Tap / Click when using front brake, Head bearings seem fine

Hey all.

My fifth gen' has been producing a pronounced "Tap" sound whenever I use the front brake. It happens even with relatively gentle braking force, and I can't detect any play in the head bearings with the font wheel in the air, so was wondering if anybody had encountered the same...

I'm wondering whether it's a result of the pads clicking against the inside surface of the caliper/s when they grip the disc, but the pads have been in place since I bought the bike 4 or 5 months ago, and it wasn't happening then.

Perhaps the little plate-spring that sits inside the caliper against the pads has lost it's shape and springyness? I'm unconvinced on this one, because that spring would seem to be there to hold the pads in the forwards/backwards dimension, rather than vertically, as they might roughly move were this the case, but I'm struggling to think of anything else it could be.

The noise is noticeable if the brake is applied while rolling the bike backwards as well, and can be felt through the bars.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

hmm.........

This vaguely reminds me of a rather scary brake calliper related thread I came across somewhere. But I am pretty sure it was not on this site.

Anyway basically the shoulders on the VFR calliper had worn badly and were allowing the pads to move inside the calliper and were not far off being able to break loose, with potentially catastrophic results. Sadly it was ages ago when I spotted this and I can't remember now where I saw it. I will have a hunt and get back if I can find it again - as it just might be causing what you are experiencing.

Meantime - my attitude is, if the brakes don't seem right - don't ride until you get them checked by someone.

Take care



SkiMad

 

That was lucky - I found it bookmarked on my laptop..

Watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjt_fQ4BcxU

Is the clicking sound on your bike anything like the noise you can hear made on this video when he moves that clip back and forward in the worn calliper?

Hope that helps



SkiMad

 

Hi SkiMad.

Yikes, that is scary! surprising that it would wear that much there, even with high mileage.

I've had a look at my callipers and they still look nice on that profiled section that holds the clip, so I don't think that that's the cause but thanks for the pointer, I'm glad to have checked anyway having seen that...

 

I would take the pads out and clean the calipers and grease the slide pin and double check the pistons look good and aren't sticking. The rear caliper on my '01 when I bought it had some very "gunky" pistons and when hitting the brake pedal I would hear the piston "pop" sometimes. Thew noise was when the piston "broke free" of its stiction and knock into the back of the brake pad. Maybe have someone help you trouble shoot this by squeezing the lever while you get closer to the caliper to see/hear the problem better.

I thought for sure, Skimad's post would have been the cause. Good find Skimad!

 

maybe bushing on full floating rotor is worn

 

Grab your disk rotor with front wheel on the ground, and try rotating it back and forth.
You should have a bit of play there, but not sure how much.
Mine does it as well with 74000ks on the clock.
Not sure if it always did it, or is a sign of wearing bushes on floating disk.

 

they will move left and right, the clunck is the od of the button is worn out