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Front brakes dragging

10K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  EdY39 
#1 · (Edited)
I bought my 06 glide last monday, and i love her !!!!! However i have a few issues. I noticed when the bike is coasting (clutch in) i hear a rubbing noise from the front brakes. When i activate the brakes, it gets loud and surges. I did replace the front tire and bearings yesterday, (it does have an aftermarket rim) and checked the pads, and they look fine. The bike does have two piece floating rotors. I did not yet check the rotors for true. Can these rotors be cut?? or do you just replace.

Also, as the front brake surges, i do here a clunking noise from the front end. Is head bearings an issue with the Glide?? On the swing away test I got almost 2 swings.

What do you guys think???
 
#2 ·
Moe
No expert here but I'll give it a go anyways. On each of the bikes I've had, even the new one, I can hear the pads making slight contact with the rotor when rolling the bike around... Like in the garage, driveway and what not. This is while the bike is off. Never hear it while under power.

Surging or a pulsating feeling while applying the front brake would make me believe you have a slightly warped rotor. But before I replaced it, I would spray the rotor and caliper down with a brake cleaner. Since you just worked on the bike you might have got some oils or contaminate on the rotor and that could cause a funny feeling too. I had it happen on a metric scoot I had several years ago. I almost spent money on new parts and the tech at the dealer told me to try it and it worked. I to this day don't know exactly what was on there but it seemed to work.

Your 06 doesn't have the neck bearing wobble issues the 09 and newer bikes have. I would get the pulsating brake figured out first then tackle the rest.
 
#3 ·
Thanks, Darbin !!! The brake issue showed up right after i bought her. So it was there before we changed the tire and bearings. I did wipe the rotors off with cleaner a few times, no change .......
 
#4 ·
If your getting a pulse when you apply the brakes, I would lean heavily toward the rotor/s being slightly warped. The HD tolerance is WAY out there, and yet even within tolerance according to their standards, it's at the very least annoying.
However, I will put a disclaimer out there regarding my not being a wrench, I have just had a similar experience with my bike.

Rowdy
 
#6 ·
Moe,
Before you spend the $$ on rotors, find an independent shop and have them check your brake calipers. If you're mechanically inclined, you can do it yourself, but having them done should be cheap:

The caliper pistons that contact the back of the brake pads float in rubber seals that expand when you apply the brakes. When you relieve pressure, the seals contract a bit, which pulls the pads slightly away from the rotors. After time, grime can buils up around the seals and on the caliper pistons. This grime may be enough that the pistons don't move back enough. So you want to clean the seal area, and look for a buildup of brake dust on the piston itself. In worst-case conditions, you can pop out the piston and remove all buildup.

Also, you want to male sure that the brake pad holder tips are lubed, and that the area that they slide on is clean as well.

If you have a runout gauge, you can check your rotors to see if they're warped, but a shop can do this as well. Might save you a bit on rotors.
 
#7 · (Edited)
There used to be a procedure for installing the front axle to ensure the proper spacing for the calipers. I don't have an HD service manual to check that year though. And just a suggestion, if you don't have one either, I'd strongly suggest you get one, invaluable manual.

I've always checked what I thought were serious rubbing problems with brake calipers by taking a ride (10 miles or so) WITHOUT using the brake in question. Once stopped, feel the CALIPER for heat. If it's hot, there is definitely a problem. If it's warm, no big deal.

Here's some info on cleaning the caliper pistons that might help with your problem.

http://www.lyndallracingbrakes.com/service_tech.htm
 
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