caliper rattle

[Guest]

Tires inflated properly, new wheel bearings, new brake pads, system flushed.

Brakes work good but since putting on my little windshield, it funnels the rattle back up into my face. The rattle is vibration. Not engine or cable related but coming out of the calipers. When I installed new pads, I installed the anti-ratlle plates adjacent to the pistons. Pistons didn't need to be rebuilt and everything went together as it should. Then the rattle starts... it spoils a peaceful ride.

Did a search and couldn't come up with anything. Suggestions appreciated.

[hillsy]

Your calipers are 2 piece in that the caliper slides on pins off the holding plate. Items 9 and 10 in the pic below.

If there is slack there / wear / no grease they will rattle.

[geol]

I will have to take apart the calipers at some point, I guess. Thanks.

[bwringer]

They still rattle even with brake grease in the sliders. Just let 'em rattle. It doesn't hurt a thing.

Wear ear plugs.

[hjfisk]

I know you said that you installed the ( anti rattle plates adjacent to the Pistons) but did you install part #8 in the diagram? With out it the pads will rattle. I have worked on a few bikes where this piece was missing

[geol]

Part #8 was indeed installed. And to bwinger... the noise is really annoying. I am sure I could wear ear plugs and still hear the rattle. I know it doesn't hurt anything... just annoys me.

[TxGSrider]

Since it started when you added the windshield, is it possible that its contributing to the rattle?

[bwringer]

Since it started when you added the windshield, is it possible that its contributing to the rattle?

I think he mentioned that the windshield is funneling the sound to him.



MMkay, actual serious reply forthcoming:

I'll admit it bugs me too. I've tried a few things to deal with the rattle -- replacing the pins with new didn't do anything, and I also tried a couple of sets of low-mileage caliper carriers (part 6 in the diagram) with no change. And yes, the spring clips (#8) is in place and I even replaced them with new ones.

Anyway, the rattle is not the pads -- it's the caliper guide pins rattling around in the bores on the caliper carriers.

I have obviously chosen the "let 'er rattle" route, but there are a few other possibilities I haven't tried.



1) Have the bores in the caliper carriers sleeved and re-drilled to a tighter spec. This would require a machine shop, and is still rather delicate work. Not sure there's enough metal there to make this safe. And to be honest, it's not entirely clear you want this clearance any tighter. A certain amount of slop is necessary to make sure the calipers don't bind.

Fatter pins would accomplish the same thing. Perhaps this is something one could whomp up on a lathe. Again, this is an extremely critical part, so I'm not sure how I'd feel about this option.

2) The bottom pin (#10) has an elastic band around it, which I think is the part originally intended to be the anti-rattle bit. Perhaps one could make this slightly bigger, but I'm not sure where to obtain elastic bands in different thicknesses in appropriate materials.

3) Another possibility is perhaps adding a light spring somewhere in the system to keep just enough pressure to keep the pad from rattling. Under one of the dust boots (#11) is a possibility.

[geol]

Before the windshield, I am sure there were rattles from the calipers but they couldn't be heard with a helmet on. Once the windshield went on, the lowers on the windshield and the shield itself direct the rattle into the center of my brain. I have had this windshield on about 6-7 bikes and never had this issue. It was on a 1980 GS1000GL and didn't hear a peep out of those calipers. I have my own idea what might be tried and will check it out when I get a chance. Shield is an obsolete Memphis Shades... don't recall model.

1.jpg

[roeme]

Just a quick input before logging off, go the elastic band route. I'll post some of my thoughts tomorrow.