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[SM]

seriously take it back to the dealer and have them true the wheel. do not fool yourself and attempt yourself. once properly trued the wheel will no longer suffer broken spokes and brake squeal will be dramatically reduced if not resolved.

[jsoto]

I have a 2016 FX with 1,500 relatively easy on and off road miles.  Really frustrated with the extremely loud front brake squeal at very low speeds.  New pads and rotor did not help at all. I lubed the backs of the pads, something the dealer for some reason did not do, but it has only made a small improvement. 

I also broke 2 spokes in two days!  The first one I intended to ignore, but the second, exactly opposite the first, made me question the integrity of the whole wheel and I parked the bike until I could get it to the dealer.  Ended up buying a new wheel since it was cheaper than fixing the old one and I was out of warranty.  Now can’t find spokes to rebuild the old one in my spare time. To be fair to Zero, the replacement wheel was around $300 with bearings and pre-balanced which is not as ridiculous as some other motorcycle wheels.

Also very frustrated the rear brake has gone out twice.  First time the master cylinder needed to be rebuilt (still under warranty).  Second time required re-bleeding the line which makes no sense with such few miles.

I expect better from Zero as the bike, which I normally really, really love, was pretty expensive.  Service often takes a long time as the dealers are a bit far for me and not within the bike’s range so I have to hook up my trailer, etc.  Contacting the manufacturer has been even more frustrating (rep said the sound was because the bike was quiet and I was not used to that — I OWN 6 motorcycles, have owned my Zero for 5 years, and know noisy brakes!). 

I am tempted to try non—sintered pads to help with the noise given my relatively light riding.  However, with the unreliable rear brake and my occasional off-road use, I am less sure. Any advice on that?  And, on where to find a spokes kit for the 21 x 1.85 front rim?

Ride safe!

[Crissa]

If you had the master cylinder replaced, then the line having to be re-bled over time would be the fault of whoever did the warranty repair.  Miles wouldn't have mattered; that would have been pure time.  A microfracture somewhere along the line would do it, too, but again, that would just slowly take time to show itself.

There was a discussion this last year where some of the other guys found a less squeaky brake pad.  I wouldn't know how to find that thread... But there is a solution out there.  Maybe in the unofficial manual?

-Crissa

[Richard230]

I replaced the stock front brake pads on my 2018 S with H-H sintered EBC brand pads and that completely solved the loud squealing that I was hearing from the stock pads. You will have to research the internet, or ask your dealer to check for a compatible EBC (or other aftermarket brand) pad set for your bike, as your brakes might be different than mine.

[Curt]

I have a 2016 FX with 1,500 relatively easy on and off road miles.  Really frustrated with the extremely loud front brake squeal at very low speeds.  New pads and rotor did not help at all. I lubed the backs of the pads, something the dealer for some reason did not do, but it has only made a small improvement.

That was me originally posting about the banshee squeal 4 years ago. I still use only stock pads, but long ago figured out how to stop the squeal! I posted a thread about it, but other people got mixed results. I noticed that it never squealed in the rainy season, which led me to find that a good splash of water over the rotor prevents any squeal whatsoever for about a week! Splash it after arriving home, and the next day it should be good. I keep a bottle of water in the garage for the weekly splashing (in the hot, dry months).

Regarding the broken spokes, you might easily have had a wheel from the bad batch. However, my spokes broke within the first couple hundred miles during mild braking. The same for an FX loaner they provided me.

[princec]

That sounds just like you washed off the brake dust a bit though, no? (or whatever other dust it might have been)

Cas

[Curt]

That sounds just like you washed off the brake dust a bit though, no? (or whatever other dust it might have been)

I tried to test that theory by blowing it out with compressed air, but that doesn't work at all! I think there is either moisture penetration into the pad material, or corrosion on the rotor. The latter theory may be supported by me having to replace the rotor at the same time as the pads.

[Crissa]

Rotors tend to have replace in time rather than miles, whereas pads tend to be mile, not years.  Electrics just tend to not ise the miles on the pads so they catch up to the rotors.

The inverse of someone who lives in the mountains driving an ICE and ends up glazing the rotors with how hard they use the pads when they do use them.

I don't have anything to offer to the squeaking.  I'm just told give them a good stop each ride to rub off any oxidation.

-Crissa

[Curt]

Rotors tend to have replace in time rather than miles, whereas pads tend to be mile, not years.

That would explain it (3.5 years to replacement).

I'm just told give them a good stop each ride to rub off any oxidation.

I tried running the throttle hard against the brakes for half a mile or so to get them really hot. They stop shrieking when they begin to fade. But then the squeal comes right back.

Rainy season looks to be over but I have yet to get any squeal. It's coming though!

[NervEasy]

I switched to Brembo HSS https://www.google.be/search?q=brembo+07BB03SA&ie=UTF-8&oe= pads today. Noise only happens when braking gradually and adding a bit more brake on the last meters to come to stop, only the last moment a quick shriek sounds. It's definitely better than stock pads (which would make a noise sooner and a bit longer) but it's not eliminated. The Brembo pads are installed without anti squeal shims as they do not come with any.

I also tried kapton tape between the stock pads and the shims before with rather good results.

Anyway, I would love to get rid of the noise completely but I still haven't found the final fix.

[Say10 15FX 16FXS]

Switch to EBC pads. Bed them in carefully and you’re set, no squeal all feel. The ‘15+ FX front is FA181R if I remember correctly. These are the semi sintered. They also make carbon, organic and such which will be even quieter but won’t last as long. I also broke several front spokes but I was jumping over speed humps at 50 mph. They snapped right at the nipples so I think they were overnighted?! I removed the wheel, tire and rim strip. Ordered new spokes and nipples plus extras as I could not get the broken spokes out. Trued up the rim and put zip ties where the spokes cross over. Not sure if this helps but I figured it would prevent a broken spoke from jamming the front wheel. I have since swapped over to FXS wheels so no longer an issue.