Question-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Hi Chris,
After adjusting the chain tension on my 1995 Honda CB-1000, I notice an occasional "clunk" when I use the rear brake. The brake pads are fairly new so I doubt that's a factor. I can feel it through the lever and can hear it too. I've looked at the caliper and I don't see any obvious problem. I've tried cleaning it up, but that didn't help. My first thought was that the rear wheel was out of alignment, but I've double checked it. I think it is aligned properly.
I must have changed something when I tightened the chain, but I can't figure it out. So, I'm looking for other suggestions on what I should check. Any advice?
Answer -
Hi Steve.
Do you have grooved or slotted disc brakes, or are they straight discs?
Sometimes, with grooved or slotted discs, the new bads will catch a little on the grooves or slots. This is a nuisance and will wear down the pads a bit unevenly, but it is not a critical safety issue. Mostly, it happens when the pads do not slide evenly and completely flat against the disc. Normally this can be remedied by lubricating the mechanism that the pads mount and align through on the calipers. Remove the caliper, pull the pads and clean and grease the exposed moving parts. Not the puck (clean the exposed part as needed), but all of the others. reinstall the pads and see if it clunks a bit less.
Good luck.
FALCON
Hey Falcon,
Thanks for the info! I guess you'd call the discs “slotted”. They have evenly spaced wholes in some kind of pattern. The pads aren't new though. They are the same pads there were on there before I adjusted the chain tension. I didn't have the “clunk” before adjusting the chain. I've cleaned the calipers, but still have the “clunk”. It's not every time I apply the brakes either. Seems to just periodically happen. Sometimes it's a stronger clunk, sometimes it's slight.
Thanks again for the help!
Steve
AnswerHi Steve.
This does sound like the pads are not backing out evenly after the brakes are released. What happens is that the pads back off like they should, except that one side or the other of one or both pads backs off further than the other. This would happen to me on my Yamaha Maxim. It had slotted discs. You have what are called 'drilled' discs.
Take a look at the corner sections of the brake pads and I'll bet that you will find at least one corner of one or both of the pads will be chipped away a bit. It will be the corners that face the rear of the bike when the pads are in place.
One thing that I just thought of; check all of the area around the brake caliper and axle mounts. Make sure that everything is tightened down correctly. If something is loose, then it could be more than just an annoying clunk.
Good luck.
FALCON
