[Video] What's this front brake clicking sound?

[steve porter]

I think you've already found him, bloke called Baz and this place for reference and advice

[Big Phil]

WTF! That's bloody scary when you think how many other bikes he has been and will be "servicing" There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for that! At least you found it before anything bad happened.

[SA14]

Yeah, not real flash that's for sure but I'm perplexed. He swears he'd never ever do that (I sent him the video) and I expect he suspects someone else (me) has been fiddling with it but I haven't. I had to look up how to remove the pads in the manual. I've never touched them and neither has anyone else. There's no way that'd ever be possible without someone physically removing the pin, dropping the pad and reinstalling the pin - surely. The only thing I did you guys know and that's to remove the caliper to remove the front wheel to polish the forks. That's it. How could a seemingly very honest mechanic with 16 years of racing and who knows how many more of working on bikes. I can understand how he'd find it impossible to believe yet here we are.

Just took her for a 300km blast down to the cape and back and you're not going to believe it but the clicking is still there! As I'm pulling up to a stop I tap the brakes lightly a few times and every time I get that same click.  Now, I'm not too sure if it's the same clicking because I got so worried about it (it was just as loud as before) that I pulled over, took off helmet and gloves and physically banged and tapped and grabbed and wiggled everything from the mudguard to the calipers to the discs (tapped and manhandled them all around) to the brake line clamps...all tight as a drum except one thing...the pad spring. That did make a "tinging" sound when I tapped it and I kind of think that it might be that so I'm going to try the zip tie trick from @northern next.

Could it be that it's been the pad springs all along as @northern suggested and I accidentally discovered the dropped pad in my investigation?! Plausible. Like going into hospital for concussion and they discover a brain tumor during the scans.

Here's another thing, I think I'm hearing a "rattle" from the front when going over bumps. Not think, I know...I'm hearing a rattle for sure. Could it be the pad springs that are causing that too? I honestly can't remember if I've heard the bump rattle before but I might have. It could be that I'm listening more intently and hearing every little thing. At the lights I could also hear a high pitched hum/whine from the engine as well. At the first lights I stopped at and heard it I thought it was a singing muffler from the car next to me but I was alone at the next set of lights and I could still hear it..but I digress.

I don't want any extraneous sounds that should be there. @northern did your zip tie also solve a rattling sound when going over bumps? It'll be hilarious if a zip tie solves all this but I'll take any solution. I hope this is helping others.

May as well pay my dues with a pic at least...

Cape Jervois, South Australia.

[SA14]

I think you've already found him, bloke called Baz and this place for reference and advice

Haha, I'm certainly banking some experience that's for sure. I'm not shy, I'm just cautious and don't want to wreck anything. I know there can be lot of gotchas. I pulled apart a 3 speed push bike derailleur when I was 7 and there were bits everywhere. I had to gather it all into a plastic bag and take it to the bike shop and I still (to this very day) remember his reaction. It was a kid and mum friendly "WTAF?!". I also pulled apart a spring watch once and a radio. Needless to say neither ever worked again. 49 years later I'm still spooked 

[Mick_J]

I hope you sent that picture to your ex-mechanic. 

[steve porter]

One sticking piston can cause clicking as the piston/s that aren't sticking release and the pad ends up not square, when putting in new pads I always push the pistons out further and clean with brake Cleaner and a toothbrush sized stainless brush before pushing the pistons back in, rather than pushing crud that is built up on the pistons back past the seal, sorted a mates KTM that was making a racket by doing this

[SA14]

I hope you sent that picture to your ex-mechanic. 

I sent him the video actually.

...He swears he'd never ever do that (I sent him the video) and I expect he suspects someone else (me) has been fiddling with it but I haven't. I had to look up how to remove the pads in the manual. I've never touched them and neither has anyone else...

