TG Hot Rotors After New Pads

[Old Road Dog]

Haven’t had the Velcro strap on as a parking brake since last fall. In the garage on level floor just leave it in gear. Flat parking lots same thing. Only use strap on slopes. Rotor run out is ok. Wheel bearings good. Fork bearings? How would that cause hot Rotors?

I wouldn't rule anything out. How's the axle BTW? Hit any potholes in your travels? Castle nut torqued properly?

 

[ctdair]

100 or so miles yesterday, unacceptable heat on rotors on return home. Tearing down again today to see what I can find.

 

[Jd1a]

If the front brake was clamped on hot rotors, the heat will dissipate to the rotors on that spot. This can warp the rotors. It you have floating rotors, check those points. Just a thought.

 

[ctdair]

Disassembling done for now. Here’s my thoughts and findings. Lots of drag on wheel when removing calipers. To remove pads from caliper was difficult. Pistons retracted / pushed in and pad was very tight to get out through what I’d call the disassembly notch. Pads and backing plate too thick? No further room for pistons to retract and therefore causing drag? Yes I know thinner pads would allow piston to extend more but then there would be more retraction room. Last call to dealer they didn’t have pads in stock. So aftermarket was faster delivery. Hope to find a dealer close with some in stock. Hate to throw more money at it.

 

[14TG]

Disassembling done for now. Here’s my thoughts and findings. Lots of drag on wheel when removing calipers. To remove pads from caliper was difficult. Pistons retracted / pushed in and pad was very tight to get out through what I’d call the disassembly notch. Pads and backing plate too thick? No further room for pistons to retract and therefore causing drag? Yes I know thinner pads would allow piston to extend more but then there would be more retraction room. Last call to dealer they didn’t have pads in stock. So aftermarket was faster delivery. Hope to find a dealer close with some in stock. Hate to throw more money at it.

I’m curious as that may be exactly the issue… pads too thick.

please keep us posted!

Something tells me that OE pads may be your answer.

 

[ctdair]

Oem pads are thinner. Installed easier than aftermarket. More piston area exposed as expected. Still hot. Just got off phone with a ex Harley mechanic friend. Starting to suspect front master cylinder. More to follow.

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

Oem pads are thinner. Installed easier than aftermarket. More piston area exposed as expected. Still hot. Just got off phone with a ex Harley mechanic friend. Starting to suspect front master cylinder. More to follow.

Please keep us posted, I have had the same issue for a couple years. And I have the fluid changed every two years.

 

[ctdair]

Well this is getting frustrating. Thought perhaps master cylinder not retracted all the way. Seems to be ok. Get the pulse or bubble of fluid when applying lever and viewing reservoir with top of.

That a check from manual. Piston of master cylinder fully retracted against lever. Rear Rotors are not getting hot so don’t suspect it holding pressure.

 

[ctdair]

Took front master cylinder line off. Front brake still drags.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Took front master cylinder line off. Front brake still drags.

You will get it figured out by sticking to your plan, have you tried wiping out the inside of the Master cylinder and re flushing the fluid, use a Q tip to clean the compensator port in the bottom of the master first, then bleed the system. Over night bleeding with a vacuum bleeder works best

 

[ctdair]

Next step I’m thinking is remove brake lines from calipers and see. There haven’t been any signs of trapped hydraulic pressure so far. Certainly hope it’s not the calipers. No US available rebuild kits that I can find for them. Have found a website from the Netherlands that claims to have them.

Will try again to clean pistons too. When I first put on the OEM pads and spun wheel after pumping out pistons the drag felt good. After test ride no good hard drag. So far I don’t think I’ve damaged the rotors but need to verify run out again. Have a trip in August that I need to have this issue solved by then. Also wanted to plan next year to Monument Valley. Right now all I have is an expensive garage ornament. Unrideable until fixed. Already too many overheat cycles trying out.

