I'm getting close to finalizing my front end swap. I've got the Swatt clip-ons mounted up, but the risers interfered with the F4i M/C I bought, so I had to swap back to a 900rr one (which looks almost exactly like our stock ones). While I had the front off the ground, I noticed the wheel doesn't spin freely. I took off the calipers, re-bleed everything, tried putting a shim in to offset the calipers, and ended up taking them back out. I was hoping that a mile or two ride would seat the calipers and I would come back to a free spinning wheel, but no such luck so far.

Anyone have this problem when changing brakes? Is this normal and self-correcting after a longer ride? I've been hunting through fiche on Ron Ayers, it looks like all the 900RRs & used the same brakes & forks, and the F4 brakes I have look like the 900RRs & take the same pads, so spacing shouldn't be an issue. I just want this thing done and plastics back on!

 

After searching the internets for answers, I possibly have a gunked-up caliper?

 

if yu picked up used calipers, its always a good idea to disassemble them and at least clean them, including removing the pistons. As the pads wear the pistons don't need to full retract so you get crud on the part of the piston that stays pushed out. When you replace pads you shove them back in to make room but they don't retract as they should because of that crud. You can get new seals and clean up the pistons cheaply except your labor of course - but necessary work whenever replacing pads or buying used. Most people neglect their brakes quite a bit in my experience on the used market.

 

disk brake pads always have a 'light' drag as there is no return spring. when you put new pads in it's a good idea to pop the caliper cylinders & give them a good cleaning. or at a minimum... after removing the caliper from the fork, leaving the pads in, pump the brake a bit until you can see the dust seal & clean them up. if there is anything dirt / pad debris past the dust seal you'll need to remove the cylinder to clean / check the fluid seal.

tim

 

Some pads drag more than others. What pads are they and tell us more about how much spin you do get.

 

I had this problem going from my stock front to the 929s, but it ended up being what cliby said with things just being gunked up and dirty. Take them all the way apart, clean everything very well and put it all back together with a good bleeding and you'll probably be fine.

I kept the stock honda brakes (work fine with the new rotors) and I think my pushing the pads back to open them up more forced some gunk back in with the pistons and caused my problem. Don't ride far with it dragging hard (tried that hoping it would just free up) or you'll overheat the breaks like I did and it'll clamp down even harder. End result was me getting stuck down the street with a front wheel that wouldn't turn

 

I get no free-spin whatsoever. I'm going to disassemble them tonight and see if that fixes things.

 

After cleaning them good and re-assembling, most of the drag is gone. I still need to lift the bike and re-check, since I rode it today for a ways.