[SA14]

One sticking piston can cause clicking as the piston/s that aren't sticking release and the pad ends up not square, when putting in new pads I always push the pistons out further and clean with brake Cleaner and a toothbrush sized stainless brush before pushing the pistons back in, rather than pushing crud that is built up on the pistons back past the seal, sorted a mates KTM that was making a racket by doing this

You know Steve, that could definitely be a thing. Remember mine were all stuck when I took them in to him and he unstuck 8 pistons. They may have got stuck again. Maybe it's time I learned how to pull the calipers all apart and clean them properly once and for all. I've read others on here have to do it on a regular basis. I'd love to be able to do it. It'd be a feather in my mechanical hat that's for sure. I'll look up the article I saw posted about how to do it. If one's getting stuck out again it absolutely makes sens that the noise I'm hearing is the slapping of the pad as the other pistons come into play and you know...I think the brakes didn't work that well today. Not like they did when I rode them home. Also my rear brake seems to be doing not much as well.

Might be time eh? Especially given that you've now anointed me as my own mechanic...lol 

[DP1400]

SA14 - I won`t reiterate what i`ve already said about the `ticking` noise!......

......your rear brake may need bleeding, it may need new pads, or it may need nothing doing. Don`t forget, you`ll hardly use it and its only for slowing you down, the last thing you want is a rear brake which `grabs`.

So, you have also noted a `rattle` at the front when going over bumps. Its likely to be unrelated to your caliper/pads, but something much more innocuous, ie. your brake lines simply moving within their clips?. The other obvious one is to check that your mudguard/fender is tight? Maybe your brake lines are clanging against your fender?

Think `unusual` vertical movement like going over bumps, then follow the parts which don`t `want` to move but have to, if that makes sense! Its amazing with vehicles that sometimes noises coming through don`t actually come from where you think they are eminating from!

As an aside, and not related to a `14, but to illustrate my point, my old GT750A Kettle developed a really strange whine at the front after a few miles each ride. I checked everything. I even thought it was the water pump about to pack up. I spent ages over several weeks looking for the problem. Nothing! Then one morning when checking the tyre pressures i noticed a severe wear `groove` on the side of the tyre - just below the edge of the tread. It turned out that the `whine` i`d been having sleepless nights over was an inner fender bolt rubbing on the tyre once it had warmed up and expanded!! Upon checking it in more detail, there was hardly any gap at all between the tyre and inner mounting bolts of the `guard. Amazing bearing in mind that everythong was bog standard on the bike - except for the slightly overlength bolt holding the guard to the fork leg!

Cheers. Dave.

[Hooli]

Ahh if it's a clonk over bumps then it could be the fork bushes too.

[SA14]

SA14 - I won`t reiterate what i`ve already said about the `ticking` noise!......

......your rear brake may need bleeding, it may need new pads, or it may need nothing doing. Don`t forget, you`ll hardly use it and its only for slowing you down, the last thing you want is a rear brake which `grabs`.

So, you have also noted a `rattle` at the front when going over bumps. Its likely to be unrelated to your caliper/pads, but something much more innocuous, ie. your brake lines simply moving within their clips?. The other obvious one is to check that your mudguard/fender is tight? Maybe your brake lines are clanging against your fender?

Think `unusual` vertical movement like going over bumps, then follow the parts which don`t `want` to move but have to, if that makes sense! Its amazing with vehicles that sometimes noises coming through don`t actually come from where you think they are eminating from!

As an aside, and not related to a `14, but to illustrate my point, my old GT750A Kettle developed a really strange whine at the front after a few miles each ride. I checked everything. I even thought it was the water pump about to pack up. I spent ages over several weeks looking for the problem. Nothing! Then one morning when checking the tyre pressures i noticed a severe wear `groove` on the side of the tyre - just below the edge of the tread. It turned out that the `whine` i`d been having sleepless nights over was an inner fender bolt rubbing on the tyre once it had warmed up and expanded!! Upon checking it in more detail, there was hardly any gap at all between the tyre and inner mounting bolts of the `guard. Amazing bearing in mind that everythong was bog standard on the bike - except for the slightly overlength bolt holding the guard to the fork leg!

Cheers. Dave.

