Really noisy squeeky brakes.

[wonderment]

Our new trike had its first service this past Monday. Even before the service our brakes (rear mostly) are really noisy and squeaky. The service guy just said that, "He wasn't surprised." Well, I thought they would remedy that with the service. But did not.

I am NOT at all technically minded. But was wondering, if I could do something about the noise. It is embarassing coming to a stop.

 

[Bruce]

welcome to the world of the Harley Tri-Glide -- thats about what all the dealers are saying -- " we haven't heard of any problems with squeaky rear brakes "

 

[Ironhorsepilot]

Mine did that when I first got it. Probably couple thousand miles, but it quit finally. After this last service, it started again after they "adjusted" the parking brake. I really think it has something to do with that PB.

 

[TheBobs]

Mine squeak like crazy too since the PB was adjusted.

 

[Trent]

My '11 did it too. Dealer told me cuz the clearance is so tight between the new pads and disk that it does not take much crap in there to make some noise. Told me to slam on the rear brakes a coupla times if it got real noisy, and that would help clean the crap out. Did that, and it seemed to help. It stopped doing it a long time ago and at 3,000 miles does not do it now. Just need to break it in I think.

 

[greyfang]

mine has been doing it since new and now at 7000 miles, there is no difference. still very noisy coming to a stop. love to know the cure for this.

 

[Boom]

My '11 did it too. Dealer told me cuz the clearance is so tight between the new pads and disk that it does not take much crap in there to make some noise. Told me to slam on the rear brakes a coupla times if it got real noisy, and that would help clean the crap out. Did that, and it seemed to help. It stopped doing it a long time ago and at 3,000 miles does not do it now. Just need to break it in I think.

My '10 squealed for the longest time but I was able to ignore them. Wasn't crazy about the stopping characteristics though. But at 13,000 miles, I stripped off the rear pads, cleaned the rear rotors and calipers, installed the new style pads, and adjusted everything by the book. No more squealing and the stopping power is much better. The PB works like a champ also! The rotors don't look pretty but they have no gouges.
BTW, rear pad kit comes with new pins, circlips, and locking nuts (pads too, of course.)

 

[wonderment]

At the 1,000 service, they DID adjust the PB. It is much more difficult to engage it. To be honest, I sat in the back yesterday while my wife drove and I could hear a similar squeek all down the road. Especially when driving by a wall or something, where the sound bounced back. Maybe I will check and see if they can "back off" some adjustment with the parking brake. We go to the "new buyer" special family night at the dealer this Monday. I will ask them about this. Family night is a closed store special where you meet all the dealer folks, and get special discounts on gear, plus you get to ask all your tough questions in front of everyone.

 

[KE5RBD]

I have never tried this on a bike or trike. On automotive brake pads some of them come with the trailing edge ground off at about 30 to 45 degree angle. I am referring to the edge that comes in contact with the rotor/drum first in the forward direction. This is to keep the pad or shoe from chattering and causing the squeal. I have done this on several brake jobs and it seems to work. Had race car that was squealing loud enough to hear it over the headers and it fixed it.

 

[1550vt]

Go ahead and take the PB off and throw it away. Then....go to the pads many TG owners are using...Lyndall I think. This has been an issue for a long time and you don't see many of the original posters talking about it much anymore. Maybe they cured it, it went away, or they simply forgot about it. Slamming on the brakes on occasion does knock the glaze off the pads. There is a specific procedure that most pad manufactures recommend to break-in their particular product, but I doubt if Harley put anything like that in the manual that came with the trike.

The stuff they feed you concerning the space between the pads and the rotor is pure BS. Unless, the rotor or the pads are too thick to begin with, which results in a dragging brake and possible warped rotor.. The pad is going to run as close as it can to the rotor in any disc brake system. You may as well get ready to hear..."that's normal" from your dealer for the rest of your life.

 

[Boom]

Someone (another forum?) from N. Michigan, last winter, had Lyndall drill and chamfer each rear rotor and installed the new Lyndall pads. Haven't read any reports since then about his braking status. He had said the winter was terrible there and trike was in storage. But that was some time ago.

 

[Bruce]

who sells the Lyndall Pads ?? or can you order them direct??

