v-brake squeal on cross bike?

my cross bike has v-brakes with travel agents. no matter how i clean the pads or do toe-in, i get
squeal. my rims are ceramic. i have squeal on non-ceramic rims too when i try another wheelset. the
squeal is much worse on front. the pads are aztec red pads but i have tried others including shimano
for ceramic, all squal any suggestions welcome big time jc

"Scribe2b" <scribe2b@aol.com> wrote in message news:20030126203821.05666.00000348@mb-mh.aol.com...
> my cross bike has v-brakes with travel agents. no matter how i clean the
pads
> or do toe-in, i get squeal. my rims are ceramic. i have squeal on non-ceramic rims too when i try
another
> wheelset. the squeal is much worse on front. the pads are aztec red pads but i have tried others
> including shimano for ceramic, all squal

The noise is an harmonic effect and does not diminish braking effectiveness. Still, it sucks.

Oil the brake shoe mounting hardware (curved spacers' edges and threads). Slack the brake shoe
holder nut, work the brake lever a few times until the shoe sits straight against the rim. Hold the
lever tight and fasten the brake shoe tight to the brake. Repeat for the other side and test ride
for noise.

If still, clean the rim thoroughly and scuff any glaze off the pads. Hand cleaner or kitchen
cleanser with a fingernail brush and hot water over a sink is not too awful. Test ride for noise.

If still, repeat the brake shoe mounting but with a slip of cardboard (such as a flap from an
inner tube box) under the back edge of the shoe. VBrake shoes should theoretically be flush but,
since some arms have a lot of play, you may need to anticipate that with some "toe", making the
front hit first.

Some brakes just are noisy and cannot be made quiet but for most the above will be effective. If you
cannot quiet them, try another brand of brake.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

In article <20030126203821.05666.00000348@mb-mh.aol.com>, Scribe2b <scribe2b@aol.com> wrote:
>my cross bike has v-brakes with travel agents. no matter how i clean the pads or do toe-in, i get
>squeal. my rims are ceramic. i have squeal on non-ceramic rims too when i try another wheelset. the
>squeal is much worse on front. the pads are aztec red pads but i have tried others including
>shimano for ceramic, all squal any suggestions welcome big time

Certainly check for canti-studs being too long, and for play in the v-brake. Some of the Shimano
ones can develop a lot of slop.

My only experience with ceramic pads is with the Kool Stop green ones, which don't squeal on my
bike. I think trying a different brake pad is also a good idea.

Does it squeal even with an absurd amount of toe-in?

--Paul

cnhyf-1043038800@usenet.etext.org (Paul Southworth) wrote in message
news:<Fz1Z9.30505$A%3.392364@ord-read.news.verio.net>...
> In article <20030126203821.05666.00000348@mb-mh.aol.com>, Scribe2b <scribe2b@aol.com> wrote:
> >my cross bike has v-brakes with travel agents. no matter how i clean the pads or do toe-in, i get
> >squeal. my rims are ceramic. i have squeal on non-ceramic rims too when i try another wheelset.
> >the squeal is much worse on front. the pads are aztec red pads but i have tried others including
> >shimano for ceramic, all squal any suggestions welcome big time
>
> Certainly check for canti-studs being too long, and for play in the v-brake. Some of the Shimano
> ones can develop a lot of slop.
>
> My only experience with ceramic pads is with the Kool Stop green ones, which don't squeal on my
> bike. I think trying a different brake pad is also a good idea.
>
> Does it squeal even with an absurd amount of toe-in?
>
> --Paul

try reversing the toe-in (i.e. rear of pad touches rim ahead of front) and if that does not help,
try one pad reversed, one forward toe-in. Also: perhaps different-length pads will give a different
harmonic - Ъ×