Squealing Canti's

[vandeda]

My brand new, Paul touring canti's with koolstop pads squeal ... loud. New rims too. Under real hard braking, it's loud enough to hurt my ears. BTW, this is on the front rim only, back rim is quiet as can be.

I was wondering if maybe the pads were initially a bit hard on the surface, so I filed the surface off to make sure. No effect. Adjust toe, no effect. Well, a lot of toe-out seems to help a smidge, but probably because there's little pad contacting the rim. Cleaned the rim, though they're new so I figured it's be no effect, and I was right on that one. Everything seems tight, so I'm not sure what else to try. How do I get these brakes to not sound like I'm torturing some farm animal?


Maybe I'll try switching the front & rear brakes and see what happens .... that'll be something else to give a shot to see if it's the brakes themselves too.

Thanks for any help as usual.

And, since it's coming up, I hope everyone here has a safe and happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dan

[dirtdigger88]

which pads are you using

how is your toe in adjustment

Jason

[vandeda]

Jason ... yeah, I tried flat, slight toe-in, lots of toe in, slight toe-out and lots of toe out. As I had said, the lots of toe out was the only condition that seemed to have any real effect.

Hmmm ... these pads are the kind with the small lip built on the trailing edge for proper toe-in ... but using that as the guide didn't work either.

Hmmm ..... maybe I'll buy ear plugs and lay off the brakes whenever I'm riding past midnight ;)

Dan

[dirtdigger88]

are you using the Kool Stop dual compound pads-

Jason

[David Kirk]

Grab the brake arm with your hand and try to wiggle it back and worth to see if there is any play. There should be little to none.

Also try to see if there is any room for the brake to slide fore-aft on the stud. There should be little to none.

You say that both the pads and the rims are new. They are most likely to do this when they are new and squeaky clean. You need to get the rims a bit dusty like they will be in the real world. Talc on a rag rubbed onto the rim surface works very well. It will not stop very quickly the first time to use them but it won't last long.

Don't just put up with it because it most likely will just get worse and the real issue isn't the noise but the stopping distance and brake modulation. If you grab too big a handful of lever right now you'll be spitting out your teeth like Chicklets........not good. So don't let it go.

Dave

[Too Tall]

Use a mill b0astard file to knock the mfg. garbage off the brake block surface and get the brake block matched nicely to the rim.

[coylifut]

go ride it a bunch. it'll likely go away. my Pauls make a bit of noise when everyting is really clean.

[Ken Robb]

hmmmm, my Pauls don't squeal at all--I don't remember what black pads I use but I never heard of them before my Tech recommended them. If anybody cares I'll go look.

[vandeda]

I was using the Koolstop black thinline pads that came with the brakes ... and nothing I did would stop the squeal. I tried all your suggestions and whatever I could find on the internet. Sorry it took so long to reply, due to road conditions (read: road salt), I haven't had an opportunity to go out for a ride on the bike until today.

<deleted half of this 'cause it was unfortunately wrong ... still squealing ... my Paul canti's are doing this to me right now: :bike: >

Dan

[palincss]

I've not used the Pauls and I don't know how the blocks adjust. On Shimano high-profile XT2s, I had some hideous squeal on my Saluki that was due not to toe, but rather vertical cant of the pads. The pad wasn't parallel to the braking surface of the rim, but rather was tipped so that only a portion of the pad was in contact with the rim. Horizontal misalignment is obvious, and everybody is aware of toe; but you tend to overlook the other plane, and it's very hard to see.

[vandeda]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :crap: :crap: :crap:

As the miles added on ... the brakes got louder ... and louder ... and louder.

Dave, there is a little play in the arm, but it's very very small as in you have to focus on it to notice it.

"You need to get the rims a bit dusty like they will be in the real world."

Since I was out in the real world, the best solution I had was to rub dirt, instead of talc, on the pads. This quieted them down for a bit, but it slowly came back. So what now? Keep adding talc/dirt until the pads break in? There IS a solution, but getting there is killing me and my ears.

BTW, the rear brakes don't make a peep.

Thanks again ...
Dan

[palincss]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :crap: :crap: :crap:

As the miles added on ... the brakes got louder ... and louder ... and louder.

