Front brake=front end creaking

[legiteuphoria]

Hey guys 6/10 times that I apply the front brake the front end of my bike seems to creak a bit. It also feels like somewhere in the handle bar or triple clamp/tree that it moves ever so slightly when it creaks. I don't want to over tighten anything and end up ruining something. Has anyone experienced this or hasn't but knows a solution? When I apply the front brake it is a moderate application.

 

[user_deleted]

quite a few posts on this and it is usually 1 of 2 things: your brake pads are worn where the locating pin bolts thru each pad allowing the pads to "move around" or shift forward during braking.........or loose steering head bearings. i found that if you feel and hear a clicking type noise upon braking it's the crappy stock chinese pads. on the other hand if you can actually feel AND hear this "creak" as you put it, in all probability it's the steering head bearings. to check them along with simultaneously checking wheel bearings just roll bike around on smooth flat quiet surface like your driveway....with motor off...and listen for anything unusual. then sit on bike, paddle with your feet, apply front brake repeatedly and see if you hear and feel this "creak". if so, it's usually the strg. head bearings.
post back with your results and both problems are easy fixes.

 

[snrusnak]

what lunatic said [up]

If you replace the steering head bearings, go with the tapered roller bearings, it's a huge improvement.

How many miles?

 

[user_deleted]

what lunatic said

thank you sean.
legit: if your bike has been subjected to alot of wheelies...which loosens up the strg. head bearings and tends to push the bottom bearing and race further up into the steering neck, it's most surely the bearings.

 

[theMelvster6]

I curious myself, I get a "click" in my front brakes also. if I roll the bike forward and grab the front brake I hear one click...I'm about due for pads, hopefully that helps. I can't really feel or notice it while riding.

 

[snrusnak]

I curious myself, I get a "click" in my front brakes also. if I roll the bike forward and grab the front brake I hear one click...I'm about due for pads, hopefully that helps. I can't really feel or notice it while riding.

this is probably the brakes. The rotor is "floating" so has a small amount of play in it. I can roll my bike slowly forward and hit the front brake and it will click. Then roll backwards and hit the front brake and get a click. This is due to the play in the floating rotor hitting the "shims" or whatever they are called. If you roll forward once and get the click. When you roll forward again there should not be another click unless rolling backwards first. This is because you already took up the free play with the first click, so the rotor should be pushed all the way against the shim, unless you reverse directions.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[theMelvster6]

Perfect sense. And that's exactly what it does...I figured it wasn't a big deal.

 

[legiteuphoria]

Thank you so much everyone, it ended up being the brake pads and rotor. I was able to rule out the steering head bearings pretty fast. The bike has 4000 miles on it and the guy that owned it before me was afraid of the bike so I knew he wasn't wheeling and after checking I figured it was the rotor and pads. I'm replacing both in a couple weeks. I'm still just looking for the pads that I want though because I want to get rid of the crappy stock pads for the rear and front but have had a hard time finding a pair of pads for the front and rear

 

[snrusnak]

FYI, that clicking noise described a couple posts above is not abnormal, so replacing the rotor won't "fix" it, as it isn't broken.