Clunk noise from front when braking...

[UK Bloke]

Hi
My S10 has just started to make a clunk sound from the front when braking and it's quite annoying.
I have eliminated the disks, fitted new pads, I have also tried it with one calliper removed and one fitted, and then vice versa, but it still does it.
I can reproduce the problem when stationary as follows:
Jack the front wheel off the floor so it can be spun,
Spin the wheel in one direction as fast as possible and get the missus to grab the brake and the clunk can be heard, and then spin in the opposite direction and repeat.
It will only click once in a given direction so each spin has to be the other direction of the previous.

Also I can get it to clunk by locking the front brake lever in (brakes on full) and then forcefully turn the wheel against the brakes, it will make a clunk noise and move very slightly.

The obvious thing to be is the brake pads moving back and forth which is fine but why has it just started making a loud noise.

 

[tomatocity]

The front wheel is installed by the dealer. The forks have been known to cause a noise. I would loosen and re-torque the front axle and forks. The axle and forks have a torque sequence (which I don't remember).

 

[UK Bloke]

Thanks, I have loosened and tightened the axle earlier tonight but no change, also I have had the wheel out quite a few times for tyres etc.

 

[bloodline]

Floating rotors? Loose steering stem?

 

[UK Bloke]

It's not the disks and the noise is coming from the wheel, not the steering head, but thanks anyway.

 

[Koinz]

Hi
My S10 has just started to make a clunk sound from the front when braking and it's quite annoying.
I have eliminated the disks, fitted new pads, I have also tried it with one calliper removed and one fitted, and then vice versa, but it still does it.
I can reproduce the problem when stationary as follows:
Jack the front wheel off the floor so it can be spun,
Spin the wheel in one direction as fast as possible and get the missus to grab the brake and the clunk can be heard, and then spin in the opposite direction and repeat.
It will only click once in a given direction so each spin has to be the other direction of the previous.

Also I can get it to clunk by locking the front brake lever in (brakes on full) and then forcefully turn the wheel against the brakes, it will make a clunk noise and move very slightly.

The obvious thing to be is the brake pads moving back and forth which is fine but why has it just started making a loud noise.

Maybe the spring clips holding the pads in place are loosening up, try giving them a bend in the opposite direction to give them more tension against the pads. ?

 

[HoebSTer]

Hmm, isn't it a "floating" Caliper? Ever notice in a car, when you pull forward, then back, then forward, there is often a clunk of the caliper shifting just a little. Does this sound like the issue?

 

[redneckK20]

Wheel bearings? Sounds like steering head bearings to me.

 

[tomatocity]

Floating rotors? Loose steering stem?

UK Bloke, listen to Bloodline. Even if he is wrong most likely your stem needs adjustment. While you are at it loosening the fork tubes and torquing them does not cost anything.

 

[Grumpy]

Loose caliper bolt allowing a small amount of movment???

 

[bikerbampi]

I have a new S10 and it has done it since new, I am pretty sure it is the pads moving slightly on the first application of the front brake.
::021::

 

[Don in Lodi]

Hmm, isn't it a "floating" Caliper? Ever notice in a car, when you pull forward, then back, then forward, there is often a clunk of the caliper shifting just a little. Does this sound like the issue?

Floating disk, fixed caliper... O
Same theory applies though.
With your face right there when it makes the noise you still can't pin point where it's coming from? Your test with the calipers should have eliminated that. Try ping-ing the spokes with a screw driver blade, tap...ping, tap...ping, tap...tock! Be sure to gently press any neighboring spoke away so it doesn't deaden the ping. I checked my rear spokes at this last tire change, still I lost my first one last week @ 32,000 miles. Hand spinning, I doubt you're generating enough torque for a spoke to make noise, but since you're there...
I too think it might be the pads... in both calipers. Since it only does it once in each direction.

