Hot Rotors After New Pads

[Jack Klarich]

Test ride andV pads run somewhat cooler rotors. Still seems hot but I’ve never really monitored the temp up till now. New pads just put on Flh rotors stay cool as a cucumber. Calipers are much more open. Perhaps helpful in rotor cooling? Trike 6 piston caliper much more enclosed. Gonna run Trike and monitor.

good on you, and keep us updated

 

[ctdair]

Test ride and V pads run somewhat cooler rotors. Still seems hot but I’ve never really monitored the temp up till now. New pads just put on Flh rotors stay cool as a cucumber. Calipers are much more open. Perhaps helpful in rotor cooling? Trike 6 piston caliper much more enclosed. Gonna run Trike and monitor.

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

Test ride and V pads run somewhat cooler rotors. Still seems hot but I’ve never really monitored the temp up till now. New pads just put on Flh rotors stay cool as a cucumber. Calipers are much more open. Perhaps helpful in rotor cooling? Trike 6 piston caliper much more enclosed. Gonna run Trike and monitor.

My trike has the linked brakes with 6 piston calipers, I have had several issues were the brakes drag enough to smell brakes and you can feel it pull the bike down. I have cleaned the pistons numerous times, and it will still do it from time to time, but one time it will be the right side then next time it may be the left side. So, I have a set of 4 piston calipers off of a Street Glide that I will be installing at some point and doing away with the linked system to see if this corrects the problem.

 

[Old Road Dog]

The pads run with very little clearance, all hardware MUST be clean ( new is preferred)

and lubed ( I use )

I use the silicone ceramic version. Is it superior? IDK...but it's a pretty orange color and matches the EBC V pads I installed. Turns the chick's on.

 

[Old Road Dog]

Test ride and V pads run somewhat cooler rotors. Still seems hot but I’ve never really monitored the temp up till now. New pads just put on Flh rotors stay cool as a cucumber. Calipers are much more open. Perhaps helpful in rotor cooling? Trike 6 piston caliper much more enclosed. Gonna run Trike and monitor.

I've found the V pads don't stop as well as the HD metallic pads. But they do run cooler and have less brake dust. Everything is a trade off.

 

[ctdair]

140 ish mile ride today. Checked rotors at several stops. Still hotter than I like. I’ll admit I’ve never felt the rotors on my Bike or Trike. Only started monitoring after HH pads smelt burnt for a short period on 2nd ride after install. Flh police bike rotors stay cool. Trike is a different beast I guess.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Good on you

I got 100 miles round trip in today

 

[Old Road Dog]

New EBC V semi sintered that were supplied as a courtesy warranty installed today. Rechecked everything. Rotors good , cleaned and scuff sanded. Pistons free. Lightly lubed appropriate areas with copper never-seize. Fasteners torqued to spec. Less drag than the EBC HH pads , still more drag than FlH with DP pads. Rainy day, no test ride. So still waiting to see if rotors will get hot.

Didn't catch if you adjusted the parking brake. That should be the first thing loosened before brake work and the last thing adjusted after the brake work is completed.

 

[ctdair]

Didn't catch if you adjusted the parking brake. That should be the first thing loosened before brake work and the last thing adjusted after the brake work is completed.

Loosened parking brake. Adjusted. Rear rotors are fine. Front rotors are the issue. Parking brake has always sucked. I use Velcro strap around front brake lever.

 

[Old Road Dog]

Loosened parking brake. Adjusted. Rear rotors are fine. Front rotors are the issue. Parking brake has always sucked. I use Velcro strap around front brake lever.

Ah. I would check: rotor runout/ warping. Wheel bearings. Fork bearings. Wouldn't rule out the caliper either. In normal riding the brakes shouldn't feel hot.I come down a mountain to access 4 lane and even with aggressive braking the calipers are warm but not hot. The easiest thing to do is to quit using the front brake as a parking brake until you locate the problem. It might be causing a "sticky"caliper. A term I just made up.

 

[ctdair]

Haven’t had the Velcro strap on as a parking brake since last fall. In the garage on level floor just leave it in gear. Flat parking lots same thing. Only use strap on slopes. Rotor run out is ok. Wheel bearings good. Fork bearings? How would that cause hot Rotors?

 

[Old Road Dog]

Haven’t had the Velcro strap on as a parking brake since last fall. In the garage on level floor just leave it in gear. Flat parking lots same thing. Only use strap on slopes. Rotor run out is ok. Wheel bearings good. Fork bearings? How would that cause hot Rotors?

I wouldn't rule anything out. How's the axle BTW? Hit any potholes in your travels? Castle nut torqued properly?

 

[ctdair]

100 or so miles yesterday, unacceptable heat on rotors on return home. Tearing down again today to see what I can find.

 

[Jd1a]

If the front brake was clamped on hot rotors, the heat will dissipate to the rotors on that spot. This can warp the rotors. It you have floating rotors, check those points. Just a thought.

 

[ctdair]

Disassembling done for now. Here’s my thoughts and findings. Lots of drag on wheel when removing calipers. To remove pads from caliper was difficult. Pistons retracted / pushed in and pad was very tight to get out through what I’d call the disassembly notch. Pads and backing plate too thick? No further room for pistons to retract and therefore causing drag? Yes I know thinner pads would allow piston to extend more but then there would be more retraction room. Last call to dealer they didn’t have pads in stock. So aftermarket was faster delivery. Hope to find a dealer close with some in stock. Hate to throw more money at it.

 

[14TG]

Disassembling done for now. Here’s my thoughts and findings. Lots of drag on wheel when removing calipers. To remove pads from caliper was difficult. Pistons retracted / pushed in and pad was very tight to get out through what I’d call the disassembly notch. Pads and backing plate too thick? No further room for pistons to retract and therefore causing drag? Yes I know thinner pads would allow piston to extend more but then there would be more retraction room. Last call to dealer they didn’t have pads in stock. So aftermarket was faster delivery. Hope to find a dealer close with some in stock. Hate to throw more money at it.

I’m curious as that may be exactly the issue… pads too thick.

please keep us posted!

Something tells me that OE pads may be your answer.

 

[ctdair]

Oem pads are thinner. Installed easier than aftermarket. More piston area exposed as expected. Still hot. Just got off phone with a ex Harley mechanic friend. Starting to suspect front master cylinder. More to follow.

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

Oem pads are thinner. Installed easier than aftermarket. More piston area exposed as expected. Still hot. Just got off phone with a ex Harley mechanic friend. Starting to suspect front master cylinder. More to follow.

Please keep us posted, I have had the same issue for a couple years. And I have the fluid changed every two years.

 

[ctdair]

Well this is getting frustrating. Thought perhaps master cylinder not retracted all the way. Seems to be ok. Get the pulse or bubble of fluid when applying lever and viewing reservoir with top of.

That a check from manual. Piston of master cylinder fully retracted against lever. Rear Rotors are not getting hot so don’t suspect it holding pressure.

 

[ctdair]

Took front master cylinder line off. Front brake still drags.