How to Fix Squeaking Brakes on a Huffy Bike

Huffy has been producing bikes since 1892, making it one of the oldest bicycle companies in the United States. It has produced more than 100 million bicycles in that time, and has produced children's bikes for decades. Most children's bikes feature a simple construction that is easy to fix and maintain. The most common type of brakes used on children's bikes are rim brake pads. These are easy to replace or fix, and there are a few different reasons they might start squeaking.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Adjusting wrench

Step 1

Inspect the brakes to see how they touch the rim of the wheel. If the brakes are situated crookedly and are rubbing any part of the rubber tire, this can sometimes cause squeaking.

Step 2

Loosen the brake bolt holding the brake pad to the braking fork. Do not remove it, but just loosen it until you can swivel the brake pad and align it perfectly with the metal rim, so that it only touches the rim at any point when pressure is applied.

Step 3

Wipe down the metal rim and the brake pad with a soft cloth. Dirt and other sediments can accumulate in the pad and on the rim, scraping against the metal and causing squeaking noises.

Step 4

Observe the brake pad and which ends touches the rim first. To avoid squeaking, the leading part of the brake as it goes against the rotation of the rim should be the first end to touch the rim. Many times a high-pitched squeaking sound can result from the back end of the pad touching first. When this happens, there's no alternative but to purchase new pads--this frequently happens when pads get old, and you can't safely adjust your brake levers to compensate for it. The brakes will still work with the squeaking sound, but they won't be quite as effective.

Article Written By Jonathan Croswell

Jonathan Croswell has spent more than five years writing and editing for a number of newspapers and online publications, including the "Omaha World-Herald" and "New York Newsday." Croswell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Nebraska and is currently pursuing a Master's of Health and Exercise Science at Portland State University.

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