How do I adjust these...tabby...bolt holdy...thingys.

[Guest]

I took my front wheel off to paint the rim. Before painting, I took the rotor off. The rotor is held on by six bolts, and the bolts are held in place with these metal pieces that have tabs that are folded down to hold the bolt in two places, locking it in place and keeping the bolts from falling out of the rotor.

Once I got the rotor and the wheel back on, I tried to bend those tabs back onto the bolts, but I can't really get them to move.

I tried needle nosed pliers, vice grips, tapping with a flat screwdriver and a hammer. Nothing seems to work. It's in a tricky spot on the rotor, and I'm not sure what else to do.

Anyone else ever hit this wall?

Suggestions welcome!!

[kdo58]

take the wheel back off

[JEEPRUSTY]

A cold chisel and a clubbing hammer has worked well for me.

[Jcgonzal]

I usually like to get them started with a smaller flathead screwdriver and hammer, and then finish them off with something more blunt so I don't tear them apart. Also, you don't have to bend both tabs up...just choose the one in the pair that lines up best with a flat side of the bolt.

[mmattockx]

Am I a heretic for thinking that proper torquing with blue or green loctite is just fine?


Mark

[loud et]

You are probably not likely to have to take your rotors off anytime soon....so locktite away if you wish.
I just can't understand the problem you are having with bending a tiny little metal tab?
1-tap a tiny skinny screwdriver under the edge to raise tab
2- tap a larger screwdriver under the edge to raise the tab a bit more....
3- continue with larger edged instruments until its raised enough to give it a tap with a hammer or use a flat blade screwdriver and a hammer to peen it up tight against the bolt head.
Just tap tap tap....its done. Just like Happy Gilmore....just TAP it in....tappy tap TAP it in.
Lol

[tkent02]

Next time you take discs off don't flatten them all the way. Makes it a lot easier to bend them up again.

[GSX1000E]

Next time you take discs off don't flatten them all the way. Makes it a lot easier to bend them up again.

And then just grip them against the bolt with a large pair of channel locks and squeeze.

[ozman]

Am I a heretic for thinking that proper torquing with blue or green loctite is just fine?


Mark

burnt at the stake no question about you heretic....

errrr loctite works fine but so does the tabs

ozman

[sinkankan]

Tabby things

Don't laugh but a small wood chisel 1/4" works fine to get under the tab and bend it back against the bolt head.

[fyarl666]

I just can't understand the problem you are having with bending a tiny little metal tab?

The flat head screwdriver i was using to pry the tabs up has kind of a stubby handle and it's pressed against the rotor as I try to pry the tabs up. I think if I get a longer screwdriver it will work better.

I was just wondering if there was a special tool required or just a better technique that I hadn't thought of.

[loud et]

The flat head screwdriver i was using to pry the tabs up has kind of a stubby handle and it's pressed against the rotor as I try to pry the tabs up. I think if I get a longer screwdriver it will work better.

I was just wondering if there was a special tool required or just a better technique that I hadn't thought of.

I see the problem......now you have a half dozen other suggested methods. I know you will get it now.
Happy riding

[tatu]

Before you install them just bend them a wee bit then this,

And then just grip them against the bolt with a large pair of channel locks and squeeze.

Doing it this way prevents putting that sharp a bend and crease that it breaks the tab at the slightest excuse as it does if you hammer it with an old screwdriver or whatever.

[mmattockx]

You are probably not likely to have to take your rotors off anytime soon....so locktite away if you wish.

Blue or green aren't very hard to break loose, they would be no problem if the rotors have to come off again.

errrr loctite works fine but so does the tabs

Yes, the tabs work OK but they look like crap to me.


Mark

[Grimly]

The flat head screwdriver i was using to pry the tabs up has kind of a stubby handle and it's pressed against the rotor as I try to pry the tabs up. I think if I get a longer screwdriver it will work better.

I was just wondering if there was a special tool required or just a better technique that I hadn't thought of.

If you take the rotors off more than once be cautious about re-using the same tab. Fine if the washer has more than one tabbed section sticking out, but there's a limit to how often the tabs can bend without cracking off.
General-use tabbed washers are easily available and much cheaper than OEM ones.