Troubleshoot - Brake setup - Squealing (XO)

[cpelser]

Hi guys

 

I have XO brakes (non trail version, 2012 XO groupset).

I bought the bike second hand last year and initially the brakes were just fine.

 

After 300 - 400km worth of riding the brakes started squealing, which I thought was due to dust etc, but I had the brakepads replaced with organic Avid pads anyway.

 

I'm running the these standard 6-bolt rotors:

 

http://www.wigglestatic.com/images/avid-hs1-rotor-med.jpg?w=430&h=430&a=7

 

After the pads has been replaced I went for one short ride (tar) and everything sounded okay.

I bought a new fork and installed it myself and then went to the Darling Brew Extreme which was VERY wet.

 

The first time I tried to brake, it sounded like a truck using it's air brakes, it was ridiculous!

One guy actually started laughing uncontrollably saying that he didn't know a bike could generate such loud noises.

It was both the front and rear brakes.

 

Midway during the race the sun came out and the bike got dry and my rear brake mostly stopped the hideous screaming, but the front brake continued its antics.

 

Both brakes still sound like that, but the front is definitely worse. I almost want to say there's a bit of shudder as well if I brake mildly which goes away if I brake hard, leading me to believe it's possibly a rotor and caliper misalignment.

The pads have now done only about 80km worth of riding, so should still be new.

 

Please help me with a step by step guide to figuring out the issue?

I'm particularly worried that I might not have aligned the front brake correctly when I installed the new fork.

 

Ideally I don't want to brake up the XO groupset, but I am considering buying XT brakes and using the calipers with the XO levers (if possible and only as a last resort)

I would just go out and buy a different set of brakes, but the only one's I know of that are really good is SLX / XT and I don't like the look of their levers / oil reservoir

 

Wish we could get Saint brakes cheaply in SA

 

In addition to the loud squealing from the rotors / pads, there's also a softer high-pitched sound that I think (in my limited knowledge) could maybe be worn pistons?

 

Some ideas I have which I'd like comments on:

• What is the correct way of making sure the caliper is aligned correctly with the rotor when fitting the brakes?
• How do I know my rotors are aligned correctly?
• Could the rotors themselves be causing this? (And would a switch to XT Ice - Tech possibly help)?
• Could the "pistons" be worn out, requiring the brake to be replaced? Or can these be "serviced"
• Does any specific technician specialize in brakes somewhere around Cape Town?
• Any other ideas / comments?

 

Thanks guys - PS - If you hear someone coming from 1km away on Majik / Lombards, it's me

[Plentipotential]

I have had noisy brakes forever, XT's as it happens. Tried all the tricks listed on thehub. Eventually I ended up putting a smear of Copper Ease on the back of the pads, noise gone, completely. After a good few washes the noise comes back and I re apply the copper grease.

[gpcar]

try cleaning the rotors with sunlight liquid.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Hi guys

 

I have XO brakes (non trail version, 2012 XO groupset).

I bought the bike second hand last year and initially the brakes were just fine.

 

After 300 - 400km worth of riding the brakes started squealing, which I thought was due to dust etc, but I had the brakepads replaced with organic Avid pads anyway.

 

I'm running the these standard 6-bolt rotors:

 

http://www.wigglestatic.com/images/avid-hs1-rotor-med.jpg?w=430&h=430&a=7

 

After the pads has been replaced I went for one short ride (tar) and everything sounded okay.

I bought a new fork and installed it myself and then went to the Darling Brew Extreme which was VERY wet.

 

The first time I tried to brake, it sounded like a truck using it's air brakes, it was ridiculous!

One guy actually started laughing uncontrollably saying that he didn't know a bike could generate such loud noises.

It was both the front and rear brakes.

 

Midway during the race the sun came out and the bike got dry and my rear brake mostly stopped the hideous screaming, but the front brake continued its antics.

 

Both brakes still sound like that, but the front is definitely worse. I almost want to say there's a bit of shudder as well if I brake mildly which goes away if I brake hard, leading me to believe it's possibly a rotor and caliper misalignment.

The pads have now done only about 80km worth of riding, so should still be new.

 

Please help me with a step by step guide to figuring out the issue?

I'm particularly worried that I might not have aligned the front brake correctly when I installed the new fork.

