"Squeaky" 2 LS front brake on Loopframe.

[bigbikerrick]

Hello Folks, I have owned my 73 Eldorado for about 18 years, and have  had an issue with the front brakes  squealing on application no matter what I do. The only thing that quiets it for a while, is sanding the brake shoes, roughening up the surface, but it only lasts for about a month or so. The front brake stops /works very well, as far as stopping power goes. I have tried shoes I bought years ago from MG Cycle, and currently have the original "green" brake shoes in it. I have  arced the shoes to the drum,adjusted the arm that links both shoes where they both make contact with the drum at the same time, I have lubed all the points that need lube, and adjusted the angle of the arms as suggested in This Old Tractor. I have also made an extra thick brake cable, that does not stretch. I cant really  "lock up" the front wheel, but I almost can, I think.
 If it makes any sense, when I apply the brake with medium pressure is where the squeak is, as I pull harder on the lever, the squeak goes away, so it only occurs as I start braking, coming to a stop, but, Man, is it loud! Folks turn their heads in cars with the windows rolled up, next to me, etc.

To resolve this on disc brakes, I would normally apply "anti squeal" paste to the back of the pads, to quell the vibration that causes the squeal, does anyone have any suggestions for drum brakes to accomplish the same thing?
Any suggestion/advice is always mucho appreciated,
Rick.

[n3303j]

When turning brake drums on a lathe it was normal practice to snap a fat rubber band around the outside of the drum to stop the squeals. Guess it changed a harmonic? It stopped the squeal.

Are all your spokes at proper tension?

[John A]

That front brake squeal saved me once when a car started to pull out in front of me. It was louder than horns. I had the new shoes re arced to fit the drum better and it helped but they still squealed if it was damp. I don’t know if any shops are left that can re arc shoes. Sometimes you can put more of a taper on the leading edge of the shoe which may help. Back in the day, the green  Ferodo shoes were the best but that was over forty years ago.

[bigbikerrick]

Today I took the brake apart, to verify how the shoes contact the drum, and also glued some sandpaper to the inside of the drum, to re arc the shoes by hand.  I will slightly bevel the leading edge of the shoes,as well as check the spoke tension....Thats a good suggestion.   
Rick.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Odd as it may seem, on one customer Eldo, I slipped thin tubing over the brake springs and the squealing stopped.

[bigbikerrick]

Thats interesting, Charlie. Did you just slip a length of thin tubing over the straight part of the springs? I cleaned up all the insides of the brakes, today, re arced the shoes lightly, with sandpaper, and lubed all the friction points with brake grease. I bolted it back together, and no squeak at all, but we will see how long it lasts this time. It seems to me the shoes get "glazed" when the squealing starts.
Rick.

[n3303j]

Funny Charlie mentions tubes over springs. I've seen that before. Never knew why. Now I do.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Thats interesting, Charlie. Did you just slip a length of thin tubing over the straight part of the springs? I cleaned up all the insides of the brakes, today, re arced the shoes lightly, with sandpaper, and lubed all the friction points with brake grease. I bolted it back together, and no squeak at all, but we will see how long it lasts this time. It seems to me the shoes get "glazed" when the squealing starts.
Rick.

Yes, just over the straight part of the springs. IIRC, what I used was silicone hose, but just about anything thin-walled would work.

[SIR REAL ED]

Odd as it may seem, on one customer Eldo, I slipped thin tubing over the brake springs and the squealing stopped.

Excellent tip Charlie. 

I've done the same.  The tubing adds just a wee bit of dampening to reduce/eliminate spring vibration.

 

[bigbikerrick]

Thank you, Charlie. Great tip! I have found some thin clear vinyl tubing, used in a nasal cannula for medical oxygen delivery, that is the perfect size to slip over the springs. I am speculating, that possibly marine heat shrink tubing, will work very well, as it can be "shrunken" over the springs.  The brakes are working excellently right now, but they always do for a while, after a good cleaning/lubing and sanding of the shoes. I plan to take it back apart to add the tubing to the springs.
Rick D.

[n3303j]

Thank you, Charlie. Great tip! I have found some thin clear vinyl tubing, used in a nasal cannula for medical oxygen delivery, that is the perfect size to slip over the springs. I am speculating, that possibly marine heat shrink tubing, will work very well, as it can be "shrunken" over the springs.  The brakes are working excellently right now, but they always do for a while, after a good cleaning/lubing and sanding of the shoes. I plan to take it back apart to add the tubing to the springs.
Rick D.

I think the tube is supposed to slip over the whole coiled part of the spring body, not just the wire. Cannula tubing is kind of small, no?




Like this, but brake spring size.

[Fontain25]

 For years I have used the same Wurth grease that many of us use as spline grease to stop squeaky brakes. Apply on cams and shoes and also the cams shafts. Can also be used on disc brakes mounting bolts and such. Works great!

[bigbikerrick]

Thats a good suggestion on the Wurth sticky grease. Thats what I use on the guzzi splines,and it really stays put. Its almost like a "glue".  Thanks Ron for the illustration, as they say "a picture is worth a thousand words".... I was under the impression that the tubing would only slip over the straight part right before the "hook" end, but it actually has to go over the entire coil spring.  As you noticed, Ron, the  O2 cannula tubing is way too small. I am thinking some vinyl hose, or heat shrink tubing will work.
Thank you, Sir, for pointing that out.
Rick.