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Loud 'click' when applying rear brake

5K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  ksandvik 
#1 ·
Hi my 2014 cb500f has developed a 'click' or 'clunk' noise (not sure how best to describe it) when applying the rear brake. It started when taking a pillion for the first time on the bike a couple of days ago. It doesn't happen every time, just sometimes when I press the rear brake pedal I get a loud click and feel the click through the lever. I can't make it do it when the bike is standing, but it happens sometimes when driving in traffic with slow speed start-stop. Does anyone have any ideas what is causing the noise?
I had the bike serviced about a month ago including new brake fluid. I Had done about 600 km since the service with no issue before the noise started
Thanks in advance
 
#2 ·
Hi,
My 2014 cb500f has recently developed a 'click' or 'clunk' noise (not sure how best to describe it) when the rear brake pedal is applied. It started a couple of days ago when I took a pillion for the first time on the bike. It doesn't happen every time I apply the brake and I can't make it do it at standstill, but it happens irregularly when riding in slow moving start-stop traffic. I hear and feel a metallic 'Click' through the brake pedal. It's definitely not a normal noise - I've been riding bikes for a long time and never had it before.
I had the bike serviced about a month ago including new brake fluid and had since done about 600km trouble free before the noise started.
Does anybody have any idea what could be causing the noise?
Thanks in advance.
 
#3 ·
The only thing I can think of is the spring/spring tension to actuate the rear brake light. Very similar to the metallic ping or click you get when squeezing the front brake slow. That click is always there though, and if it's not that means you're not pressing hard enough for the light to go on, or an adjustment is needed.

Try adjusting the tension on the brake switch at different levels and check to see if the brake light is turning on, and if there's a click when that happens.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the reply, I had a look. It's not the brake switch, brake light comes on with a very light push on the lever. The noise I get is much louder more a clunk than a click I suppose. Unfortunately I can't see anything obvious when inspecting it on the stand, the back brake set up all looks in order and fully functioning!
 
#5 ·
Two things come to mind:

When you apply the brake the caliper and its bracket tries to rotate with the rotor. A pin in the swingarm engages a slot in the caliper bracket:



to resist this torque reaction. The sound may be the bracket and pin knocking together. Can you manually shove the caliper fore and aft to see if you can get the bracket to make a similar noise?

The other is the pads within the caliper itself. When they begin to grab the rotor they try to move with it but are stopped by the caliper (in turned stopped by the caliper bracket in turn stopped by the swingarm pin...) If you come to a stop and hold the bike on the rear brake it's possible for the pads to have moved "back" in the caliper if the bike rolled backward at all on the rear brake; maybe you push it that way a bit or you're on a bit of a hill. When you get underway going forward and eventually apply the rear brake, the pads will move from the rear stop position until they hit the caliper stop in the forward direction. This can produce a sound as well. My Subaru STI's monoblock Brembos make a **** of a noise sometimes, most notable at the first forward stop after backing the car up, because of this.

If you're worried double check the fastener tightness, pad condition, any anti-rattle springs or clips etc.
 
#6 ·
Thanks so much for the detailed reply. Yes, you are correct, if I apply the rear brake and let the bike 'roll' back a little on the brake the next time I apply the brake I get the noise. I'm pretty sure this is new. I've had the bike for about a year and never had this noise before. Should I be worried about it?
When I grab the rear caliper I can wiggle the whole thing up and down a little bit - just a little bit of movement. Is this normal or is this a sign something is loose?
Thanks again for finding the cause!
 
#10 ·
I think the clicking is your ABS brakes working.
You probably didn't really use them until you were carrying a passenger and needed the extra braking effort for the extra weight.
I had a rear brake clicking noise with my CB500F with ABS.
 
#12 ·
So to update, I found the cause of the problem. Today I took apart the calipers and had a good look around...... finally noticing that the slot (marked with an arrow on Blackfins diagram above) was not slotted onto the pin on the swingarm but was sitting above the pin allowing the caliper to move more than it should under braking. I don't know how I didn't see this sooner!
I can only assume that the back wheel was removed at the last service about a month ago and it was not put back together properly.

Anyhow I removed the wheel - first time I have done that, so that was fun - re-aligned the caliper bracket and the problem has gone.

Many thank's for everyone's idea's and posts to help find the cause.

What a great Forum this is😀!
 
#13 ·
So to update, I found the cause of the problem. Today I took apart the calipers and had a good look around...... finally noticing that the slot (marked with an arrow on Blackfins diagram above) was not slotted onto the pin on the swingarm but was sitting above the pin allowing the caliper to move more than it should under braking. I don't know how I didn't see this sooner!
I can only assume that the back wheel was removed at the last service about a month ago and it was not put back together properly.

Anyhow I removed the wheel - first time I have done that, so that was fun - re-aligned the caliper bracket and the problem has gone.

Many thank's for everyone's idea's and posts to help find the cause.

What a great Forum this is😀!
Good to hear.

Double check the condition of the hydraulic hose to the rear caliper. If you sat stopped at a light (or whatever) and were holding the bike on the back brake then there wouldn't be any actual braking force. Instead, with the pads clamped to the rotor the whole bracket assembly -- caliper and all, would have rotated with the wheel, possibly straining the hydraulic hose in the process. That straining can act to tear or weaken the hose at the union. You definitely don't want the hose to break at the worst possible time...
 
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