 

[1550vt]

You can also purchase an aftermarket caliper and pad kit. The issue is the PB. If you go looking for a caliper with a PB, I do not think there are many out there. I had thought they had greatly improved the brakes on the 11 and newer models and gone to a different caliper. The problem in caliper replacement (as in manufacturer) is still the PB. If you require a PB, that can be done with an inexpensive line-lock in the brake line, or a simple bungee-cord and you can toss all the cable operated Rube Goldberg junk away. BUT...then you have possible warranty issues and excuses for the Stealership to not fix something. You're just stuck with it until the warranty runs out.

There are thousands of trike's running around out there without that dog-leg parking brake.

 

[leo3wheel]

Our Hannigan squeals too at 3,000 miles.

 

[msocko3]

Go ahead and take the PB off and throw it away. Then....go to the pads many TG owners are using...Lyndall I think. This has been an issue for a long time and you don't see many of the original posters talking about it much anymore. Maybe they cured it, it went away, or they simply forgot about it. Slamming on the brakes on occasion does knock the glaze off the pads.

Ditching the parking brake and going to Lyndall gold pads took care of my squeak.

 

[1550vt]

msocko3.....I am glad to hear you stopped squeaking. The other msocko was starting to complain about it.

 

[Oldmsocko]

msocko3.....I am glad to hear you stopped squeaking. The other msocko was starting to complain about it.

You got that right. I couldn't hear myself think when he applied his rear brakes.

 

[SEAlaskan]

I also tossed the parking brake cables & lever. I would like to put a line-lock setup, but haven't figured out where in the line to incorprate the setup or what to use, a manual or electric, etc.
Has anybody done this, what brand, and where and how did they installed them on the rear brake line?
Butch

 

[Boom]

who sells the Lyndall Pads ?? or can you order them direct??

Lyndall Racing Brakes - The worlds best Brake Pads & Composite Rotors --- Home ---

 

[1550vt]

Parking Brake stuff....many of us simply use a bungee-cord, or large rubber band over the front brake lever, or foot brake pedal. This seems rather like a "rigging", but it is simple and really does work. Of course....it's for those times that it is really required, Certainly....nobody would plan to leave one on for weeks at a time. Just pay attention to how you park and those times a brake is needed....this simple solution will work every time.

 

[leo3wheel]

Had to park on a steep incline recently. Put trike in gear and used rotor lock for
insurance. Trike never budged. Whew!

 

[SEAlaskan]

Parking Brake stuff....many of us simply use a bungee-cord, or large rubber band over the front brake lever, or foot brake pedal. This seems rather like a "rigging", but it is simple and really does work. Of course....it's for those times that it is really required, Certainly....nobody would plan to leave one on for weeks at a time. Just pay attention to how you park and those times a brake is needed....this simple solution will work every time.

I was looking for something better then rubber bands, bungee cords or velcro straps. I'm using a velcro strap for the front brakes now, but would like to be able to lock up the rears at the same time. Sept. 7th I'm heading up to Whitehorse YT (Canada) and for me to get there I have to travel 89 miles by water (Ferry) which is about 7 hr. boat ride to Skagway, AK. from here and that water can get pretty rough so am going to need all three wheels lock while on the boat as well as other places, so am looking for a cleaner setup.
Thanks for the help.
Butch

 

[1550vt]

More talk about a line-lock then. The mechanical version can be had rather cheaply, but you have to pick a place to mount it in series with the rear brake line. All you do is apply the rear brake, set the line-lock and it locks both rear calipers (or one if that's all you have on some single disc kits).

A short line from the rear T is ran to the device, then the other side of the device is connected to the master cylinder. Just press the brake pedal, push the lever down on the line-lock. Then, you simply push the lever again to release the line-lock. Just requires a few fittings and maybe new hoses to connect and of course, the rear brakes will have to be re-bled. The only real problem is finding a location on the frame that is as low (or lower) as the master cylinder to mount the lock, or you will possibly get fluid drain-back into the master cylinder and wind-up with some air or void in the line. Ingenuity will prevail and one can find a way to do this. It could even possibly be mounted under the kit on the frame at some point. It doesn't have to be visible...only "reachable" so the operator can push the button/lever. And....as someone mentioned above, you can get an electrically operated lock with a solenoid, but this would require power to the solenoid to keep it locked. I would prefer the manual type.

