| Author | Message | ||
     Upthemaiden |
Has anyone found replacement front rotor bolts that don't feel like the heads are going to round off as soon as you look at them? They're the countersunk/flathead 5/16-18 x 34" bolts. After I got my bike I had to use the welder to get a couple out, replaced them with fresh oem bolts, but after a couple years I could use a new set, and I wouldn't mind just finding a different source that may hold up a little better. I just don't want to pick the wrong grade and have them fail, although it seem like these bolts are pretty soft as it is. Anyone know what grade of bolt you'd need for that, or somewhere that sells better replacements? Torx would be a plus. Wouldn't be as much of an issue if I didn't have to unbolt the rotor every time I wanted to remove the front wheel. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I use antiseize on the threads of mine, and paint marker for witness marks once torqued for easy pre-flight checks. Haven't stripped one since. In the past, I had ground down the "corner" on my PM caliper so it would clear without rotor removal, but on my new-to-me S2T (not ground down), it still has the OEM 2 piece rotor so I just loosen the actual brake ring from the carrier, and it will move out of the way enough for me to remove the caliper and wheel... | ||
| Court |
May they'll be re-used? Essentially, could I remove mine, one at a time, clean, anti-seeibza, torque and mark? | ||
| Ratbuell |
I don't recall any single-use notes in any of the manuals...and I've always re-used mine with no issues thus far. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
When I was looking around online at replacement bolts I did see somewhere mention about replacing the bolts each time you remove them. That'd be reasonable if you only had to remove them randomly, but it seems silly to replace them every time I have to replace my front tire. I know people have said they could get their caliper off by wiggling it just right. I even pulled the brake pads and was no where near close to getting it off. I'm sure it would've helped a little if I could've gotten the pistons pressed back in, but I still don't think it would've made it. I always use anti-seize. This time around though I also got a little on the back of the bolt heads, and just didn't tighten them quite as much. I figure I'll just keep checking them before/after each ride to make sure they're not loosening up on me. Paint marker sounds like a good idea though. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I pull the pads, and on my old '95 (with EBC rotor) and ground-down caliper, I could get the caliper out without pulling the rotor. If you look at the backside of the caliper, there's these two squared-off bosses; I dremel'd them on an angle to clear the rim and never had a problem. This S2T, though - the caliper is so pristine, I hate to grind on it. I tried every way I could think of though, when I got tires a couple weeks ago, and could NOT get that damn thing out of there without loosening the brake rotor from the carrier. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
I'll take a look at the caliper next time I try to pull it off to see how much I'd need to remove. A caliper piston compressor would help as well. I usually just use a C-clamp, but no way to get one on there while the caliper is still on the bike. That would get me a tiny bit of extra clearance as well. Did the S2's come with the PM caliper? My S1 currently has the nissin caliper on it, but my original setup is on a shelf for a rebuild someday. Not sure if one is easier to remove than the other. I think for now I'm just gonna use the paint marker and take it easy on the bolts when I tighten them. | ||
| Ratbuell |
All S2's were PM calipers. EARLY S1's were also PM; it was a mid-production change to Nissin. You can still get PM rebuild kits - I know, I just rebuilt both of mine (the one on the S2T, and the old one off my wrecked '95 S2). The S2 seal kit is 0053-3902, or 137x6qc - both those numbers were on my kit packaging. I think the 0053 is the number I ordered by, but one or the other should get you what you need! Loosen the lid on your master cylinder enough to pop the seal, and then push the pistons back in. Losing that pressure at the MC will make it easier. I've done that, and simply twisted the caliper against the rotor, and been able to get full retraction...sometimes I do it with the pads still installed, sometimes I pull the pads. Depends what form of rain-man, "must make progress" mentality my brain is in, while I'm stripping things down lol. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
I think I did eventually get a rebuild kit for the PM brake, it's been sitting in that box on a shelf for so long though that I'll need to look and see what's in there. I know the nissin brakes are supposed to work a little better, I really liked the way the PM looked more though. I also liked that the nissin took regular brake fluid. I figured after I rebuilt the PM maybe I'd buy a new brake line and just switch that to regular brake fluid too. My rear got switched to an XB brake a while back so that has normal fluid as well, can't remember why... brake switch problems maybe? If I remember right, the bigger problem I was having with mine was with the master cylinder, and that was harder to find a rebuild kit for. I think I did eventually find one that fits from a 90's gsxr1100, if my memory is working right. Thanks for the number! I'm gonna write it down. I keep telling myself I really need to write all this stuff down... Between the brakes and a few other parts I've swapped, someday I'm gonna lose track of what's what. |