 

[ctdair]

Pad wear after 40 Miles. Rotors had been ok. Might be toast now. Wheel off. Will check runout on neighbors truing stand. Pistons still push in ez.

 

[ctdair]

Pistons can be pushed in by fingers. Takes a bit of effort but doable. Pushing pistons out on right side while left caliper still on I used a wedge between pads to not possibly over extend pistons and when pads tight on wedge continue squeezing and you could see retraction of the pistons on release of lever. Left side just not enough hands to see same action but pistons push in by fingers.

Aftermarket pads to thick overheated and toasted rotors? Thinner OEM pads overheat because of toast rotors? I’m still at a loss. For now until budget allows for rotors no more trike riding. At least I’ve still got a 2 wheeler to help with my sanity.

 

[ROAD DOG]

Pad wear after 40 Miles. Rotors had been ok. Might be toast now. Wheel off. Will check runout on neighbors truing stand. Pistons still push in ez.

I would try unhooking the lines at the calipers, maybe a bad line? The pad on the right looks like its barely making contact as if it's not seating straight in the caliper? & the pads look like they got really HOT.

 

[ctdair]

Yep hot has been the issue. If I can push piston in by hand line should be fine

 

[ctdair]

Friends 2017 TriGlide checked after ride. Rotors are warm could call hot. Jacked up , no where near the drag I’ve been getting. Shot with laser temp gun 120/130. Shot mine yesterday and it was 180/190. Rotors were ok at the start of this mess , still need to check on truing stand with dial indicator. Just about convinced that too thick EBC pads started my issue. Too many test rides and I’m guessing rotors are toast , will post when I know. Yes I didn’t clean pistons at first , just after issue started.

Master cylinder was removed and still had brake drag so not master cylinder. Before I test ride again I will remove brake hoses but I think since I can push in by hand there isn’t a hydraulic lock. Rear rotors with new EBC pads don’t get hot so I don’t suspect rear master cylinder dragging on the middle piston of front caliper. I have been able to observe the right caliper return action when off the bike and pumping front brakes tight against a wedge. EBC HH pads measured.390 EBC V pads measured.320 OEM pads measured.280.

I think that’s as complete a run down of all my findings. Sanded down the OEM pads , the discoloration came off so will reuse on what I suspect I will have new rotors. Probably put new rotors on even if runout checks out. They’ve been Hot Hot. Tomorrow at the earliest to order. Then wait for delivery. Still open to suggestions of anything I could have missed.

 

[ctdair]

Right rotor 10/1000 run out manual specs 8/1000 max. Left rotor 2/1000 well within specs. Gonna change both. Runout itself shouldn’t cause hot rotors. Left side within specs and still getting hot. I’ve got to double down on finding hydraulic drag. Being able to push pistons in easily by hand still makes me think that it’s ok. Still hot rotors say something going on.

Yesterday after mounting Oem pads initially drag felt fine , comparable to my Flh. Short ride overheated rotors and drag has been stiff didn’t ease up with master cylinder removed. When putting on EBC pads both times harder to get over rotors. Didn’t really check drag with HH pads , shame on me. V pads from EBC first spin after installing good drag. Test ride and hot rotors. I’m definitely puzzled. So since twice drag felt good before test ride I’m definitely looking for ideas. Don’t want to overheat new rotors.

 

[ROAD DOG]

Right rotor 10/1000 run out manual specs 8/1000 max. Left rotor 2/1000 well within specs. Gonna change both. Runout itself shouldn’t cause hot rotors. Left side within specs and still getting hot. I’ve got to double down on finding hydraulic drag. Being able to push pistons in easily by hand still makes me think that it’s ok. Still hot rotors say something going on. Yesterday after mounting Oem pads initially drag felt fine , comparable to my Flh. Short ride overheated rotors and drag has been stiff didn’t ease up with master cylinder removed. When putting on EBC pads both times harder to get over rotors. Didn’t really check drag with HH pads , shame on me. V pads from EBC first spin after installing good drag. Test ride and hot rotors. I’m definitely puzzled. So since twice drag felt good before test ride I’m definitely looking for ideas. Don’t want to overheat new rotors.

