HarleyTechTalk

Replaced the originals with the HD black placebo "floating rotors"...   They sure aint that... They are warped now...    I want the real ones, but don't need to high$ ones...  suggestions...?

Not sure why you're having problems with 'em. I'm running a set of the HD rotors #44358-00 which is what it sounds like you're running. I also have the matching rear one. Have one on the back of my sons bike also. two years ago it got so hot it was glowing cherry red and it never did warp.

found my rear floting hd rotor warped just today. it a little over a year old.

What's black on them, the inner mounted piece?

http://stores.ebay.com/KC-International-Wholesale-store    Funny .....Hrdtail78.... link takes me there and I've brought there

Store doesn't exist.

What pads you running.  I have had those rotors on two bikes of mine for yers with no problems.  I have always ran SBS pads.

Same here...Running the black center harley "floaters". They warped in 10k miles. Running with z+ pads.

Going with rotors from motorcyclemetal.com soon

Heck I must have 60,000 miles on my H.D. front floaters they have been on three different wheels have used both H.D. and sbs pads

I don't consider the HD "floating rotors" to be floating at all. They are definitely a 2-piece rotor, but in my experience, nothing about them floats. Howard at Motorycle Metal has a very nice set-up as does Lyndall Racing.

JMO -
Zach

running LRB z+ pads...

I just replaced my third rear rotor with the HD black floating..

I suspect that issue id the install that is smoking the rotor quickly.. and I bet it is more than likely to occur with after market pads then stock HD...   

The first 2.. Evo with GMA caliper.. No problem..  Second was a 200 dyna and the calipers were freshly rebuilt.. No problem.. Both have about 6 to 10 K and are working fine.

Now the 3rd,,

My 02 Road Toad... The bike probably had a hard life as far as brakes go as it was a rental from Laidlaws. Rentals are notorious for having warped stock rotors.  Also the guy I bought the bike from was an inexperienced rider (1000 miles in 6 years).. The rear stock rotor had seen some heat and was warped.. I figured I'd wait till the pads were shot then replace the disc.. Well about a week and 1/2 ago the pads were shot.. so I ran down to SD HD and picked up my 3rd black floating rotor.. I installed it with new Lyndell Z pads in time for the weekend.. I also checked the reservoir and found it too too full so I drained some out..

Now the guys I rode with are pretty causal so I didn't use the brakes that much.. About 200 miles.  On Thursday, I rode it to work.. First thing I noticed was the hot rear brake smell.. so I cut the use of the brake and got to work.. Rotor was hot.. It picked up some color but wasn't warped.. Funny but we had some thunder showers come through and so I had to navigate wet streets with only the front brake on the way home..

The rear peddle was engaging in the brakes right at the top.. Wheel did not turn well..  So I was thinking that the master might be screwed up.. Bled the brakes and possibly found some water thought it might have been in the bleed valve..  Still stiff I pushed forced the pistons back into the calipers a couple times after applying the brakes.. The peddles started to engage a little lower and the wheel spun freer.. Rode it in to work Friday which included a longer twisty route on the way home.. Breaks work fine so far..

I suspect that the brand new SE rotor and after market pads were thick enough that they did not leave enough piston spring back and kept pressure on the floating disc.. Since the disk floats and is new, it has no axial run-out. Nothing to push the pads / pistons back enough to get clearance..  If I had not identified the issue, I bet I would have smoked that rear rotor in a few more hundred miles..

Max

Now the 3rd,,

I also checked the reservoir and found it too too full so I drained some out..





I suspect that the brand new SE rotor and after market pads were thick enough that they did not leave enough piston spring back and kept pressure on the floating disc.. Since the disk floats and is new, it has no axial run-out. Nothing to push the pads / pistons back enough to get clearance..  If I had not identified the issue, I bet I would have smoked that rear rotor in a few more hundred miles..

Max


Brake fluid, like almost everything, will expand when heated, thus possibly keeping some amount of constant pressure on the pads.
It wouldn't take much...
I think there were a couple of issues at work here.
Good work Detective Headflow...

QuoteBrake fluid, like almost everything, will expand when heated, thus possibly keeping some amount of constant pressure on the pads.

Technically it shouldn't.. Which is why I suspected the mater cylinder.. If the fluid in the line expands, it should be able to flow back into the master.. As I understand it some front brake masters can have a plugged hole casting that can cause the brake to lock up if things get hot.. Water in the line will make it worse. .. I'd determined that the hole on this master was not plugged and fluid could flow from the line to the reservoir.

Bruce

If the resevoir's too full, where's that fluid gonna go? :-)
And, as you know, b/fluid is hygroscopic so all b/fluid except 'brand new' is going to have some level of moisture in it just from the atmosphere.
And that, more than anything, will allow expansion when heated.
Not disregarding your findings...I'm agreeing.
You smart cookie...

Quote from: Flattrack on July 07, 2010, 02:23:39 PM
Replaced the originals with the HD black placebo "floating rotors"...   They sure aint that... They are warped now...    I want the real ones, but don't need to high$ ones...  suggestions...?

If you cheap out,you're lookin' for more headaches.

Bump

I just looked and I have 68000 miles on my cheapo black front floaters and they still work great.  Stock ones warped right away.  I have 80,000 on stock rear one and am thinking of replacing it with the cheapo floater.  The stock one is still within thickness limit but getting close and lots of grooves.

From my experience the black centered HD floaters are far and away better than the stock rotors. When I first installed my 2000 and later front end I went with a set of the stock rotors. In less than a year they were warped so badly that it looked like I was "bunny hoppin" when I pulled up to a red light or stop sign. Like I said in my previous post, my sons got so hot from a bad caliper that it was literaly glowing cherry red and it never did warp. I've heated a couple of solid rotors that way and they warped so badly they looked like salad bowls.

thanks....  i think Boooby was right...  gonna try to step it up a notch on my next set of rotors...

Biker Choice. I don't know who makes their rotors but they have a hell of a bite for the money. I've installed at least a dozen sets and never had a warped one come back back Look them up online to find your nearest dealer.
EASY

So I have to ask, what is the benefit of the "Floating Rotor" over a stock rotor? I have an 04 Ultra, I haven't had problems with warping in 61,000 and counting miles, other then the stock HD pads eating them up some.

it didn't used to be a problem but on these newer bikes there are several variances in the manufacturing of the legs, calipers, wheels, and the bearing placement. Minimum variations in each part, can be maximum difference on the rotor to caliper alignment. I've had to shim or shave a few calipers and lower legs to center the rotor in them on several touring rigs that just would not line up. (Harley said it's NORMAL) I say it's careless production practices to pad the bottom line. Maybe the problem is each one of those parts is made in different countries! They all suffer from jetlag!
For those with minimal clearance problems, the full floaters will fix the problem.
EASY

J&P has a $200.00 floater that looks pretty nice. Can't remember who makes it but I'm gonna order a couple for my front rim.