattle is gone. We'll see how long it lasts, but it may last for a long while.

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

My 08 is making the clicking sound as tire rotates due to the rear linked pad on the right front brake being loose. Pad does engage when rear brake applied. Clicking getting annoying.

 

[kleake]

So far the silicone is still working. Pull the pads and clean the back side of them. Apply a thin coat of high temp silicone in a circle shape where the piston meets the pad. Carefully re-insert the pad trying not to rub the silicone off. Once in position, apply the brake to stick them together. Now let it set a few hours for the silicone to set up.

 

[LAF]

So far the silicone is still working. Pull the pads and clean the back side of them. Apply a thin coat of high temp silicone in a circle shape where the piston meets the pad. Carefully re-insert the pad trying not to rub the silicone off. Once in position, apply the brake to stick them together. Now let it set a few hours for the silicone to set up.

So you are using RTV and gluing the pads to the pistons? If so I am thinking it is not a good idea.

I thought you were using a silicone grease of some type.

Every tire change I clean calipers and brake pads, including pistons. I also use anti seize on any anti rattle clip or retaining pins, I also use a very fine coat to the back of the pad area you are describing to keep the pistons and the pads all moving freely with a bit of high temp anti seize. I was taught this many many years ago and I have never had any issues with brakes other then loose rotor buttons on the K1200 LT, which they replaced after some fussing.

I have heard of disk break pad spray you sprayed on the back of the pads but it looked like a thick smooth "rubberized" coating but it's intent was to deaden sound and the pistons did not stick to it.

I would worry of RTV coming loose and ending up in the piston path and be forced into the seal and cause a leak. Or burning it on my pads if it came loose.

Just me and I am sure I am too fussy.

 

[dcarver]

The Gen2's have the same 'lining' on inside of pad as described by the Gen1 pix above. I know, cause I forgot to translate that piece on a pad change years ago..

 

[Bustanut joker]

Translate Don? Yer drinkin' ain't ya? :lol:

 

[RadioHowie]

The Gen2's have the same 'lining' on inside of pad as described by the Gen1 pix above. I know, cause I forgot to translate that piece on a pad change years ago..

Didjer balls fall off.........again???

 

[BlackStar]

My 2010 has the same anoying pad rattle my 08 had. The alleged "anti-rattle" clips are there. I'll be pulling the pads today and coating the back side of the pads with disk brake quiet. That worked on the 08. I think it effectively bonds the pads to the pistons, or provides some damping to the rattle. I need to look at my FZ1 and see why the pads don't rattle, never have. The only bikes that are allowed to rattle are Ducati dry clutches and harleys.

 

[kleake]

So far the silicone is still working. Pull the pads and clean the back side of them. Apply a thin coat of high temp silicone in a circle shape where the piston meets the pad. Carefully re-insert the pad trying not to rub the silicone off. Once in position, apply the brake to stick them together. Now let it set a few hours for the silicone to set up.

So you are using RTV and gluing the pads to the pistons? If so I am thinking it is not a good idea.

I thought you were using a silicone grease of some type.

Every tire change I clean calipers and brake pads, including pistons. I also use anti seize on any anti rattle clip or retaining pins, I also use a very fine coat to the back of the pad area you are describing to keep the pistons and the pads all moving freely with a bit of high temp anti seize. I was taught this many many years ago and I have never had any issues with brakes other then loose rotor buttons on the K1200 LT, which they replaced after some fussing.

I have heard of disk break pad spray you sprayed on the back of the pads but it looked like a thick smooth "rubberized" coating but it's intent was to deaden sound and the pistons did not stick to it.

I would worry of RTV coming loose and ending up in the piston path and be forced into the seal and cause a leak. Or burning it on my pads if it came loose.

Just me and I am sure I am too fussy.

Yes, I used RTV. I had orignially tried some grease designed to stop squeaks, but it did little to no good at all. I didn't use much RTV, just a small thin layer right where the piston contacts the pad. If this doesn't hold, I will try something else, but so far this is working. I am not too worried about it coming loose and getting into the piston seal since I didn't apply that thick of a spot, and the RTV is softer than sand and dirt that would get into the seal on normal usage.

The Gen2's have the same 'lining' on inside of pad as described by the Gen1 pix above. I know, cause I forgot to translate that piece on a pad change years ago..

Mine doesn't have any type of "lining" on the inside of the pad, only a clip at the top to apply tension on the pad to the pin. Effectively, the clip stops any up and down movement of the pad, but it still moves side to side pretty freely causing the rattle.

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

For clarity to see if we share the same symptoms. When the bike is rolling, are you hearing a click at the same rotation point from the brake pad? That becomes faster as the tire rotates faster. I have put the bike on centerstand and hoist the front off the ground, then rotated the tire and the click was from the right side, outside, bottom brake pad. The pad was loose to where I pushed with my finger. I became concerned then I pushed the rear brakes and it was not loose but engaged. So is this identical to the OP symptoms? It's getting louder at 25k miles.

But, before I pulled forks and cleaned the calipers and brake pads and reassembled I did not hear the clicking loose pad. The clips are all in place too.

 

[kleake]

That is similar, but not the same. Mine never rattles unless I hit a bump. If I drive on gravel, it is constant rattle as I am rolling along. Touch the brakes slightly and it stops until I release the brakes and it starts back. I hear it most below 10 mph.

 

[BlackStar]

I used this stuff and fixed it, for now. https://www.permatex.com/documents/tds/Automotive/80729.pdf

I pulled the pins, clips, and pads, one at a time. Pushed the pistons back so that during re-installation the pistons would not scrape the adhesive off of the back of the pad, and pile it up on the edge of the piston and get between the piston and the bore.

Clean the back of the pad with brake cleaner. There are no buffers or pads between the piston and the pad backing plate. I applied the goo with a disposable acid brush. I used a double coat, keeping the goo off of the edges of the pad backer plate. There is no need to coat the loop that the pin goes through. Let it dry for 10 minutes. I used a heat gun to cure it faster. Don't re-install the pad while the stuff is still runny. Carefully re-install keeping the pad back off of the caliper slot to again avoid scraping the stuff off and piling it up on the top edge of the caliper slot. Install at an angle keeping the pad against the rotor and off of the back of the rotor slot where the piston is. Re-install pins and clips and squeeze brake lever to re-seat everything. repeat for remaining three.

I now have no more side to side pad rattle in the caliper slots. It does not take much of this stuff and you don't want to over-apply and end up with a gummed up mess. You only really need the adhesive around the circumfrence of the piston / pad interface. It creates a light bond between the piston and the back of the pad. I only ever heard this at low speeds, before wind noise drowned it out. My rotors were not loose in the buttons. Took maybe 1/2 hour to do. We'll see how long it lasts.

My FZ1 front brakes are very similar to the Gen 1 brakes pictured above and have never rattled.

Ride Safe