I love riding the bike, but these brakes are killing almost the entire experience.



I had a simple solution to my brake squeal problem. I gave the mechanic five bucks at Bike Virginia last year, and in ten minutes or less he had the squeal totally gone. I suggest you try throwing a little money at the problem.

[vandeda]

Excellent point palincss .... and to think, we even had our special lbs with a specific contact at our work place, and that lbs is only a few miles down the road.

What kills me though is why the back brakes were so easy ... things like that drive me batty lol

Dan

[fourflys]

sorry to resurrect an old thread...

so I'm having this issue with my brand new Paul's Touring... I'll try the talc thing that Dave mentioned... BTW- mine is just on the front as well...

anyone else have suggestions?

Thanks,
Chris

[David Kirk]

sorry to resurrect an old thread...

so I'm having this issue with my brand new Paul's Touring... I'll try the talc thing that Dave mentioned... BTW- mine is just on the front as well...

anyone else have suggestions?

Thanks,
Chris

Have you toed in the pads?

Dave

[Dan Le foot]

sorry to resurrect an old thread...

so I'm having this issue with my brand new Paul's Touring... I'll try the talc thing that Dave mentioned... BTW- mine is just on the front as well...

anyone else have suggestions?

Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris.
I had the same problem with my new Paul's. Also some scary front end shuddering. (or is it shuttering?) Lotsa toe in and sand paper on the pads did the trick.
Dan

[fourflys]

Have you toed in the pads?

Dave

Dave- I did and no results with just that... I tired the talc and it looks good so far on the neighborhood ride...

Dan- thanks, I'll give that a try if the talc doesn't work...

[vandeda]

I had finally fixed mine after replacing the Paul's with some old Shimano XT canti brakes. I could never get the Paul's to stop squealing. If I remember right since this was nearly 6 years ago now, when my Paul's would start squealing really bad, you could feel either the brakes or the fork flexing really bad because the position of the brake lever would actually change, it would depress more. Crazy. The Shimano's solved it.

Fourfly's, my best wishes in getting your brakes to stop squealing.

[thwart]

Here's a recent useful thread... my understanding is that 'shudder' is just a more dramatic version of 'squeal'... same cause, same possible solutions.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=91884&highlight=canti+squeal

The Pauls are just too good at what they do.

[David Kirk]

Here's a recent useful thread... my understanding is that 'shudder' is just a more dramatic version of 'squeal'... same cause, same possible solutions.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=91884&highlight=canti+squeal

The Pauls are just too good at what they do.

yep - a crown mounted cable hanger will most likely take care of it.

dave

[oldpotatoe]

yep - a crown mounted cable hanger will most likely take care of it.

dave

As will 'mini-vs'. Tektro makes some nice ones, compatible with all road levers, for about $15 per end. PLUS the TRP CX-9 and 8.4..lotsa more $ tho.

[bfd]

As will 'mini-vs'. Tektro makes some nice ones, compatible with all road levers, for about $15 per end. PLUS the TRP CX-9 and 8.4..lotsa more $ tho.

Yup, I bought a Tektro 926al mini-v for my front brake to replace a Suntour xc pro that was shuddering and chattering on the smallest downhill. Bargain - all my problems are now GONE! Further, the Tektro mini-v works great with my Campy ergo shifters.

The only downside is the brake sits on top of my fender. I hear Tektro has a slightly longer mini-v brake that if I had known about it earlier would probably have solved my problem. Oh well, the tektro mini still work great and is a fantastic option! Good Luck! :banana: :beer:

[fourflys]

As will 'mini-vs'. Tektro makes some nice ones, compatible with all road levers, for about $15 per end. PLUS the TRP CX-9 and 8.4..lotsa more $ tho.

if I can't get the Paul's adjusted, I'll probably go with the TRP's... I had those on my cross bike and they are the Cat's Meow... I just had heard so many great things about the Paul's, I just had to try them... I work all weekend, but will get the bike on a ride Monday and see if the talcum powder trick Dave Kirk mentioned works... it seemed to work on the quick neighborhood spin, but we'll see...

[bike22]

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