Gen1 Front Rotor Replacement Lessons Learned

[Patriot]

As for new, with a quik search I found a supplier that charges $122 ea. before shipping. I bet that's cheaper than your Ron Ayers?

RON AYERS FRONT ROTORS $117

 

[SkooterG]

I am not comfortable "fooling around" with tires or brakes.

Then why are you trying to fool around with them?

Mike, chill. If it stops smooth, the rotors are good. Even if they were too thin.

Find something else to worry about, something actually important, like what you're gonna feed a guy who can't eat shellfish, if he ever finally gets to New Orleans.

Unless you or SouthernCruizer have been using scouring pads instead of brake pads, your rotors are fine.

Exactly my point also.

 

[SkooterG]

As for new, with a quik search I found a supplier that charges $122 ea. before shipping. I bet that's cheaper than your Ron Ayers?

RON AYERS FRONT ROTORS $117

Youse gots me!

I'll start price cross-checking them with my other sources from now on.

 

[wfooshee]

RON AYERS FRONT ROTORS $117

Using perfectly good un-warped existing rotors already on the bike with no work required:

FREE

(Each, with 0 replacement bolts required.)

 

[Canadian FJR]

I really like the black forks. Are they painted or powder coated?

Canadian FJR

 

[rogdeb]

Thanks for the great write up FJRBlues.. Gonna have to tackle this myself soon I fear. Well, I don't "fear" now thanks to you.

 

[Bugnatr]

Good write up as rotor replacement is a real bear. I ended up having a machine shop get my bolts out and they said it was tough for them.

It isn't just the FJR as one of the FZ1 boys had the same fun removing his rotor bolts.

 

[SkooterG]

Two things I would add to the original write-up are:

1) Apply heat to ALL bolts before trying to loosen them. This could save a bad situation from starting on the tough ones.

2) For those of us who are not fortunate enough to have an impact wrench, an impact driver is a MUST and use it on all bolts from the get-go.

 

[redtail]

Thanks for sharing your lessons learned!

The last few times I took my bike to a shop, there was always something left loose. Not immediately life threatening, but enough to make you doubt the quality of the whole job!

These stories are what have given me the confidence and insight to tackle many of the service tasks. The money I saved doing it myself went to some amazing road trips!

So here's 2 cents about don't fix it, if it ain't broke. I rode the stock suspension too long (30,000 miles) knowing it could be better but it still worked. My front brake pads had also gotten to the last 3/4 of their life, but still had a few miles on them.

Then on the way home from a regular little ride around the hills, a car ran the red in front of me and screeched to halt broadside across my path. I was left with no where to go as traffic was moving all around me. I grabbed all the brakes, abs working overtime, and almost stopped before tapping my nose into her front door. I bounced off and fell over. Low speed and close to home, but lost the bike for two weeks. Cost her ins.close to $3500.

Right after that I had GP Suspension re-build my forks and install a Penske Shock. I went ahead and replaced the front pads for the mental confidence.

I'm convinced that new pads grab better than old ones do. That suspension plays a big part in stopping, not just comfort. Especially from the front end dive. Looking back, it's very possible that I might have been able to stop in time with better gear.

I never know when I'm going to push the limits, or be pushed to the limits by circumstances out of my control. So, I don't want to eek the last few miles out of my equipment when I don't have to. I like the theory of "quality equipment is cheap insurance against a crash"! $112 dollars is a lot cheaper than a broken leg!

I think there's a good argument for erring on the side of replacing sooner than later.

 

[Patriot]

As for new, with a quik search I found a supplier that charges $122 ea. before shipping. I bet that's cheaper than your Ron Ayers?

RON AYERS FRONT ROTORS $117

Youse gots me!

I'll start price cross-checking them with my other sources from now on.

cool

free shipping >$99

and on holiday weekends there's frequent 10% off total order

while obsessing, I was thinking I could save 10% and $40 so I better hurry

but now, ya'll have (gently) convinced me that discs aren't like tires with cord showing if wait too long or blow on the road

the "if not broke, don't fix it" truly applies here as they'll be a small, gradual deterriation or symptom to tell when the discs need attention

and 126k miles is not past their effective life

thanx again

<whew!>

 

[Patriot]

RON AYERS FRONT ROTORS $117

Using perfectly good un-warped existing rotors already on the bike with no work required:

FREE

(Each, with 0 replacement bolts required.)

with much humor, respect, and friendship

**** You

there, I feel better

:yahoo:

 

[Patriot]

pads worn through to the backing plate and still used

Find something else to worry about, something actually important, like what you're gonna feed a guy who can't eat shellfish, if he ever finally gets to New Orleans.

please don't look at my rear disc (it did make a terrible noise, so I stopped touching the pedal till I got home and replaced the pads)

oh yeah, we have amazing Italian, burgers, pizza, etc.

GW Fins gets in fresh fish caught the night before every day. So the menu changes daily depending on what they have.

A favoriate fresh fish (and hard to find these days) is flounder. Middendorfs in Manchac has amazing broiled flounder.

They are known worldwide for their thin sliced fried catfish. I don't favor it (too much batter to actual fish) but many do who like big ole catfish "chips".

 

[RadioHowie]

They are known worldwide for their thin sliced fried catfish. I don't favor it (too much batter to actual fish) but many do who like big ole catfish "chips".

Oh Gawd....I almost peed myself! That catfish looks yummy! And I loves the kitties!

 

[Patriot]

They are known worldwide for their thin sliced fried catfish. I don't favor it (too much batter to actual fish) but many do who like big ole catfish "chips".

Oh Gawd....I almost peed myself! That catfish looks yummy! And I loves the kitties!

come down anytime you want

2011 Ride to Eat Gathering April 8-11 definitely includes Middendorfs...did last year anyway

 

[Grumpy]

They are known worldwide for their thin sliced fried catfish. I don't favor it (too much batter to actual fish) but many do who like big ole catfish "chips".

Oh Gawd....I almost peed myself! That catfish looks yummy! And I loves the kitties!

come down anytime you want

2011 Ride to Eat Gathering April 8-11 definitely includes Middendorfs...did last year anyway

Howie needs to eat more food as bad as I do!

 

[Patriot]

RON AYERS FRONT ROTORS $117

Using perfectly good un-warped existing rotors already on the bike with no work required:

FREE

(Each, with 0 replacement bolts required.)

yes yes yes (said with contrition) nadda attention needed

stopped by this evening at my childhood bud's home...garage literally is a machine shop and storage for RV6 kitplane.

He is trusted by the nearby nuke plant as the maintenance superintendent...

reached for his $100+ digital calipers between the milling machine and the lathe

I pulled out the shop manual -> new thickness is 4.5mm and minimum is 4.0mm

Rear was 4.4, so no issue...waaaaaaay no issue.

Fronts were 4.15, so no issue...he calculated the ratio of the wear to the life of the bike at 127k miles at good for another 44k before needing checking again

what (4.5-4.15) / 4.5 times 127k = 44k

 

[wfooshee]

Yeah, fine.

Wouldn't listen to yer peeps what knows what they're talkin' 'bout. Had to go to some stranger jes' 'cause he's got gizmos and ****.

And whadja learn? Same thing we tol' ya before!!!

Thin ice, Mike. Thin ice.

:lol: (That's payback for the FU before. )