Thanks Dave, I had your comments above in mind yesterday actually both when I pulled over for a break and to see if I could isolate the rattling (as well as the clicking) and was grabbing the disc and giving it a good shake along with everything else as well as the "it's natural - don't worry about it" and the "when the disc gets hotter it'll be more pronounced" advice for which I'm grateful along with all the other advice people are giving me. I wasn't tearing my (3) hair(s) out or anything but if lowers my eyebrows I know it's a thing that's a bit more than natural noises. These are noises that I haven't noticed before. I did check all the small areas of possible rattle on the front end though including the brake hoses and their mounts. I gave everything a good check over and the only thing I could get a slight "ting ting" from was the pad springs but I don't think it that because my noise has more clack than that although I'll zip tie it once everything's buttoned up if that doesn't fix it

Just a bit of background; I've recently had the front wheel off to polish my forks and had all sorts of trouble getting the axle to line up again and when I finally got it all bolted together the front wheel would hardly spin. After watching a few of the Dave Moss and Delboy (which I've posted up in my signature thread below) I realise now that I've totally cocked up the front end and there's probably all sorts of minor misalignments going on which probably aren't helping matters.

I'm going to follow @Steve porters point and I reckon my pistons have re-stuck themselves which would explain both rattles and while I'm at it I'm going to loosen everything up again and tighten it up properly including "the bounce" as detailed in both Dave Mosses and Delboys videos. I'm sure I've misaligned the rotors because I did notice my braking wasn't quite up to as beautiful as it was when I left my mechanic after he cleaned the calipers, released the stuck pistons and installed these new pads. The brakes were superb and they're not now.

I've also picked up on a point about the rear brake linkage not being lubed while I was looking at the "how to clean calipers" thread because it's definitely not as good as it was just a few rides ago. All these clues lead me to believe (and hope) that Steve's right. If as he suspects I have stuck pistons again it would explain the rattling as well as the poorer front brake performance which I definitely noticed on yesterday's long ride.

I'd actually like to fully rebuild all the brakes just to be sure. Can't find a thread on that yet. Must be one here somewhere. 

[SA14]

Ahh if it's a clonk over bumps then it could be the fork bushes too.

Not as severe as a clonk. more like a tingle. Applying the brakes is definitely more of a clack than a tingle though. I did think of the fork seals though. Especially after the over heating while buffing warning from a member. I touched the second fork while polishing constantly though and they stayed quite cool. I'll start with a caliper clean and rear brake linkage lube. I reckon Steve's onto something along with the other supporting clues.

[northern]

@SA14 Just to be clear - the thing I suggest, is helping in case off slow wheel rotating, without applying front brakes.
There is videos before and after:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JSeUCG58c47fZwKNA

[SA14]

@SA14 Just to be clear - the thing I suggest, is helping in case off slow wheel rotating, without applying front brakes.
There is videos before and after:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JSeUCG58c47fZwKNA

Aah, ok I see thanks for the clarification. I'm not getting that noise when rotating my wheels slowly by hand as shown in your video but that sounds exactly like the sound I get when I apply my brakes lightly on and off as I'm coming to a stop. EXACTLY. So that's interesting.

Love those forks and calipers too! I really want to paint (and at the same time overhaul) my calipers now. I want to make sure everything is as it should be. Thinking of braided lines at the same time. But that might have to wait. Still trying to find a video or instructions on how to overhaul the calipers. I think I can do it but never done it before. Might start with an inspection and clean to see if in fact I do have stuck pistons again. If I do the last unsticking only lasted a few hundred kms.

[SA14]

Just priced a front caliper rebuild kit at $135 per side with pistons. Tempted. Not sure about new bolts and pins though. Could probably use the existing bolts but new pins might be worth it just to be sure to be sure to be sure. I'd like to do it myself but don't have a compressor (yet) to blow out the pistons. Is it necessary or can I just pull them out by hand? I think I've got everything else I'll need. The kits come with some red grease - pretty sure but will check before I order. Was reading the manual and it looks less complicated than I imagined. Any gotchas to look out for?

I'm probably going to take a peak inside again to see if there are any stuck pistons and to investigate that noise again before I do but I'd like to have great brakes so I'm keen to give it a go and this time I'll button everything up correctly. Was thinking of buying some paddock stands too.