It's just a simple (to many) brake-line plumbing job like the drag racers use.

 

[SEAlaskan]

More talk about a line-lock then. The mechanical version can be had rather cheaply, but you have to pick a place to mount it in series with the rear brake line. All you do is apply the rear brake, set the line-lock and it locks both rear calipers (or one if that's all you have on some single disc kits).

A short line from the rear T is ran to the device, then the other side of the device is connected to the master cylinder. Just press the brake pedal, push the lever down on the line-lock. Then, you simply push the lever again to release the line-lock. Just requires a few fittings and maybe new hoses to connect and of course, the rear brakes will have to be re-bled. The only real problem is finding a location on the frame that is as low (or lower) as the master cylinder to mount the lock, or you will possibly get fluid drain-back into the master cylinder and wind-up with some air or void in the line. Ingenuity will prevail and one can find a way to do this. It could even possibly be mounted under the kit on the frame at some point. It doesn't have to be visible...only "reachable" so the operator can push the button/lever. And....as someone mentioned above, you can get an electrically operated lock with a solenoid, but this would require power to the solenoid to keep it locked. I would prefer the manual type.

It's just a simple (to many) brake-line plumbing job like the drag racers use.

1550, thank you for your responce. I thought about the manual line-lock but the part about being able to reach while sitting was bothering me and the electic type I wasn't sure if it needed constant electric power to maintain holding power. So I guess I'll have to live with bungees, rubber bands and velcro straps untell someone comes up with a better parking brake setup.
Butch

 

[Hawk05]

When getting service yesterday the service manager told me the squeaking would not stop. He said he could not tell how many rotors he had replaced. He told me to call Harley customer relations and report it. They will give me a reference number, and that a recall was coming down the line. There is also a recall for the trunk latch.

 

[Helipilot]

All of my Polaris ATV's have had a small trigger on the brake lever, you pull the brake lever on and hit the trigger and it holds the brakes on for a parking brake. They also had a park on the transmission also, the brake was not really needed. I have a Miata and the rear brakes have a parking brake similar to the Triglide and it has never given one minutes problem. Jerry

 

[1550vt]

I want to see it posted and have it yelled all across America....and the world just as soon as somebody can report a known nationwide recall on anything from the MOCO. That is a RARE ANIMAL indeed.

I owned a couple of Buells and Eric Buell did indeed recall all the early units for swing-arm changes. Harley usually does a silent recall....that means they do stuff to it if it comes in the shop and they think about it....just don't tell you about it.

More on the line lock....all it takes is a small valve in series with the brake line. It does not have to be an actual line-lock as big as your fist. You can obtain a small stainless steel in-line valve (I have 2 that I know of) that could be installed within reach. Use your imagination folks! All it takes is a valve with -3 AN fittings on it, or NPT threaded female ports that will accept a -3 AN brake line fitting and then the right length -3 hoses to connect it all up. I would do it just for fun and make one to sell if I felt like it, but I don't feel like it and my BIG rubber-band works wonderfully.

 

[wonderment]

I took the bike back to a local dealer to fix a squeak that kept on going in the rear anytime the bike moved. Picked the bike up and they said they replaced the rear pads with a new part number. He did not give me receipt nor the part number. The rear brakes are not squeaking, but the problem I had with the rear squeaking at any speed quit for one day. It's back again. If I touch the rear brakes the squeek goes away.

Something is touching/rubbing back there. When I go to the dealer, I kind of feel like a 12 year old kid who's complaining to his parents while travelling on a trip with his sister in the back seat.

"She's touching me! Make her stop touching me! LOL.

 

[Boom]

Have them check the adjustment of the parking brake.

 

[Boggie Dog]

When getting service yesterday the service manager told me the squeaking would not stop. He said he could not tell how many rotors he had replaced. He told me to call Harley customer relations and report it. They will give me a reference number, and that a recall was coming down the line. There is also a recall for the trunk latch.

Any more info on a recall? My 2011 rear brakes squeak like mad.

Pretty crappy rear brake system all around.