Brake Bleeding problem...

[Hamburgler]

Well, not sure if its a problem bleeding them or what. Anyway, my bike fell over on its right side, and the end of the brake lever broke off. The way the lever broke was while compressing the brake lever (like pulling the lever in). After i picked the bike up, the brakes were soft, but pumped up in a couple pulls. But, as soon as you move the bike (just enough for the pads to be pushed back in) the brakes go soft again. I tried bleeding them again, but same thing. Took the master cylinder apart thinking something in there was bad, but it looked fine. Its not like an air bubble, once you pump the brakes up it holds until you move the bike, the lever will stay hard over night, but as soon as you roll the bike it goes back to the grip.
Any ideas? Did i do something to one of the calipers?
(Oh, and the brake setup is from a 00' tl1000r if that matters)
Thanks

[OreoGaborio]

that sucks bro... Scoob & Kev said u took a digger & told me how it happened... didn't get much details, but if what they said was true, that sucks bigtime.

Sounds almost like the rotor was bent or something... could be pushing the caliper pistons back into the caliper which is why it takes a pump or two to make contact w/ the rotor again... Any chance of that? Look for damage to the rotors. Only thing i can think of at the moment.

Bleeding the brakes is super easy... where are u & wher's the bike? I can help ya w/ it any morning during any week if you're around.

[Hamburgler]

Thanks for the offer, but i've got the bleeding part figured out, i rebuilt the master cylinder and flushed the system a few weeks ago. I'll have to take a look at the rotors tomorrow.

As for the bike, its pretty stupid, but basicaly the person in front of me did a stoppie when we were going into a yellow light ( i assumed we were going through because it just changed) The street has lots of potholes, so i was more directly behind him than i'd usually be. But anyway, stoppie, his bike twists to my side in the air, and when it came down and i was steering around it i pretty much caught a fairing full of akrapovic. At least it was at like 10mph at the most and nobody got hurt. But, we were both stupid and we know it.

[OreoGaborio]

rule #1 in group riding... be predictable for fucks sake

[Degsy]

You got a bent rotor carrier.

[Hamburgler]

Originally posted by Degsy
You got a bent rotor carrier.

Thanks, thats what i was starting to think. I'm going to take everything apart tomorrow and look at stuff with a straightedge. Hopefully its a rotor and not the fork.

[rebelpacket]

I'd suggest putting a dial gauge up to the caliper and slowly spin the wheel to see if you've got any runout. Like the others said, it sounds exactly like that.

[Hamburgler]

Checked the rotor with a straightedge, its barely warped, but enough to be a problem. I'm going to pick up a stand later tonight and take it off. Unfortunatly, its an EBC rotor, and i could buy a small south american country for the same money. Looks like i gotta buy 2 also, because the new EBC ones look different.

[beet]

should have a match for ya

[stoinkythepig]

Bend it back. You can buy a dial indicator and a crescent wrench for much less than a new rotor. They are pretty easy to straighten.

[Hamburgler]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
Bend it back. You can buy a dial indicator and a crescent wrench for much less than a new rotor. They are pretty easy to straighten.

Have you done that and had it work? Any problems with it afterwards? I've got a dial indicator and some machinist straight edges, just not sure how much i'd trust it. But, if the rotor is already trash, i guess its worth a shot before i drop a few hundred on new ones.

[beet]

you could use my dial indicator & crescent wrench
your still wellcome anyways i dont think you should have any trouble

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by Hamburgler
Have you done that and had it work? Any problems with it afterwards? I've got a dial indicator and some machinist straight edges, just not sure how much i'd trust it. But, if the rotor is already trash, i guess its worth a shot before i drop a few hundred on new ones.

Oh yeah. Done it to at least 6 or 7 bikes. Works fine. Since they bend out of shape easily (as you found out), they also bend right back into shape as well.

Won't need the straight edge. It's easiest to do with the rotor attached to the wheel and the wheel off the bike. I put the axle in a vice vertically so the wheel is horizontal and just use a dial indicator. The crescent wrench is to grip the rotor and provide leverage when bending. <.004" of runout will give you nice smooth brakes. You probably have >.020" now.

If you were closer, you could use my tools as well. Honclefubber has, with excellent results. See: http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...threadid=17162

[Hardcore]

dude, I may need your help straightening 1 of my sv rotors.

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by hardcore
dude, I may need your help straightening 1 of my sv rotors.

No problem. When?

[Hamburgler]

Well, Degsy was right, the carrier is pretty bent, more than i feel like bending back myself. My friend had a bunch of stock rotors, so i found a good pair and put them on for now, at least i can go riding if it ever stops raining. Thanks for the help/ideas everyone.

[Hardcore]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
No problem. When?

soon, very soon---within a couple weeks if you're free

[LiononaLeash]

wow... this is good info. i never thought of bending rotor carriers back to control the runout. seems like it would be pretty straight forward to do.

The left side front rotor of my bike clicks on every revolution of the wheel. I traced the sound to 2 the floater bobbins on the carrier. It seemed like there was a bunch of brake dust in there that I cleared out. It's better now(not as loud)... but I can still hear it click on every revolution of the front wheel. I'm absolutely sure of where this noise is coming from. I can grab the rotor and wiggle it back and forth to make the clicky noise.

Any ideas on quieting this down? Maybe I have a touch of runout on that rotor. Maybe I'll check(and tweak) them this weekend since its probably gonna rain on Saturday anyway.

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by LiononaLeash
wow... this is good info. i never thought of bending rotor carriers back to control the runout. seems like it would be pretty straight forward to do.

The left side front rotor of my bike clicks on every revolution of the wheel. I traced the sound to 2 the floater bobbins on the carrier. It seemed like there was a bunch of brake dust in there that I cleared out. It's better now(not as loud)... but I can still hear it click on every revolution of the front wheel. I'm absolutely sure of where this noise is coming from. I can grab the rotor and wiggle it back and forth to make the clicky noise.

Any ideas on quieting this down? Maybe I have a touch of runout on that rotor. Maybe I'll check(and tweak) them this weekend since its probably gonna rain on Saturday anyway.

Never dealt with that problem before but your diagnosis sounds reasonable to me.

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by hardcore
soon, very soon---within a couple weeks if you're free

Weekday evenings are best for me. I have no concrete plans next week.

[Hardcore]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
Weekday evenings are best for me. I have no concrete plans next week.

what's the easiest way to do this---wheel on or off the bike?

also I found out this weekend that my rotors on my race rain tire/rim are pulsating badly

[stoinkythepig]

I find it easier off the bike. I mount the axle vertically in my bench vice so that the wheel spins in a horizontal plane. This lets the bad rotor face up where it's easiest to "adjust".

[Hardcore]

cool, I'll pull the front wheels off today or tomorrow + I'll be in touch

[gmdboston]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
Bend it back. You can buy a dial indicator and a crescent wrench for much less than a new rotor. They are pretty easy to straighten.

Never straighten a rotor. It will warp back again after the first heat cycle. If you are stranded in Africa nad have to get home, go ahead, but other than that, just buy a new one.

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by gmdboston
Never straighten a rotor. It will warp back again after the first heat cycle. If you are stranded in Africa nad have to get home, go ahead, but other than that, just buy a new one.

I have 60,000+ miles on straightened rotors that have been through countless heat cycles and are still straight. I think your advice is good if the rotor warped from heat, but if it was bent through simple brute force, it can be bent back.