 

Ideally I don't want to brake up the XO groupset, but I am considering buying XT brakes and using the calipers with the XO levers (if possible and only as a last resort)

I would just go out and buy a different set of brakes, but the only one's I know of that are really good is SLX / XT and I don't like the look of their levers / oil reservoir

 

Wish we could get Saint brakes cheaply in SA

 

In addition to the loud squealing from the rotors / pads, there's also a softer high-pitched sound that I think (in my limited knowledge) could maybe be worn pistons?

 

Some ideas I have which I'd like comments on:

• What is the correct way of making sure the caliper is aligned correctly with the rotor when fitting the brakes?
• How do I know my rotors are aligned correctly?
• Could the rotors themselves be causing this? (And would a switch to XT Ice - Tech possibly help)?
• Could the "pistons" be worn out, requiring the brake to be replaced? Or can these be "serviced"
• Does any specific technician specialize in brakes somewhere around Cape Town?
• Any other ideas / comments?

 

Thanks guys - PS - If you hear someone coming from 1km away on Majik / Lombards, it's me

Infamous turkey-wobble. Hated that, and it was the fault of the rotors. 

 

Change them out for a set of XT / SLX rotors (NOT the ice-tech ones with the sandwich jobbies) or Alligator Pizza discs and all should be fine. 

 

And no, you can't pair an XT caliper with an X0 lever - the 2 systems are incompatible (different volumes of fluid being displaced etc etc) and they use different fluids anyway. 

[V12man]

Torque those disks to spec on your hubs - it is etched on the disc - and the other thing you might consider is putting a little copperslip between the disk and the hub, as well as on the back of the pad (a tiny amount)

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Could also be that the pads and / or rotors are contaminated. 

 

Remove pads, sand down lightly. Do same with the rotors. 

 

Not too sure how the pour rubbing alcohol and lighting them will work with resin pads (works fine with metal sintered and it gets rid of contaminants very nicely) - perhaps ask Droo on that one - but do it to the rotors after you've sanded them a bit. 

[velomonatiCT]

we will assume that your rotors aren't warped - yes

that the calipers are correctly aligned and not loose (bolts)  - yes

that the pads are fitted properly and not rubbing on the rotor and

that the calipers are correctly bled - yes

 

take it to a lbs if you don't know

 

that the pads are new and not contaminated with oil (just because you just got them doesn't mean you haven't managed to get oil or god forbid sprayed Q20 or something near them )

 

try cleaning rotors with methylated spirits (not soap or anything else because that leaves a residue of oils that it lifts from other areas and leaves on the pads and rotors  )

[cpelser]

Thanks guys!!

 

I tried searching the forums as well, but I REALLY think we should create a sticky with a couple of reserved posts on the first page where we can summarize the steps to troubleshooting things like these.

 

Then again, the "where does the creak come from" post can become very long

 

Can't wait to go and try some of these at home

[L'Bie]

I have the same setup and mine is not noisy , but I do not brake a lot. Windgat I know, but here some solid advise.

Lightly sand the rotor brake surface to break up the shine. Sand it at right angles to the brakes direction. Lightly sand the pads and re-bed. Re-bed means you get a safe steep road, barrel down and apply the brakes hard. repeat 10 times and whatever misalignment was present when you started would be taken care off.

 

Good luck

[cpelser]

So my problem went away a bit after I re-torqued the rotors and cleaned the pads and rotors, but I still decided to go to different brakes as the XO's really struggled to stop my 107kg

 

Bought the SRAM guide RS with two 180mm rotors and they're amazing!

[DR ◣◢]

Step 1: Undo brakes from bike

 

Step 2: Place carefully in a plastic bag

 

Step 3: Place plastic bag in the bin

 

Step 4: Install Hope Tech 3 brakes

 

Step 5:

 

Step 6: Profit!

[Smurfy]

Take it to Eloff @ Cyclosport in Kuilsriver. He sorted out my XO brakes. 021 9034538

[cpelser]

I ended up selling these and bought a set of SRAM Guide RS quad piston brakes, which is simply amazing

[lekker man]

I ended up selling these and bought a set of SRAM Guide RS quad piston brakes, which is simply amazing

Same here but just got the RSCs and all I can say is... WOW