My back wheel has had a little squeak for awhile, and I blamed it on the EBC brake pads someone sold me saying they were better - well they never quite fit right, never got seated and worn in all the way around and occasionally howled very loudly when I was stopping from a slow speed; I just figured the squeak was from them. The other night I installed a new pair of factory brake shoes in the drum, but with brakes and wheel off the bike I gave the hub a spin got the same squeaky sound, apparently coming out of that one-sided bearing on the Paralever final drive, where the wheel studs screw in. There is a plasticy-looking ring on there - is this some sort of sealed bearing cover? Or is it an internal bearing lubricated by the final drive gear oil? Anyone know what sort of service may be needed on this bearing to make it stop squeeling like a stuck pig, or whether replacing this thing is a tough job, requires fancy tools and such? I've never seen any mention of any rear-wheel bearing maintenance on these bikes, wondering if I missed a day of school along the way... thanks
Gringo: How many miles on the bike? Year of the bike? Mine's a 93 with 70K and no squeak (that I've heard). I'm getting ready to replace my rear brake shoes as the originals are finally worn out at 69.7K. tom
Mine's a '92 with ~48K on it. I sorted out the problem - I think what happened was when I cleaned it the other night, I must've gotten some brake cleaner under the bearing seal to the drive hub, and this must've been rubbing and causing the mild squeak I heard from the naked hub when I spun it by hand, no wheel on the bike. A short ride and it went away by itself; but an even uglier noise took its place, of something scraping. I took the wheel back off and found some aluminum flakes in there. I'd installed my new shoes and springs just like in the generic picture both my Clymer and in the parts fiche printout my dealer gave me, with both springs mounted on the shoes facing out towards you; on my bike the lower spring rubs on the inner flange of the wheel hub (the outside part, with the spokes...) when mounted. I relocated the lower spring and its little rubber 'silencer' to the inner side of the shoes, and the problem went away. Got it all back together and went out for about 50 miles, not a peep out of the back end and it really stops now! The EBC shoes Bob's sold me when I asked for OEM a couple years ago really sucked - never stopped well and howled like a banshee too. On yesterday's ride I had to brake hard at one point and it was like a little light bulb going off in my head - 'Oh, now THIS is what a real rear brake should feel like!'. Stick with stock pads, and put the lower spring INSIDE, not outside like the pictures show; rotate the rubber noise-dampener sleeve on the lower spring so its 'window' faces upward, and everything will be all right. thanks
