Anyone upgraded the front discs on an 1150?

Packer · Oct 2, 2011

I seem to high spot my front discs. I've never worn a set out :nenau

Most of the time I'm very light on the brakes but if I go out for a blast I can be very heavy on them and they end up high spotting or warping, I'm not sure which. I've had many sets of discs both OE and aftermarket but they always end up the same.

Has anyone tried any supposedly higher performance discs, wavy's etc that aren't suppose to distort?

I'm considering putting a set of full floating Lucas Aliens on it to see if they hold up better but at almost €200 per side that isn't a cheap option though not vastly more than an OE set I suppose.

(RIP) DitchWater · Oct 2, 2011

Have you looked after your calipers and replaced your spring washers, and are your wheels running true?

I've got a set of OE 1200 discs on my 1150 and they float so readily that I can hear them rattle when moving the bike. Also, I can press against them see them float quite easily. They where fitted at around 64K miles to replace what I suspect were the originals for my bike.

The Aliens look very funky though.

Packer · Oct 2, 2011

I replaced the calipers when I stripped the bike for refurb last winter. All psitons move freely.

I had three sets of OE disks during the original two year warranty, the second set lasted less than a month.

I must have had another three sets at least since then in a total of 71,000 miles. I guess that works out at a set every 12,000 miles 'ish which doesn't seem so bad I suppose.

columbus · Oct 2, 2011

Packer said:
I replaced the calipers when I stripped the bike for refurb last winter. All psitons move freely.

I had three sets of OE disks during the original two year warranty, the second set lasted less than a month.

I must have had another three sets at least since then in a total of 71,000 miles. I guess that works out at a set every 12,000 miles 'ish which doesn't seem so bad I suppose.

I fitted as set of wavy discs from Steptoe round about 40K miles to replace the originals.

Fanum · Oct 2, 2011

Three sets of discs in 2 years, and another within a month?

That has got to be a symptom of another problem, whether its a setup/alignment/mechanical problem or a riding style problem :nenau

I'm on 100k + miles and my original OEM discs, used hard, onroad, a lot of offroad and also several yeaqrs of abuse by being in the open air in a salty seaside town.....

To go through what you are going through sounds mad, and indicative of a different problem to me......I would suspect that if you do replace or upgrade them, you will find the same thing happening again very shortly, and on a far more costly item too....you need to treat the cause, not the symptom.

Comfy Old Boots · Oct 2, 2011

Replaced both discs and calipers on front. 12,000 miles for discs. Oh dear. That's not right. I only replaced mine because the discs were warped after off roading.

Grizzly · Oct 2, 2011

Wow! - loads of discs!!

I agree with Fanum, - my 2001 1150GS is on its original discs and has done 146k so I would think something other than the discs needs checked?

Cheers..........Grizzly :beerjug:

Packer · Oct 3, 2011

Fanum said:
Three sets of discs in 2 years, and another within a month?

Not quite as bad as that! Within the warranty period the first (original from the factory) set of disks started to develop corrosion "pits" after about a year. They were replaced under warranty a few days before I went on a business trip to Campbletown.

On the way back home I was riding hard, very hard, and on the anchors approaching a tight bend scrubbing off a lot of speed as quickly as possible the front stated to judder. A couple of days later I got the dealer to check the discs and they had developed a high spot so were replaced again under warranty. They lasted out the remainder of the warranty period which expired with about 21,000 miles on the clock and I think I've had three sets since then, now approaching 72,000 miles.

Constant use through the winter with lashings of salt up here had done for the calipers, I had about three pistons that were very stiff so I replaced the calipers during my repainting exercise but didn't replace the discs. That is probably why the current ones are juddering, overheated due to the caliper problems.

The question is will a set of proper floating wavy items give me better braking? I want smooooooooth, like a warm knife through butter

cookie · Oct 3, 2011

i thought wavy discs are designed to clear dirt, not prevent warping. i think they look pretty stupid on a road bike too, but opinions do vary.

floating discs may help, but there must something making those discs warp, and i doubt it's heavy braking.

