i bought a motorcycle recently and ive been looking it over pretty good today, i noticed when i pushed the bike across the property that i could hear a little bit of a rattle/jingle sound coming from the front rotor areas, i felt around and found that the brake pads (not the calipers just the pads) can be wiggled around pretty easily they dont move far but they can very very easily be moved 1/8 inch to maybe 3/16 this is the same on both rotors (dual disc front brakes) but is more loose feeling on one then the other. i know on my truck the pads dont feel sloppy like that but thats my only reference. is this normal ? if not what could be wrong with them that would allow for this looseness. the bike stops fine, some minor intermittent squeeking is heard when braking at low speeds but no other noises and no vibrations coming from front end. what do you think?
When I once removed the spring loaded plate that holds the pads down from my old ZX7RR, it did the same thing, and the brakes were fine. Probably missing that part on your calipers. No biggie.
i would inspect the caliper components and make sure all the parts are present and installed correctly. It is normal to have a small bit of play, but it shouldnt rattle, it sounds like something isnt right- i.e worn or missing anti rattle plate, missing guides,incorrectly assembled. My old kawasaki would rattle when the bike was pushed but that wasnt occassional and due to the anti rattle plates being a bit loose with old age (92,000 miles)
Older bikes don't have anti-rattle springs and my '79 Kaw doesn't. The original pads were glued to the pistons and backing plate, which had to be pried free when I replaced them. The replacement pads rattled, which was noticeable and annoying when cruising at low speeds through town. To solve the problem, I used silicone sealer to glue the pads to the piston and backing plate. Problem fixed, that was many years ago and they are still quiet. Since yours rattle, I bet the pads have been replaced.
