Screeching brakes

[jlnc]

My front brake just started screeching. Anyone know what is causing this, and if there is anything I can do to fix it myself (I am not very familiar with bike repairs) or should I just bring it in to the shop? I have a Trek 7.5 FX. Thanks for any advice!

[Roadtrip]

There are lots of good wrenches here, but have you done anything out of the ordinary lately, or did the brakes just start screeching? Mine do make a little noise if I've been someplace damp. There is also this really dusty road I drive down on the way to the trail and I know I've gotten grit and dirt on the wheels and brake pads-- so a good bike cleaning is in order!

Outside of the obvious, it might not hurt to take it in.. Better safe then sorry.

Shannon

[m.eliza]

Check the brake pads for little bits of metal. I've had them get stuck in there occasionally and make horrible sounds (and beat up the rims a little). If you see anything wedged in, take a pair of tweezers and pull it out. They can do this at your LBS, too. I can't imagine they'd charge you for it.

[Owlie]

Riding in damp weather? Grit or bits of metal stuck in there? (Get a damp rag and wipe the pads down.) There could also be stuff on your rims--wipe those down at the same time.

[PamNY]

Cleaning rims cleared up my screeching problem.

[Velocivixen]

Try cleaning the rims with a dry, clean rag first, then with another clean rag use rubbing alcohol or similar. If that doesn't do it, remove the wheels and look at the brake pads. You can use sandpaper or something to rough up the pads, especially if they look glazed.

[jlnc]

Thanks everyone, I'll take a look to see if i can clean them up a bit before bringing the bike back to the shop.

[smilingcat]

Yes metal, but any hard gritty material can also do this, sand, very small pebbles/rocks. Metal, sand and rocks are really bad for the wheel so check to make sure that the pads do not have embedded foreign material.

Other sources of screeching is old pads that has hardened over time or glazed pads. Glazing usually happens when your ride lots of hills with lots of long downhill. When you have an old pads or glazed pads, the braking doesn't work very well and you have to really brake hard.

Another source is that the pad has worn unevenly and is not toe'ed in correctly.

Last one I can think of is slightly loose bolts?

[PscyclePath]

The very, very first thing to do is to check your brake pads and rims to make sure they're in good condition, with no trash or junk stuck to them or embedded in there. Give them (pads and rims) a good scouring with a damp. heavy-duty rag or scouring pad soaked with Windex or a similar alcohol solution, maybe with a little soap mixed in.

Some types of brakes (such as direct-pull, cantilever styles) are naturally squeally or squeaky. You can alleviate this a good bit by toeing-in the brake pads, and sometimes by using a different sort of pad, like Kool-Stops.

[OakLeaf]

What everyone else said ... with one addition.

When you're done cleaning the pads and rims, rinse, rinse, rinse. Any residue of soap, Simple Green, the residue from rubbing alcohol, anything, can make brakes squeak. If I'm not VERY careful about rinsing (and I'm always *ordinarily* careful ;)) my brakes will squeak after every washing.

[lph]

Turn up the music.

sorry, just had to :D

[jlnc]

Hahaha LPH, I like your solution best...that is something i would do!
Oakleaf, I don't mean to sound stupid, but to rinse well, do you just take a hose to the tire? Or just use a bucket of clean water and rag? Are there parts that i need to avoid with the water? Sorry if these are dingy questions, but i am really inept at bike maint and I am always scared I'll harm the bike somehow. I keep meaning to take the bike maint class at my LBS, but something always gets in the way. Need to make it a priority.

[OakLeaf]

You can use a hose if you keep the spray well away from hubs, bottom bracket, headset, seatpost notch, and any other parts where water could get into the bearings. Getting the outer surfaces wet is fine, higher-pressure spray should be avoided.

A rag works fine.

My favorite tool is a pump-up garden sprayer. It lets me precisely direct a spray with just enough pressure to dislodge grime.