SRAM Brake Scream !

Zimmerframe

MUPPET
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Jun 12, 2019
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Brittany, France
This weeks award for VELO VOODOO goes to @Swissrob .

My 30k test ride got cut to 13k due to Wimpyness in the face of adverse weather. (It was sh1t, I'd had enough).

However, with Swissrob's black band aid fix, not a single squeal or scream ! Needs more testing and that was with 5 or 6 wraps rather than the recommended 3. But at the moment, if you have the ScReAM brakes, this seems like it might work !!!!

tape.jpg


Swissrob recommended this :

Scotch® Rubber Splicing Tape 23 | 3M United States

I ended up using this, which I think is basically the same :

tape roll.jpg


Cut a length off and then peel off the red stuff. That was from "Action" for about 99p
 
Last edited:

tedturbine

Active member
May 8, 2019
133
98
Worthing
[I waQUOTE="MrTeno2U, post: 117505, member: 4835"] View attachment 21372

This would be messy but maybe the tape would serve the same purpose, if some was placed on the back of the pads between the contact points. Used this on cars for years to solve the same problem.[/QUOTE]
View attachment 21372

This would be messy but maybe the tape would serve the same purpose, if some was placed on the back of the pads between the contact points. Used this on cars for years to solve the same problem.
I was wondering if a thin smear of copperslip may help
 

Zimmerframe

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Jun 12, 2019
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I was wondering if a thin smear of copperslip may help
I did wonder if this would work, presumably there's some reason why it's not done ?

Just tried another test with the tape. Certainly considerably better than normal. I did experience two squeals - though of considerably less volume than normal. Will try some tape on the other spokes too ..

Too keep everyone entertained I purposely rode like a total spud and stalled out crossing here .. you can guess where I ended up .. I'm starting to think an armoured wet suit is more my ideal riding gear ..

wet.jpg
 

B1rdie

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Feb 14, 2019
831
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Brazil
May I suggest earbuds?

Other than that, I consider the brakes like a musical instrument that needs to be tuned to a subaudible frequency, and to tune it needs some long paved descend where I increase the pull at the levers until the noise begins than immediately release and start pull the levers again. This works with any brand but better with shimanos ?
 

Dirtnvert

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Sep 25, 2018
1,352
1,600
BC Canada
Interesting with the tape wrap. My 220's are louder. Pissing today and the front was quiet as, since i adjusted it. Rear was howling big time. I straightened the caliper but the pads arent even . One brake pad is sticking out of the caliper and the other is flush. Half ass job on my part is the problem i think/hope.
Really nice feel in the wet grease today though, with these code r's w 220's. Always right there and good modulation. Dropped a few psi in my rockr2/ewild combo and super fun
 

salko

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Aug 29, 2019
1,237
836
SLO
After just replacing stock SRAM 200mm front rotor for SRAM 220mm rotor brake scream in the front completely gone.
 

Zimmerframe

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Jun 12, 2019
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And as an update .. tried the ceramic pads .. and they made no difference to ScReAM...

I take it the 200mm rotors harmonically resonate at just the wrong frequency !
 

paul-g

Active member
Dec 27, 2019
582
457
yorkshire
the lbs will ALLWAYS tell you to buy new pads "these are made of KRYPTONITE "
or "warn down with 5mm still on " can i have £20 please Ha Ha rotor contamination
clean with car brake cleaner and score surface

pads
take the pads out put neat washing up liquid on 1 pad
rub rogerher (you have to do this)
you will get a thick black paste (crap ingress in pads)
rinse in clean water
if you see parts that not clean repeat
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,390
8,620
Lincolnshire, UK
I carry my bike to the trails on a tow bar rack. When the wet weather started I started getting brake squeal from my 200mm Shimano BR-M520 with resin pads. Holding the brake on for a while stopped it only for it to start again later. I would clean the discs afterwards with iso-propyl alcohol, to no avail.

Then I tried covering the discs with ziplock plastic sandwich bags for the journey to the trail. I had to cut one side of the sandwich bag down the middle to get it on. You need a tight fit or they will blow off. When I got to the trail car park, I was astonished at how much greasy/oily crap was deposited on to the bags! No more brake squeal! The bags can be reused, just wipe off the muck.
Worth a try?
 

Zimmerframe

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Jun 12, 2019
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Brittany, France
My rear Code-R caliper seized three pistons, so it seemed like a good sign to change it.

Installed a Zee caliper and lever. This is an easy straight swap and everything lines up and works correctly with the SRAM rotor.

The Code-R lever and the Zee lever are both basically the same shape and size, so they both feel the same from that respect.

The disk was thoroughly sanded and cleaned.

A quick ride to bed in and clear some fallen trees off the fire roads for a test.

Interestingly .. they still scream ! So it is the SRAM 200mm rotors which resonate. They only screamed once wet.

Feel wise, for me I prefer them. I didn't find them grabby - this was a super slippy sloppy mud fest and I felt like I had perfect brake control. I found them to be more predictable and effective - especially when wet. The SRAM's sometimes feel like you're just squeezing a sponge wondering when it's actually going to do something, the Zee's just add more braking corresponding to how hard you pull the lever. The SRAM's performance drops off hugely when they Scream, the Zee's felt exactly the same when screaming or not screaming :)
 

B1rdie

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Feb 14, 2019
831
1,033
Brazil
Its because shimano designs with friendly approach, so the rear will keep screaming just to follow the front ones...
 

Racoon21

Member
Jan 3, 2021
11
13
scot
im gonna jump in here...i am now haunted ..by the scream! haha!..finger on the brake peddle a short distance an it goes away for a bit..will try some pad swaps next
 

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