How to stop brake pad squeeking?

[hy_tek]

Any suggestions on how to stop brake pad squeeling on my Eagle Claw 2 brake pads. They were fine until recently but now squeel loudly when hard braking which is very annoying not to mention embarassing when you sound like and old dump truck coming to a stop. The pads are less than a year old and still have lots of pad left. I have cantilever style brakes and it was suggested to adjust the toe in but I don't see a way to adjust it without physically bending the brake arm post connected to the frame which is rather scary for fear it will crack.

 

[jhuskey]

I am not familiar with that specific brake but it sounds like the pads need a angle adjustment. You should be able to adjust the pads by moving the pads themselves to achieve a slight offset angle to the rim. Then again I am not familiar with those brakes.

 

[alfeng]

You probably have some residue buildup on your rim's braking surface ... clean the residue off & the excessive noise may go away, or not!?!

 

[garage sale GT]

I've got some new rims and pads and they make a scraping noise when you press hard. It sounds like someone was holding sandpaper against the rim. I have removed the pads to pick the metal chips out which the new Shimano 550 wheel had left but it didn't help? What's going on with this?

 

[allgoodppl]

Check out this link on the late Sheldon Brown's site on adjusting cantelever brakes: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-adjustment.html He had written tons of great How-To articles there.

On my cross bike, I eliminated a squeak/shimmey by backing the barrel adjuster all the way out, then loosening the pads and aligning them with the rim, placing a business card folded in half behind the rear part of the pad. After the pads are tightened, return the barrel adjuster all the way back in, which will give the brake shoes clearance for the rim.

Also, cleaning the rim with a rim stone (you can get those at a local bike shop) will make the surface better for braking.

Hope this helps for a quieter ride!

 

[Racer_Rob]

Best thing I've found is to take the pads off and rub over them with sand paper 2 or 3 times. Then clean the braking surface on the rims before refitting them.

I've never bothered with angling the pad (ie setting a toe-in), just hold the pad against the rim and tighten it up.

 

[Farmguy]

Check out this link on the late Sheldon Brown's site on adjusting cantelever brakes: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-adjustment.html He had written tons of great How-To articles there.

On my cross bike, I eliminated a squeak/shimmey by backing the barrel adjuster all the way out, then loosening the pads and aligning them with the rim, placing a business card folded in half behind the rear part of the pad. After the pads are tightened, return the barrel adjuster all the way back in, which will give the brake shoes clearance for the rim.

Also, cleaning the rim with a rim stone (you can get those at a local bike shop) will make the surface better for braking.

Hope this helps for a quieter ride!

Alcohol to clean the rims and a rubber band around the front end of the brake pad for spacing, works great.

 

[hy_tek]

Thank you for the comments. Is there any other way to clean a rim effectively without damaging your rim other than using a rimstone? What kind of material is this rimstone made from? It was suggested to me to use automotive type brake cleaner to clean the rims.

My brakes are the older style cantilever brakes where the brake arms pivot from the frame and fork. There is a cable connecting the top of each arm and another cable attaches from the center of first cable directly to the brake lever. It pulls verticularly when stopping. The shaft on my brake pads is threadless and there is an allen head set screw perpendicular to the pad shaft that you set for depth of travel of the pad. I to not see any kind of toe in or out adjustment just a depth of travel adjustment. Someone suggested to physically bend the brake arm shaft on the fork to get toe in angle. I am afraid doing that will snap off or crack the weld where it connects to the frame causing more trouble than I had initially.

 

[Farmguy]

Thank you for the comments. Is there any other way to clean a rim effectively without damaging your rim other than using a rimstone? What kind of material is this rimstone made from? It was suggested to me to use automotive type brake cleaner to clean the rims.

My brakes are the older style cantilever brakes where the brake arms pivot from the frame and fork. There is a cable connecting the top of each arm and another cable attaches from the center of first cable directly to the brake lever. It pulls verticularly when stopping. The shaft on my brake pads is threadless and there is an allen head set screw perpendicular to the pad shaft that you set for depth of travel of the pad. I to not see any kind of toe in or out adjustment just a depth of travel adjustment. Someone suggested to physically bend the brake arm shaft on the fork to get toe in angle. I am afraid doing that will snap off or crack the weld where it connects to the frame causing more trouble than I had initially.

Go to the link posted above and look for the link for your brake style, it is there...there is a "washer" on your brakes that has beveled edges for toe in or toe out. DO NOT BEND THE SHAFT

 

[hy_tek]

That link has a wealth of very thorough and useful knowledge about cantilever brakes. I will try some of the suggestions today. The cycling community surely lost a great friend and asset upon his untimely passing. I did notice Sheldon did not suggest the "bending" or otherwise physically "distorting" of the brake arm pivot shafts for toe in such as a few have suggested to me. Smart man that Sheldon....

 

[kdelong]

That link has a wealth of very thorough and useful knowledge about cantilever brakes. I will try some of the suggestions today. The cycling community surely lost a great friend and asset upon his untimely passing. I did notice Sheldon did not suggest the "bending" or otherwise physically "distorting" of the brake arm pivot shafts for toe in such as a few have suggested to me. Smart man that Sheldon....

Sheldon was a cycling genius. As a last resort you can obtain a toe in by sanding the the pads on a slight angle. I did this on a friends kids bike that had no other way of adjusting the angle. Of course, if the noise really bothers you, there is oil..........(No! I was only kidding! DO NOT PUT OIL ON YOUR BRAKE PADS!)

 

[hy_tek]

I cleaned the rims with alcohol. I took off the brake pads and used sandpaper to scuff them up. I put a rubber band on the rear of the brake pads to adjust for toe in before retightening them. Voila' the squeeking stopped....well for awhile....

I then went on a 36 mile trip on a local bike path and sometime before I got home I hit the brakes hard and the squeeking started again after being fine all day. I am at a loss on how to stop this. I suppose I can try replacing the brake pads but they are less than a year old and in good shape. ....

 

[kdelong]

I cleaned the rims with alcohol. I took off the brake pads and used sandpaper to scuff them up. I put a rubber band on the rear of the brake pads to adjust for toe in before retightening them. Voila' the squeeking stopped....well for awhile....

I then went on a 36 mile trip on a local bike path and sometime before I got home I hit the brakes hard and the squeeking started again after being fine all day. I am at a loss on how to stop this. I suppose I can try replacing the brake pads but they are less than a year old and in good shape. ....

Is it possible that when you hit the brakes hard that you lost the toe-in? It has happened to my V-Brakes on occasion.

 

[BikeyGuy]

To clean the rims....
I use a kitchen "SOS" pad. (Soak it with water)
Been using that methed for years. Does the job.