BIG DAVE 03

To add to my carb needle holder problem I have recently changed tires on my 03. This is the 3rd set and I remove my own rims then take them in. I have change brakes, tires and keep maintenance regular. I am no stranger to removing my front wheel but I have a problem I cannot figure out.

When I install the wheel, follow the manual, re-install the hardware in the reverse order it was taken off and the bottom bolts on the brake assembly touch the rotor? I have tried every combination of turning the wheel, switching sides of bushings, changing bolts to different positions and going back to the original parts breakdown and installing as per the book and nothing seems to make it fit. It appears the bottom bolts are 1- 1 1/2 threads to long? If I put a washer under the head it is fine but there must be a reason it touches the rotor and I do not wish to find out a 100 MPH why. The dealer says the bushing are backwards? I 've tried every combination so that service fee isn't going to happen. Any suggestions out there? Between this and my carb guide issue I am waisting valuable summer time fun. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Dave

trinc

i measured my bolts, they are about 7/8" long ( thread portion ). the wide wheel spacer is on the throttle side ( right ) .



tim

BIG DAVE 03

All 4 bolts measure the same length. Yes I installed the wide wheel spacer on the right. When I tried the other side it shifted the wheel and made it worse. Not to exagerate but I have R/R'd this wheel 15 times and never had this issue before? Thanks for your reply.

Gregw

Are you sure you got the same rim back?

gssbmm

are you sure they didn't put the tire on the rim in the wrong direction. if the stock rim does not have the fat part of the rim facing forward it will never go on. I know from experance.

comedo

The stock rotors have little directional arrows on them. That should be of some help in determining whether they put the front tire on backwards.

Riff

Could the forks be twisted in the triples? Bearings shifted in the hub? Maybe the shop confused you parts for another's (been suggested)? I duuno? I'm grasping at things here.

inderocker

The shorter spacer goes on the "shoulder" side of the front axle. A photo of your problem may help us identify it more clearly.

BIG DAVE 03

Thanks for the responses. I did get the same rim back as the custom blue pin strip on the rim is the same. The rotor and tire arrow faces forward. I thought about the twisted forks but the brake mount is stationary so I believe it would throw the alignment off making it hard to get the brake assy to fit over the rotor which it slides over easy. Could the inner bushing have gotten damaged but at this point I am digging also? This has been a routine task for this bike so it has me baffled .

JamieDaugherty

Maybe you don't have the correct bolts?

Riff

I'm guessing here, but the fact there is a spacer #6 between the bearings tells me the entire bearing-collar-bearing assembly can play a little left or right, rather than have the bearing pressed up tight to a machined surface in the hub? Also a bit of conjecture here, but maybe the tire machine at the shop supports the wheel through the hub, and over torquing it to the machine may cause the bearings to budge? I'm no tech, but I can't explain this any other way.

http://fiche.ronayers.com/Index.cfm/...up/FRONT_WHEEL

trinc

thats why i measured mine. the axle pinch bolts are probably longer but iirc they are not the same size ( diameter ).

tim

comedo

Sorry, Big Dave. I'm still trying to understand the problem. Are you saying that the ends of the bolts that hold the brake calipers to the fork legs scrape against the brake rotors? Is it happening on one side or both sides? Are the brake calipers centred over the rotors?

JamieDaugherty

No, it can't. The spacer is there to allow you to bear up the whole axle assembly. The bearing bores in the wheel are very accurately machined and the center spacer/tube is just a couple of thousands shorter. This little bit allows you to preload the bearings for better life.

BIG DAVE 03

Here is a pix of the situation. I will ll measure the pinch bolts and see if I mixed them??? I am very meticulous in removing and placing on a clean towel the position of removal then installing the reverse order. But I could have made a mistake? Thanks for all the help.

BIG DAVE 03

I measured my bolts and the thread length is 15/16th's. The pinch bolts are bigger in diameter so that rules out the swapped bolts. Is the length too long? Is it possible they stretched that much? I also wondered about the bearings being messed up at the tire shop but would that affect the rigid caliper mounts and alignment, because that portion fits smooth with no snags or tweeking?

JamieDaugherty

Are you sure those are stock? The heads look a little small.

BIG DAVE 03

Other than Kieth Codes school mechanic (my first tire change), I have done my own work (2 other tire changes and a brake job since) so I am going to say yes.

Hawkrider

Those are NOT the correct bolts.

You swapped your pinch bolts for your caliper bolts.

Riff

100% agree, the caliper bolts fill the recess, those barely half fill it.

BIG DAVE 03

Gentlemen, You are correct. I need to slow down and allot time to doing it right the first time. Thank you for your help, knowledge and patience with my error. Again Many THANKS!

Rollin20z

Just seen the thread and that's the first thing that shot out like a sore thumb to me also. No biggy at least you got it fix and can ride, it's always the smallest thing you cannot see when looking for it and someone else see's it as soon as they look at it.

Riff

All worth it in the end, I picked up some good insight on the front bearing assembly, thaks to Jamie D.

comedo

Hawkrider comes through again, as usual.