Stock Front Brake Rotors made Perfect for $0.00

[Griz]

I'd been cleaning, shaking, and freeing the front brake rotors from their carriers regularly on my '02 Mille for too long, just to have the rotor buttons tighten back up and my brakes start pulsing within a week or less of riding.

Enough was enough, but I wasn't about to spend $500+ on new rotors. I pulled my front wheel, removed the front rotors, and solved the problem in less than 30 minutes without spending a dime.

Since the fix, after 1,500+ miles, I've never felt a single brake pulse, nor have the rotor buttons/rivets even begun to seize up again.

In a nutshell, you'll turn "semi-floating" rotors into full floaters, without replacing the rivets.

Below is a picture of a Mille's brake rivet beforehand. The fringed-edge spring washer is the cause of the problem.



Notice the snugness of the fringed washer's edges to the rotor and carrier. A combination of the tight fit, oxidation from the different metals touching, and pocket created under the convex washer (trapping dirt/brake dust/etc.) are preventing the rotor from even "semi"-floating on it's carrier, resulting in brake pulse and eventually, if unchecked, rotor warpage.

Here's my tactic:

I sharpened the tip of a flat tip screwdriver, and used it to flatten the "fringed" spring washers found on the inside of the rotors' "semi-floating" rivets/buttons.

The key is just to flatten the convex fringed spring washers, without bending the fringes upward (ie: don't make them concave) . The edges of the washers shouldn't be more than 1mm off the surface of the rotor when you're done. Here's a picture of after:



It's easiest to get underneath the edge of one of the spring washer's fringed edges by starting in the gap between the rotor and carrier. Once the screwdriver tip (or other equivalent sharp, narrow tipped chisel) is slid under the fringe, only lift it slightly to bend the fringe just barely away from the rotor.

Instead of having to work the sharp tip under each fringe of the washers, slide the tip sideways from one fringe to the next, like so:



After the above procedure, the rivets should all be loose, and the flattened spring washers should spin on the rivet with only a light push with your finger. Grasp the assembly by the carrier, shake it, and the rotor should rattle a bit.

I sprayed the rotor rivets with brake cleaner when I was done, and the pressure of the spray can's stream was actually enough to spin the spring washers on the rivets!

The only even slightly negative result of this mod is the increased noise. With normal or even heavy braking, the difference in braking volume isn't noticeable, but ride over a pothole at low speed (without the brake on), and you'll hear the rotors jingle a bit. The tradeoff is well worth it.

[Reggie Perrin]

good post.......!!!!!

I've got that pulsing on my brakes and have been hunting for new rotors....

I'll give this mod a try - nothing to lose really...!!!!


Any negative views out there...!?!?!?

Reggie

[Scotteq]

I see no reason why it shouldn't work - Certainly if the rotor isn't badly damaged..

Scott

[Oggrsv]

You could try cleaning the buttons first - if you still get the shakes/pulsing - check if the run-out is within spec. You'll need a a dial gauge. I think the spec is 0.1 to 0.3 mm. I've resurrected a pair of rotors with a good clean - but now they need doing again

A good place to get Brembo stuff in the UK is Motomecca in Dorset. Rotors and calipers are fairly cheap (e.g. pair of 4 pad calipers for £290 inc pads and VAT) I think they'll sell you a "proper" set of floating discs too.


Dave

[Kid Thunder]

I tried a different approch. When I cleaned the buttons the brake cleaner made everything really dry & they quickly froze again. After I cleaned them I put a drop of teflon based lube on each button(stuff called Triflo). Be careful not to get much on the rotors. I got a little on them but it cleaned right up easliy. The stuff does not attract brake & has kept them free for over 3000 miles.

[outofcontrol]

I would really hesitate on putting any sort of lubrication on my rotors. The centrifugal force would bleed that tri-flow right onto the rotor. It might be marginal, but I'm pretty dependent on my front brakes. while I'm at it; Don't put armor-all cleaner on your tires either. --or on your seat - I did that once when I was a teen. '81 yam maxim 650. slid all over that thing.
-#94

-I don't know, maybe just a 1/16 of a drop would work. And for the street, sure.

[ericf1ss]

One of the old Ducati list tricks for this was to take the rotor off the wheel and take a small block of wood under the button you are working on and another one on top. Then give the top piece of wood a sharp hit with a hammer, do that all the way around and bang, you've got full floating rotors. This way seems to me to be a better way to accomplish the same thing, much less barbaric.

[Kid Thunder]

outofcontrol,
I had no problem with Tri-flo. I just used a VERY small amount. Brakes work great!
Heard about that trick with the wood blocks. Very easy to do.

[Louge]

> Don't put armor-all cleaner on your tires either. ooc

About ten years back the BMW brass were doing multi day testing of a new model. Overnight the hotel staff 'cleaned' the bikes including Armoralling the enTIRE front and back tires

We'll leave it to say that a few of those brand new BMW riding suits got some real world abrasion testing the following day


I periodically grab my rotors at 3 and 9 o'clock and push-pull them to their button stops, move to 12 and 6 o'clock and repeat. So far, no problems ...

Good post Griz ... someone else noted that 97% of reported warped rotors were in fact true. Brake button performance was far and away the number one issue.

[Hatchman]

Nice tip. I'll give it a try.

[angrybob]

I went the other route and replaced my buttons with the billet ones. Kind of a pain in the ass and a necessity due to another long story. One thing that the billet buttons do though is save about a full pound off the front wheel (the claim is 1.5 pounds). I used the 'hand' scale and there is a big difference.

In the end, probably not wirth it to most, but I like the finished product.

Great post.

[ccrsvo]

I decided to give this a try. After my last ride there was so much pulsing, I thought I was braking over railroad tracks. I first tried cleaning, but still no movement. Figured what the heck. Now the rotors sound like my friends Ferrodo Axis rotors. I haven't taken the bike for a ride, but I'll let you know. Thanks for the tips.

[Mille-R]

Hi

I had the same trouble with my front brake, so I decided to try this and it works greate, I have only bend 4 flaps on each spring and that was enought for me. Now the brakes is as new

[ericf1ss]

AngryBob,
Got any pics of those buttons? Did you get teh STM's? Where'd you get 'em?
Thanks.

[Reggie Perrin]

Guys...

Guess my discs are beyond saving by this trick...
Tried at the weekend, easy to do, just placed the button between two spaced pieces of wood and 3 clouts with the hammer is enough to invert the little spring washers...

discs are now free to move and make a good rattle when shaken, fitted them back to the wheel and took the opportunity to fit new pads as well..

Went off for a spin with fingers crossed but sadly no improvement still have horrible pulsing and violent shake when braking from high speeds....


need some new discs...... Anyone....????

Cheers
Reggie