Tech manual is confusing me...shims?

[coffee_brake]

I hope you folks can set me straight. The rear brake on my '01 has had a terrible embarassing squall every time I touch it since I the bike a few weeks ago. Tonight I pulled it apart by the book (Clymer's, I can't do much of anything without the Clymer's). According to the manual, the rear brake caliper spring has an arrow so you know which way is front. Mine does not. I didn't pay enough attention, which way is front on that spring? It went back together easily enough but that doesn't mean much.

Also, do the rear pads have shims on them? Mine do not . The pads look good and new, the rotor looks its age (30k miles) with normal wear.


If this information is already somewhere else, sorry...didn't mean to bring it back up. Really appreciate any advice on getting the rear brake to quiet down!

 

[naughtyG]

Once important thing to check on a 30k rotor is its thickness - it must be more than 7mm thick or it's reached its serviceable limit and should be replaced.

From what I can see in the service manual, the rear pads should indeed have shims on them - see attached pic.
Also, the only part I know of in the caliper/pads assembly that must be put in the correct rotational way in the pads spring (see other picture).

Finally, from what I know, a good way to get rid of brake squeal is to put a little high temp grease (that copper stuff) on the back of the brake pads where the caliper's pistons touch it.

Sometimes, the pads can also be a little glazed, and in such case a little sand paper on the breaking surface can work wonders.

If none of the above works, just get new pads - they should come with shims. Oh, and EVERYONE here swears by the EBC double-H ones - as usual get the best price on these from Gary McCoy unk:

 

[maleko89]

I have never seen Vmax calipers with shims. I have ordered many pads and they didn't come with shims.

 

[coffee_brake]

My Clymer's manual says some years have shims and some don't. Like, the '00 doesn't have shims on the front pads, but the '01 does. Sure enough, mine does, on the front only.
But the manual doesn't say what to expect on the rear brake. It says to remove the shims, but in the picture, there is no shim. The manual didn't even address the fact that there are two bleeder valves on the rear caliper, something I have never seen before.

So I'm still wondering if a part is missing in my rear brakes and that's why they're squalling.
And I'm still not sure I put the spring in the right way. It doesn't have an arrow stamped into it like the front calipers do.

It's a wet day and not a good time to go brake-checking....

 

[one2dmax]

They are probably squeeling due to semi-metailic pads. It sounds like they have been replaced before and they went with a higher performance pad set. Most of the time there are shims installed from the factory and they have to be moved to the new pads. When they were replaced they probably were tossed with the old pad. Sometimes this isn't a bad thing as I have seen them get stuck in the rotors anyway.

Sand the pads and the rotor surface to cut the glazing. This will help for awhile until you get a different type of pad.

I don't remember right off hand but don't think it matters on the spring. They will either fit only one way or can go on either way.

Sean

 

[coffee_brake]

OK so the shims are no big deal. Thanks, I was worried I was messing something up.
This rear caliper spring definately has a front and rear but evidently it must be in right, the brake seems to be working but I've been beyond careful in this morning's fog and mist. The rotors are staying wet so I can't tell if it's right or not yet.

 

[coffee_brake]

I don't know what I did when I took the rear pads out and put them back in, but I have no more squalling. Just a little pulse from a warped front rotor, which will have to stay that way as I just can't drop the cash for new ones right now.

I was all ready to put the copper mush anti-seize on the pads and sand everything, too...Ah well, the fluid was truly vile in there so it was all necessary anyway.

 

[gamorg02]

on my 94 before I sold it i had put ebc pro-lite rotor on it and double-h pads and it didnt' squeal at all... i think i got both for like $180 from bike bandit, i loved the look of the drilled rotor.. wish i had saved it for my '03, but o well...

heres a pic...