Front brake lever normal-soft-normal

vgazer

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Got my hands on a dial gauge and tested it out. Looks like the right side has quite a bit of run out. Would that be enough to cause my brake lever symptoms? Specs I found were .0039" measured at the wheel and I think I'm a bit over....

In the process now of dismantling and double checking everything else just to be sure.


 

EricV

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Check the run out on the rim as well. Might give you an additional clue.
 

scott123007

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You need a new disk. Can't really tell what your dial indicator is reading, but all it takes is a little over 1/16" runout to make your brake lever come into your handlebar and it "looks" like you have more than that, especially because it will be worse at the outside edge.
 

Cycledude

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Brake rotors are very easily bent during tire changes, a dealer down in Illinois bent one rotor on a front wheel for my Goldwing many years ago, all they were supposed to do was change a failed valve stem but I was pretty sure just watching the guy he had no real experience operating that tire machine. I went by that dealer a few years later and they were no longer in business.
And don’t ever lay the wheel on the brake rotor, they can very easily get bent.
 

steve68steve

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Got my hands on a dial gauge and tested it out. Looks like the right side has quite a bit of run out. Would that be enough to cause my brake lever symptoms? Specs I found were .0039" measured at the wheel and I think I'm a bit over....

In the process now of dismantling and double checking everything else just to be sure.


Wow!! That tells much more of a story than a squeaky screwdriver.

Prior posts rescinded.
 

Don in Lodi

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I transport my front wheel laying on another tire. I remove the down facing rotor before chucking it on the turn table.
 

vgazer

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Final Update: Purchased a new rotor through Partzilla and got it installed today. After double- and triple-checking alignment in everything, I test drove it around the neighborhood.

The brake lever symptoms are gone and everything seems to be back to normal. $175 lesson learned about wheel removal and tire changes.

I'd like to thank everyone for their input and ideas; y'all made things much easier and are a great resource.
 

EricV

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Glad you got it sorted and all is well again.
 

Kyle_E

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Final Update: Purchased a new rotor through Partzilla and got it installed today. After double- and triple-checking alignment in everything, I test drove it around the neighborhood.

The brake lever symptoms are gone and everything seems to be back to normal. $175 lesson learned about wheel removal and tire changes.

I'd like to thank everyone for their input and ideas; y'all made things much easier and are a great resource.
Glad it is fixed. What was it that caused the damage?
 
B

ballisticexchris

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Final Update: Purchased a new rotor through Partzilla and got it installed today. After double- and triple-checking alignment in everything, I test drove it around the neighborhood.

The brake lever symptoms are gone and everything seems to be back to normal. $175 lesson learned about wheel removal and tire changes.

I'd like to thank everyone for their input and ideas; y'all made things much easier and are a great resource.
Vgazer, I want to thank you for posting this thread. I have bent rotors in the rocks while riding but never from a simple wheel change. I'm going to be more careful how I handle my wheels. All those years of just tossing my wheel in the back of the truck or on the ground sideways with no regard to the disc. I count myself lucky.

I'm learning more and more that the expense of "adventure bike damage" is no joke. It is not at all like a dirt bike. Simple tip overs, tire changes, or any kind of seemingly simple task can turn into big money.
 

vgazer

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Glad it is fixed. What was it that caused the damage?
This was my first ever tire change on a front wheel (my first ever rear tire was a month ago) and while spooning the tire on, I must have pushed down too hard; had the wheel on laying on some carpet in the garage. As others have said, you need to either remove the rotor or use some sort of tire changing machine. I learned something about floating rotors out of the deal.
 

vgazer

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Vgazer, I want to thank you for posting this thread. I have bent rotors in the rocks while riding but never from a simple wheel change. I'm going to be more careful how I handle my wheels. All those years of just tossing my wheel in the back of the truck or on the ground sideways with no regard to the disc. I count myself lucky.

I'm learning more and more that the expense of "adventure bike damage" is no joke. It is not at all like a dirt bike. Simple tip overs, tire changes, or any kind of seemingly simple task can turn into big money.
I'm glad it wasn't terribly expensive and I learned from my mistake. Hopefully someone reading this thread will avoid my error and save a few bucks.
 

OldRider

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Final Update: Purchased a new rotor through Partzilla and got it installed today. After double- and triple-checking alignment in everything, I test drove it around the neighborhood.

The brake lever symptoms are gone and everything seems to be back to normal. $175 lesson learned about wheel removal and tire changes.

I'd like to thank everyone for their input and ideas; y'all made things much easier and are a great resource.
I'm curious, did you remove the wheel, double check everything, reinstall it and check it again before buying the new disc?
 

vgazer

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I'm curious, did you remove the wheel, double check everything, reinstall it and check it again before buying the new disc?
I disassembled and reassembled three times altogether. The last two times I rotated the suspected rotor per the repair manual but couldn't get the runout into spec.
 
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