 

[RED CAT]

Most likely the steering head. Even though you jack up the front wheel and move the forks back and forth without movement, it can still be the steering head. Try loosening the top middle nut along with the 2 pinch bolts on the fork tubes. Take a large flat blade screw driver and punch/screw the 2 serrated nuts under the top triple clamp in a clockwise manner going downward or into the steering stem about a 1/4 turn. It is surprising how tight they have to be. The torque specs are off on this one. Had the same problem with my S10. My buddy on a Harley suffered through a clunking for 5 years before he tried torqueing the stem and couldn't believe the difference. Try it, you'll like it! ::001::

 

[htuter]

I have the same problem and my technician said the noise is coming from the brake pads. I have noticed that when I am passing over speed bumpers or pot holes I hear a clnk noise coming from the front wheel like 2 metal parts are hitting each other. It is a short but noticable noise. as much as the pot hole or bumper is bigger the sound was more sharp and noticable. My technician has asked me to do the following test .... before passing over speed bumbers he told me to squeze the front brake lightly and try to follow up the noice. when I tried that that clunk noice has has almost disappeared according to how much I brake I have applied . he said most probably the pads are hitting to the calipers.. squezing the front brake is offseting the clearance between caliper and brakedisk so that passing over speed bumber does not make any noise in front wheel. so far there is no effect over braking efficiency. you could try that as well.. if this initial braking makes the clunk noise disappear my technician suppose to be right. this noise has almost vanished at the moment without any reason ( 2 months later) or some how I rarely notice it.
br
huseyin

 

[RockyDS]

Is it only under braking??

If not, it sounds like it might be the same issue I had/have. I posted this in another thread;

Well, I had a front end clunk diagnosed as wheel bearings by the mechanic at my dealers, so they were replaced at 20,000 kms - unexpectedly early. That seemed to cure the issue but the noise came back (very similar if not the same) only a few 100 kms later. Again diagnosed as front wheel bearings. This time around the mechanic is using genuine Yamaha bearings and also replacing the axle. I can't find any evidence of anyone having wheel bearing issues so I don't know what could be the cause of wheel bearing failure if replacing the axle and bearings doesn't resolve the issue.

My bike came home on the back of my truck and is now snowed in so I won't know any more until spring.

Have you loosened and properly torqued the fork tubes?

Most likely the steering head. Even though you jack up the front wheel and move the forks back and forth without movement, it can still be the steering head. Try loosening the top middle nut along with the 2 pinch bolts on the fork tubes. Take a large flat blade screw driver and punch/screw the 2 serrated nuts under the top triple clamp in a clockwise manner going downward or into the steering stem about a 1/4 turn. It is surprising how tight they have to be. The torque specs are off on this one. Had the same problem with my S10. My buddy on a Harley suffered through a clunking for 5 years before he tried torqueing the stem and couldn't believe the difference. Try it, you'll like it! ::001::

I'll be doing ^ this ^ before spring.

 

[htuter]

i mean without braking when i was passing over the speed bumpers( which are very common here in turkey- istanbul because of terrible drivers and poor trafic enforcement.. in every year we are loosing more people in traffic accidents then you have lost in gulf war)
When i pass over the bumper if i apply a little brake without decclerating bike too much i noticed that sound has vanished. The noise is there if i apply no brake.

 

[snakebitten]

Every year we lose as many as we did in Viet Nam. It's dangerous out there. Couple of nights ago a juiced up gal entered the highway going the wrong direction. (you gotta be completely wasted) She hit a Gold Wing head on.

Total tragedy. And she was unscathed, of course. Physically anyways.

 

[WRW9751]

If you haven't pin pointed the noise specifically to the brakes. I would look to the steering stem bearings. Mine had a similar sound and I found the steering stem had loosen some. snugged them up and it was gone.

 

[UK Bloke]

I'm convinced its the pads, I fitted new ones and it stopped, it has just started again so I guess the paint on the edges has worn down.

 

[gunslinger_006]

I have a new S10 and it has done it since new, I am pretty sure it is the pads moving slightly on the first application of the front brake.
::021::

Ditto.

On mine its the pad moving about 1-2mm in the caliper. Happens on light applications mostly at low speeds. I can reproduce it with the front wheel off the ground by braking against backward rotation and then forward rotation.


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