Are the old pads completely worn out? If not Put them back on & try it? if the new pads are 100 thousand thicker I would think that would cause drag?

 

[ctdair]

Old pads were thin and went out in the trash before I could test ride. Certainly didn’t see all these issues popping up.

 

[Jd1a]

I have new EBC HH pads for my 2019. That .100 thicker pad is a concern to me, thinking OEM may be better at the start. Thanks for the details of the pads.

 

[ctdair]

New Rotors mounted. Bled and flushed again. Still more static drag than I like. Test ride and rotors hot compared to distance and stops and drag has increased slightly. Open front and rear bleeders still drags. Can get screwdriver between pads where the pad retaining pin is , little twist, don’t really see any piston movement. Drag is then less , pump lever drag doesn’t get worse. First test 5 miles 105 rotor temp didn’t try to pry on pads. Second 5 mile test drag didn’t really feel to increase but did the prying as I described rotor temp 115 3rd test ride 10 miles lot more drag when done 130 temp Pry on pads drag decreased. Might be an expensive trip to dealer.

 

[hogmemberisold]

You never did say if you removed the brake lines at the calipers?

I've been down that road before.

You can push in the pads so think the hose is good, but the static resistance was hindered because of a bad line....

 

[ctdair]

No I haven’t removed the lines. Loosened both bleeders both sides and the drag did not decrease. There was not a spurt of fluid upon loosening that would have indicated trapped pressure. Just looking at it now and prying back pads and then hitting lever it travels farther than normal on first pull after pry. Indicates that piston pushed in, next pull normal as suspected.

 

[ROAD DOG]

New Rotors mounted. Bled and flushed again. Still more static drag than I like. Test ride and rotors hot compared to distance and stops and drag has increased slightly. Open front and rear bleeders still drags. Can get screwdriver between pads where the pad retaining pin is , little twist, don’t really see any piston movement. Drag is then less , pump lever drag doesn’t get worse. First test 5 miles 105 rotor temp didn’t try to pry on pads. Second 5 mile test drag didn’t really feel to increase but did the prying as I described rotor temp 115 3rd test ride 10 miles lot more drag when done 130 temp Pry on pads drag decreased. Might be an expensive trip to dealer.

Is the 130 the high temp that your getting ?

 

[Notgrownup]

Sounds like something is sticking somewhere. Might not by hand but when reassembled it sounds like something is not moving freely.

 

[bikerbillone]

Happened to me, the damage was imperceptible and I finally had to replace the rotors to make it right. No fun, those things are expensive.

 

[ctdair]

Happened to me, the damage was imperceptible and I finally had to replace the rotors to make it right. No fun, those things are expensive.

New rotors installed yesterday.

 

[ctdair]

Is the 130 the high temp that your getting ?

Yes it is. Before rotor replacement saw temps of 190

 

[ctdair]

There were no suspected brake issues when stored away for the winter. Took a 4700 mile trip in July with no issues. All issues started when new pads installed. Dirt on pistons when I pushed in?

Don’t know but shame on me for not cleaning/checking before pushing in. If a rebuild kit was available I’d do both calipers. Today I’m taking off the hoses and see what happens. If it’s hoses shame on me for not doing sooner. Still believe that if I can push in pistons it’s not the hose. Trying to remain objective but it’s certainly getting frustrating. Have a trip planned in August and at this point I’m losing faith in TriGlide. Worst case I’ll just have to take the FLH.

 

[ctdair]

Took off hoses. Maybe slightly less drag. But I don’t think it is bad hoses.Bleed and flush again.

test ride. Seat of pants feels better. Fuel readout seems better. Temp gun after 25 mile test reads 80/90 had one spot 107. Further testing to follow,Just beat the rain home.