New tires, alignment / brake issues

[TheCafeKid]

Oh I see there's a Fiche in the thread... Doesn't look like you have that spacer... Is there a spacer/bearing cover behind that black plastic cover where the second disc would be?? Looking at that last pic it just looks like there's nothing to be cinched up in the fork, like that one spacer isn't enough.

Something else to check too, since you have it apart, when you go putting it back together, make sure the forks don't bind as you bolt everything up. This will require removal of the fork spring to do right, but that's no biggie.
Sometimes you have a fork leg that will get pulled out of line by not paying attention or leaving the fender bolted tight (there's a steel brace under most of em thats not as flexible as the fender looks) and when whomever tightens everything up, the forks bound because it's not moving in a straight line. Just found this exact thing on Kparkfans 850 a few weeks back.

[bccap]

Take that picture with you when you go to the shop. The one with the kink in the cable. You might as well make them put it on as well. There is no question it is their fault.

[Zmike]

Okay I got it apart for the most part. Here are the pieces - axle nut, washer, bushing/spacer, speedometer mechanism, bushing/spacer, axle. The 2 bushing/spacer pieces seem to be the same size.


On the right side, the part with the flange is still on the wheel (held on by a black cover):


On the left side, I think the bushing with the small flange is "behind" the disc which I didn't remove. It seems to match up with the fiche though. Here is the speedometer mechanism "port":



I'll move on to these steps next.

You are missing a washer on the left side...part no. 08322-11148
WASHER, LH

[scott]

I reassembled to hand tight and tried rocking/pushing down the forks/etc. There's still some resistance but it's better than it was. Should the tire just "glide" around?

Oh I see there's a Fiche in the thread... Doesn't look like you have that spacer... Is there a spacer/bearing cover behind that black plastic cover where the second disc would be?? Looking at that last pic it just looks like there's nothing to be cinched up in the fork, like that one spacer isn't enough.

There's a spacer/bushing in that black pastic cover:

You are missing a washer on the left side...part no. 08322-11148
WASHER, LH

You're right - I totally missed that! I wonder if that's something I can just get locally at a Lowes/Sears. I guess the thickness is pretty important so I should probably get the actual part. By adding the washer, wouldn't it "push" in the left fork/caliper inside? If so, I think that would put the brake disc more centered between the brake pads.

Something else to check too, since you have it apart, when you go putting it back together, make sure the forks don't bind as you bolt everything up. This will require removal of the fork spring to do right, but that's no biggie.
Sometimes you have a fork leg that will get pulled out of line by not paying attention or leaving the fender bolted tight (there's a steel brace under most of em thats not as flexible as the fender looks) and when whomever tightens everything up, the forks bound because it's not moving in a straight line. Just found this exact thing on Kparkfans 850 a few weeks back.

I'm hoping the missing washer is enough. Taking apart the forks would be new to me - I'm sure there's a guide somewhere.

So it looks like my parts list is now:

• speedometer cable
• fork pinch nut, washer, lock washer (if I want the official parts)
• left-side axle washer

Anything else I might need? I wonder if I should get new brake pads after I basically rode the bike with them partially engaged.

[bccap]

Definitely inspect the break pads, but I don.t think they will be shot due to your ride. When you spin the wheel, its not going to spin like a bicycle wheel. I suspect that washer may line things up quite nicely. I assume your shopping list does not include you paying for any of these items.

[bonanzadave]

fork pinch nut, washer, lock washer (if I want the official parts)
Anything else I might need?

Can you remove the RT axle cap with the one remaining nut. It sure looks like the back stud is broke off. The one without the nut.

[scott]

Can you remove the RT axle cap with the one remaining nut. It sure looks like the back stud is broke off. The one without the nut.

I think it's just the lighting in that previous pic. I took another one with the cap off. The stud seems okay to me if we're talking about the same thing:

[bccap]

How is the job progressing ? Did each of those nuts have 2 washers ? I think those nuts are somewhere around 22 lb.'s torque. Check the manual. You don't want to break a stud.

[scott]

How is the job progressing ? Did each of those nuts have 2 washers ? I think those nuts are somewhere around 22 lb.'s torque. Check the manual. You don't want to break a stud.

I haven't made much progress since Zmike pointed out the missing axle washer on the left side. All the fork pinch nuts have the 2 washers so that should be good. The left side of the axle measures 15mm but it looks like there's a notch where the washer goes - it's too close to the end to measure. The washer part number is 08322-01147 which implies 14mm. I'm going to pick up a 14mm and 15mm washer from Sears or Lowes today. Even if it's not the exact correct thickness, I'm thinking it will be close enough to let me ride the bike at least. I'll get an OEM washer but that always takes a while.

The Clymer manual says to use a window on the calipers. I popped off the plastic piece but I'm not sure what to make of this. What am I looking at?


I'm guessing that's not good though.

[bccap]

I don't know what you're looking at either. But I'm pretty sure it aint good. You had better pull the pads for inspection.

[scott]

I don't know what you're looking at either. But I'm pretty sure it aint good. You had better pull the pads for inspection.

That stuff was just sitting on the pads, it pulled off. I don't see any shoulder on the pads as described in the manual but I assume the depth of the notch is what indicates the pads are still good.


Here's the calipers:

[bccap]

Looks like there is still meat there. But they also look damaged. Take a good picture of the disk as well. I would pm Nessim and ask him to have a look at this thread. He knows brakes really well. Also add those pads to the list of things that shop should replace for free.

[scott]

Looks like there is still meat there. But they also look damaged.

I sanded the brake pads so maybe that will help. I sprayed a little brake cleaner in the calipers and put them back on. My brakes SEEM simpler than the ones in BassCliff's guide - I just stuck the pads in and put the calipers around them. Maybe I did something wrong but I didn't have to hold things place (my model doesn't have a shim pad on the brake pad and if there was a top guide pad, I didn't have to hold it in place.

I picked up a 14mm washer (no luck at Lowes, had to get a 25 pack at a store called Fastenal). I reassembled to hand-tight and did the rocking/shaking routine. It doesn't seem like the washer made that much of a difference in the location of the disk between the pads. There's still light resistance.

I took a video of the wheel rotating. Everything is only hand tight at this point though. Is this amount of resistance okay? There's a bit of rattling too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvjNOFTgCzQ

Take a good picture of the disk as well. I would pm Nessim and ask him to have a look at this thread. He knows brakes really well. Also add those pads to the list of things that shop should replace for free.

Here's a pic of the inside of the brake disc:

[bccap]

Viewed your video. I'd say your good to go. Regarding the mounting of the pads. I don't know as mine has clips and 2 rods that hold them in place. Your disk is scored, which will probably result in shorter pad life. Go out and try it, carefully at first.

[bonanzadave]

Viewed your video.

Me too. Looks like the tire is better aligned with the fender