Rear ABS pulsing after wheel removal

[cl2south]

I took the rear wheel off my '04 ABS for a tire change, following the instructions at https://www.fjrtech.com/getdbitem.cfm?item=34

I made sure the ABS sensor ring was aligned properly when I put the wheel back on. However, on using the rear brake, I get a very prominent clicking/pulsing. I figure this is the ABS pulsing but I am not certain because I've never felt the rear ABS before.

Also, I noticed the rotor and ABS sensor ring were both extremely hot (got a blister on my knuckle to prove it), and I only drove less than half a mile with 4 or 5 hard stops. The front rotor was cold even though I always use both brakes (and more front than rear).

Is it normal for the sensor ring to get that hot after such a short ride? Or is something rubbing that aint supposed to be?

And any ideas on what could be going on? If the ABS sensor is supposed to get that hot, then maybe the slippery release compound on the new tire was just making the ABS kick in easier. But I keep wondering if maybe I screwed something up putting the wheel back on

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[skyway]

The sensor ring should never get hot, somethings obviously wrong back there.

Remove the rear wheel again and carefully check everything out, sounds like some sort of alignment problem. Did you add a small amount of grease on the inside of the sensor ring?

Also make sure all components are in the right order when you assemble them.

Does the rear wheel spin freely when on the center stand?

 

[cl2south]

Eh. It turns sorta freely, doesn't take a lot of effort to move the wheel. I hear the sliding of rotor against pad when I turn it, but I think it was always that way. I remember thinking it might be a good idea to grease the inside of the sensor ring, but I couldn't readily see any contact points and it wasn't in the instructions, so I skipped it. Maybe that's it?

Is there some sort of trick to aligning things? It seemed like there was only one logical way to put everything back together, namely in the reverse order they came off! And with only three bolts to remove/install I am not sure how I could screw something like that up.

Thanks for your help! At least now I know some things I can look at to try getting this thing fixed. I was planning on saving a few $$ on the tire install and learning a bit more about the FJR but in hindsight I think I'd skip it next time. Wife said, "You wanted to save $50 on a $11,000 motorcycle?!" :headbonk:

Boy do I have a tendency to learn things the hard way!

 

[skyway]

If the parts you describe were so hot you got a blister, the chances are that you'll find some visual as to whats been making contact.

Are the brake pads in correctly?

 

[radman]

Are the brake pads in correctly?

+1. And south, don't look at it as saving money-look at it as learning more about the machine you ride-knowledge gained can never be taken away. Even if it is screwed up, and costs a few bucks, you'll have learned caution in wrenching-a lesson that has cost many much more.

 

[Groo]

Big +1 Rad... like tonight when I'm installing my PCIIIusb... anyone else know that the black bike connectors only have 5 out of the 6 sockets pinned? Freaked me out for a while, cause the PCIII has all 6 pinned. But both sides of the bike connection are like that. Don't know that I'll ever need that info., but there it is... something more I know about my bike...

 

[FlyingLow]

By all means CL2 stay with the DIY plan. The more you learn about your bike the better you'll be.

Were these items getting hot before you pulled the wheel?

 

[madmike2]

Are the brake pads in correctly?

Since the rear calipers have been written about for collecting road splooge, there is always the possibility that if you pressed the caliper piston in before checking for any foriegn material, there may be some grit keeping the piston/pad assembly against the rotor. Pull the rear wheel and try washing out around the piston with some "brake clean" chemical. The above is just an educated gueww. Let us know what you find.

 

[cl2south]

Ok. Woke up first thing this morning to try and get my baby going again I took the wheel back off and double, triple checked everything. All the parts are and were definitely in the right places.

I could not see any signs of friction between any parts that would cause that kind of heat, either.

So... I greased up the inside of the abs sensor ring and made sure the brake pads were aligned properly, etc... Put everything in place again (carefully aligning the notches on sensor&caliper assembly) and the wheel moved free and quiet. Then I pumped the rear brake pedal a few times until it felt "tight" like it usually does. Then I could hear the rotor sliding along the pads when I turned the wheel (no brake applied) - but the wheel was still easy to turn. So the brakes weren't applied, but the pads were resting up against the rotor. Is that normal?

Just out of curiosity, are brake pads supposed to be always touching the rotor enough to make noise like that? Seems like that friction all the time would be a Bad Thing. I don't know about brakes but that's the only part that doesn't make sense to me, and it would explain the heat. Now I'm going to check madmike2's suggestion and see if there's anything in there. I'll let you know what I find.

Thank you all for your help Someday I'll be able to help anyone else who goes through this.

 

[SkooterG]

Then I pumped the rear brake pedal a few times until it felt "tight" like it usually does. Then I could hear the rotor sliding along the pads when I turned the wheel (no brake applied) - but the wheel was still easy to turn. So the brakes weren't applied, but the pads were resting up against the rotor. Is that normal?
Just out of curiosity, are brake pads supposed to be always touching the rotor enough to make noise like that?

Normal? Yes.

Noise? Yes.

 

[FJRottie]

Normal? Yes.    Noise? Yes.

+1

The brake pad does slightly rub the rotor.

You can spin the rear wheel and hear the slight rubbing. Normal.

 

[cl2south]

Well nothing in the brake piston area, but I think the extra grease or re-aligning something did the trick. Took it for the same ride up the block and back and the sensor was cool to the touch again. The only thing different was I put some extra grease on the inside of it and around the wheel bearing. Seems to be fine now.

I cannot thank you all enough! Hopefully someday I'll know enough about this stuff to return the favor.

 

[skyway]

Well nothing in the brake piston area, but I think the extra grease or re-aligning something did the trick. Took it for the same ride up the block and back and the sensor was cool to the touch again. The only thing different was I put some extra grease on the inside of it and around the wheel bearing. Seems to be fine now.
I cannot thank you all enough! Hopefully someday I'll know enough about this stuff to return the favor.

I take it the ABS pulsing has stopped as well?

Sounds like its back to normal, but I would keep an eye on it for a while. For now maybe find a nice quiet road and do some practice rear wheel lock-ups to make sure all is well.

Waiting to find out until you really need the ABS could be a bad thing.