Rebuilt brakes, pads are rubbing on rotors

[jabster]

Hello again.

So I'm still working on getting my Valk back on the road, and the front left caliper froze up.

So I pulled the calipers and front wheel off. I took the calipers completely apart and gave them a thorough cleaning. New o-rings, seals and boots, coated with silicone grease.

I put the front wheel, with new tire, back on and tightened everything up. It spins freely.

I then took the fully reassembled calipers, with new pads installed, and mounted them back on the bike. I filled everything up with brake fluid, and everything to this point seems good. Brakes grab; brakes release.

However, there is a rubbing sound coming, I think, primarily from the left caliper (which is the one that initially froze up on me), tho I think there's some noise from both. Seems that the pads are rubbing on the rotor.

I've loosened the pad pin and re-tightened it, hoping that there was perhaps some alignment issue. I've loosened and re-tightened the caliper bolts. No change.

Is there something I need to do to make sure everything is aligned properly? Do the pads need to wear in* some? Is there some assembly trick of which I'm not aware?

The bike is still up on a stand, and nothing on the front end has touched the ground since I pulled everything off.

And, do I really need new caliper bolts?

Thanks,
John


*[EDIT] Maybe "wear in" isn't quite the correct term for the pads. Maybe "fully seat"? Once it's back on the ground.

[ptgb]

Check that the front axle is all the way in. If you don't follow the right sequence in putting the front wheel back on and the axle is not seated all the way in, the caliper mounting bracket will rub against the  brake disk mounting bolts.

The left side of the axle should be flush with the fork, no part of it sticking out. If that is what it is, then  make sure the left side pinch bolts are loose and just lightly pull on the left side fork. You will hear a "toink" sound and the fork should slide over about a 1/4".

Before you tighten the pinch bolts. Take the bike off the lift and sit on it. Push up and down on the handlebars to compress the front suspension, this will seat everything properly. Then tighten the pinch bolts up to spec.

This is a common issue if you don't have the axle seated and don't follow the proper tightening sequence.

At the bottom of this thread is a picture of the improper, then proper photo of the how the axle should look:

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,26572.msg241288.html#msg241288

[jabster]

Thanks. I'll check the axle when I get home.

I wasn't too worried about it yet, since it is still up in the air.

Thanks,
John

[Chrisj CMA]

If you made the classic axle not all the way in mistake, the rivets on the rotor rub the caliper.  It sounds like you are saying that all the pads are lightly dragging the rotor as you roll the bike or spin the wheel, you hear a light "scraping" sound.  This is actually normal and it probably did it before you just didnt notice it

[98valk]

ALL disk brake systems require that the pads are always rubbing/in contact with the disks. that is how they work. drum brakes actually work the same way but use less pad to drum pressure than disk brakes.

[jabster]

ChrisJ,

The axle is definitely all the way in.

Now that I have the rear wheel off the ground, I spun that around and it's making the same noise. So, it's the normal behavior.

Funny that I never noticed it before when I changed pads on the cars.

Or I'm just extra sensitive to every little noise since it's my motorcycle. Yeah. Probably that. :-)

Thanks,
John