Front brake problems - Ducati.ms

bung · Oct 7th, 2009, 10:50 pm

After picking up my new S in July I noticed the front brakes making a very loud squealing sound. I took it back to the dealer and they agreed that there was a problem. They installed new pads and rotors and all was fine for a few days but the squealing started again. I picked it up again after its second trip to the dealer and they told me that they changed the pads again. The squealing is gone but I think it may return in a few days like it did last time.

There is something going on with the right front caliper and I think this may be causing the squealing. When I roll it out of the garage in reverse, apply the front brake and then release, it makes a very loud clacking noise. It sounds like something is binding in the caliper. If I let off the lever slowly I can hear 3 or four distinct "clacks". That leads me to believe that there may be a problem with the pistons. It doesn't do this when stopping forward motion, only rearward.

I have tested all of the other Ducatis at the shop to see if they have the clacking problem and they do not. The S has to go back tomorrow anyway for an oil leak so I'll tell them that they are probably going to have to get into the caliper to solve the brake issue. What do you guys think?

dave2riff · Oct 8th, 2009, 12:06 am

My Hyper S doesn't have the squealing issue, but it does make a distinct
"clack" when suddenly releasing the front brake while rolling it around in the
garage. I can't really hear it with the engine running, but I was told the
clack was normal. The 3 or 4 distinct clacks you hear when releasing the lever
slowly may be from the individual brake pistons retracting into the caliper.

There have been other threads about brake squeal on this forum. Some fixed it
with different compound pads, some with the special lube on the pad backing
plate, some fixed it with cleaning up the disc with Scotch-Brite and Brake-Kleen.
My rear brake had a bit of squeal, and the cleaning up the disc fixed it (there
was some kind of build-up on the rotor).

MTScott2 · Oct 8th, 2009, 4:07 am

I regularly "test " the brakes .always blow dry after the infrequent washing of bike then a good ride , by testing - jam them on as if in a panic stop ,drag them infreqently just to warm them up , Stop just using the rear every now and then ,
Them cheapy auto stores have a digital infra red, pyro meter (thermometer ) buy one and take the temps after some heavy brake usage to get an idea if things are in balance ,

Emergency brakes (cars) get screwed up mostly because of lack of use...

Do the basics and if in doubt , dealer time ... ask the service manager lots of Questions ....good idea to know your brakes ..How else you gonna learn!!

Hey where is your oil leak coming from? This is all info , some of us are interested in sos we can be aware of any potential problems with our rides ...Shared info may and will usually help some others avoid problems ,and maybe save you a trip to the dealer and down time for you and dealer back log ,It may just be a simple fix you get the satisfaction of fixing yourself if you choose...Hope its minor

bung · Oct 8th, 2009, 9:34 am

The arrows show the location of the leaking.

BeHyper · Oct 8th, 2009, 9:50 am

I have the same problem with my S (7,500 miles). When I brake, the front brakes start making noise right before I arrive to a complete stop. More than a squeal, it's and howling sound. And the vibrations are transmitted to the handlebar. It's like the sound of a garbage truck. So you can imagine the vibrations...

I'm working with the dealer on this. There was a lot of back and forth with DNA but hopefully we'll soon get to the bottom of it, because I almost got myself in an accident because of this problem last week.

What we have tried so far is:

1) Bead blast the rotors (unsuccessful)
2) Sand the pads (unsuccessful)

What they are going to try tomorrow is:

1) Replace the Brembo set of pads with new ones (although they have a lot of life left)
2) Check the rotor's screws (they said something about the screws being able to correctly expand under the heat)

I seriously doubt this is going to work because I already tried with a different set of pads (EBC, not the $350 Brembo) and it didn't work.

But at this point I think we should go by exclusions.

Please keep me posted on that! I'm really curious how they are going to fix it for you!

Francesco

disgo duc · Oct 8th, 2009, 10:02 am

+1 on rolling around hear howling and vibrations at slow speeds...-1 on clacking.still stop good havnt took back to dealer though.

NYSport · Oct 8th, 2009, 10:03 am

Do you notice any change in the effectiveness of the brakes between the times that you have the noise and those times when there is no noise?

BeHyper · Oct 8th, 2009, 10:09 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYSport

Do you notice any change in the effectiveness of the brakes between the times that you have the noise and those times when there is no noise?

Yes. Definitely. Because the noise is produced by vibrations. When you ride in the traffic and you have a lots of stops and go, it does affect the effectiveness of the brakes. In fact, I almost got myself in an accident last week, because of this.

Hopefully DNA will solve the problem once and for all very soon.

kaligrown · Oct 8th, 2009, 12:06 pm

I have been having the same problem with my S, pulled the pads and the right rotor has been putting grooves into the pad.
thought it might of been a rock that got into one of the holes in the rotor and screwed up the pads so replaced them. helped for a few weeks until the rotors grooved the pads again.
Scotch brighted the rotors, another set of pads and it helped for a 100 miles or so but the vibrations and sounds were back.
Thinking now that new, non-brembo rotors are going to do the trick. Galfer waves are next.
If you have ever ridden a bike with iron rotors these feel the same. vibrating and making the sound close to stop that would make you think that you are on a set.

kaligrown · Oct 8th, 2009, 12:08 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYSport

Do you notice any change in the effectiveness of the brakes between the times that you have the noise and those times when there is no noise?

I notice the noise and the sound but the braking power seems the same. I have no problem coming to a stop just as quickly or getting the back end of the bike off the ground. just have some noise and vibrations to go with it.