• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

caliper rattle

  • Thread starter Thread starter geol
  • Start date Start date
G

geol

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.
 
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.

suzuki-gs1000g-1980-t-usa-e03-front-calipers_big3IMG00900873_4ab1.gif
 
I will have to take apart the calipers at some point, I guess. Thanks.
 
They still rattle even with brake grease in the sliders. Just let 'em rattle. It doesn't hurt a thing.

Wear ear plugs.
 
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
 
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.
 
Since it started when you added the windshield, is it possible that its contributing to the rattle?
 
TxGSrider said:
Since it started when you added the windshield, is it possible that its contributing to the rattle?
Click to expand...

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.
 
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
 
Just a quick input before logging off, go the elastic band route. I'll post some of my thoughts tomorrow.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top