(RIP) DitchWater · Oct 3, 2011

I still presume that your front wheel's runout is good in both directions.

Full floating discs will allow your disc to expand in all directions when you are doing your heavy braking exercises and then contract to their original dimensions when they have cooled down. This is the arrangement that can be heard to rattle when the bike is moving at slow speeds. It could help your problem but, your salty location will mean that the space around the disc mounting bobbins will simply provide more opportunity for the offending substance to do its worst.

Semi floating discs have lateral movement only and are usually allowed to centre within the pads by pushing against the spring washer, and when the brakes are releases the disc returns to its original position and whilst doing so, returns the pads to their just-off-contact point.

Oh, and I don't like the wavy disc either.

Packer · Oct 5, 2011

Right, I've got all technical, remembered some of my Grade 1 GCE "O" Level in Engineering Workshop Theory and Practice and decided I needed a Dial Test Indicator

Off to Machine Mart in Glasgow and threw down the wad of cash to buy a precision measuring tool. Less than £18.00, how do they do it? Measures to .01mm over a 10mm range. It even comes in a hard plastic storage case with foam. Then I borrow the micrometer from work.

Home again home again etc. and make a mounting bracket to attach said DTI to fork legs. Old exhaust clamp and a miscellaneous bracket heated bent and drilled for purpose. Result?

Front wheel radial run-out 1.05mm
Front wheel lateral run-out 0.95mm

Left disc radial run-out 0.3mm
Left disc lateral run-out 0.1mm
Lef disc thickness 4.23 - 4.27mm

Right disc radial run-out 0.6mm
Rihgt disc lateral run-out 0.09mm
Right disc thickness 4.31 - 4.33mm

So the left disc is worn more than the right and has a 40 micron variation in thickness whilst the right disc only has 20 micron.

As they are supposed to be 5mm discs, and are where the pads don't touch, I suppose they are a bit worn. Do any of those figures look out of the park?

(RIP) DitchWater · Oct 6, 2011

According to the Paynes manual the permissible wheel runout is 1.3mm in both directions and therefore your wheel is okay. If you want to upgrade your O-Level result you could probably tweak out those anomalies. :thumb2

Right, your discs are probably worn out, according to the minimum thickness stamp on the disc although I'm sure I have seen discs with 4.5mm Min and 4.0mm Min stamps. I'll have a look in the garage later.

Overall, I wouldn't be too concerned about any of the measurements you have taken so I reckon you're okay.

Do you want to sell your dial guage now?

Packer · Oct 6, 2011

DitchWater said:
Do you want to sell your dial guage now?

Why would I want to sell such a fun toy?

You need to take a crisp £20.00 note here:-

Maidstone store
Machine Mart
57 Upper Stone Street
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 6HE

Telephone: 01622 769572 Fax: 01622 693419

£17.99. My one would cost more than that with delivery and compensation for loss of toy.

Thanks for the info

Now, to wave or not to wave, that is the question? Is my skin thick enough for the inevitable abuse? Then of course if the answer is yes should I float or only semi float? :green gri

(RIP) DitchWater · Oct 6, 2011

Packer said:
Why would I want to sell such a fun toy?

You need to take a crisp £20.00 note here:-

Maidstone store
Machine Mart
57 Upper Stone Street
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 6HE

Telephone: 01622 769572 Fax: 01622 693419

£17.99. My one would cost more than that with delivery and compensation for loss of toy.

Thanks for the info

Now, to wave or not to wave, that is the question? Is my skin thick enough for the inevitable abuse? Then of course if the answer is yes should I float or only semi float?

It is nice.

I'm going to get one of those but not from Maidstone. The geezer there got the right hump when I told him I wanted a simple cash transaction, just like it used to be, when I went to but my tap & die set.

I now travel 300 miles to HERE. What is annoying is when I go to Chester or Manchester I have to set up a new account. :confused:

I look forward to hearing what discs you go for. :thumb2

Anyone upgraded the front discs on an 1150?

Packer

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columbus

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Comfy Old Boots

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