More new discs.

[Dmac]

Well I finally had to admit the front brake judder was getting worse

After a very thorough inspectition which consisted of turning the front wheel with a screwdriver acting as a pointer, It was obvious the front left hand disc was warped. Balls -- expensive They were barley worn but warped all the same, I noticed a couple of dings in the carrier which were probably caused by a disc lock - so maybe that explains it.
There are also a few threads about fireblades which I think have the same disc, warping at around 12K for no reason. I have just under 14K now.

According to the PFM website it is ok to just replace one front disc - there will be no uneven pull as they are both on the same wheel - I decided to replace both anyway.

I had new honda (nissin) pads ready to go in so at least I didn't have to buy them.

The idea of fancy PFM discs popped up - but they rust like hell and I would have to buy different pads - and they were even dearer than the Honda discs. I also read some reports that the uneven rusting had them reduced to scrap in a few months.

So I decided to go with the same again.

Rebuilt calipers with Zinc plated original bolts, and gave them the cleaning of their lives


Even buying the discs wasn't easy, DSS sent two right hand discs, one SP1 the other SP2. I was ready to kill one quite unhelpfull employee who dicked me around for a week without doing anything so after a few emails and phone calls I got someone else who sorted it out straight away no prob.
Does this crap just happen to me?

Front stand "borrowed" from my brother


Also got a nice new floor in my workshop, Saw it in Performance Bikes a few months ago. At the time I thought it was mad, but I came round to the idea and decided to do it! The painted concrete was dead and very dusty and grimey. I used the cheapest laminate I could get - cost five Euro a square yard and it is great so far. I have spilt oil and brake fluid on it and it just wipes up - really easy to keep clean. It will scratch with side stands so I use little off cuts under them.
Chuffed with it so far - time will tell

[Sppete]

Lovin that floor
The old bit of carpet I've got in mine is looking a bit worse for wear these days
A neighbour caught me hoovering it, admittedly when it was newer, one year and the buggers never let me forget it Careful you don't get caught witha mop and bucket, you wouldn't want to give the Missus any ideas.

Pete
P.S Brakes are looking good by the way

[Bobba]

Thats a mint idea!
I've just put a wooden floor all downstais so kept a load of the (not so ) old carpet ready for laying in a new shed but I'll be checking out cheap laminate instead

[Dmac]

Pete, whats wrong with hoovering your carpet

I have to get one of thoes sponge mop thingies, and a squeezie bottle of flash. It has got a good bit of use the last few weeks and is holding up well. The carpet would not be an option for me, I usuall spill everything - oil - brakefluid - coolant - beer - blood and usually in that order

@ Bobba, It's a shame to throw out the carpet, but for me anyway it would not be an option for the above reasons. The laminate cost 100 Euro for the full workshop, This photo is just under half of it - Totally chuffed with it - looks ace and easy to keep clean

My pimped mancave


New discs road tested today The differance amazing. I was kind of riding around the problem by not using the front brakes much, every time I used the front brake the front of the bike shuddered really badly, Now it just dips the nose slightly and digs in aha bliss

[Sppete]

Dmac said

Now it just dips the nose slightly and digs in aha bliss

Result!
I've got to put some pads in mine soon. I'm hoping for a bit of an improvement too. I've had a bit of a problem with a leaky fork seal squirting fork old all over my pads and haven't wanted to change them and have it happen again. I went through three sets of seals over the course of last summer and I think I might just have the problem licked now. It's been a bit of a bugger driving like a nonce with contaminated pads but I've sure manged to boost my fuel economy ...and build up quite a good fore arm from all time I've forgotten about it On the up side, there's been no way I could manage to warp the discs.
I've got a bit of lino up the top end of the garage to spill the oil and blood on but I don't always manage to hit it and the carpet can make things real bugger to find if you drop anything small or a similar colour on I'm thinking laminate has got to be the way to go

Pete

[Dmac]

Aha, Pete, I had to change a fork seal too - That was some of the delay between fitting the discs and testing them.
I had the front end back together all shiney and new and then then I saw the seal (had the blinkers on since November).
I couldn't risk wrecking the new pads on the first outing.

I took it all apart again and changed oil in both legs to 5w while I was there.
Think I will start a new post about my special fork spring compressor and seal driver

Was there a nick on the stanchon or worn bushes or something, that gave so much bother pete?

Best to get them cleaned up and new pads - I know how easy it is to let these things go when it's cold out

As for the drop test (wherethefuckdidthatgo test) the laminate is ace. Because it is so easy to clean, any little bits stand out - even when they hide under the toolbox Getting rid of boxes of crap and junk that were cluttering up the workspace helped too.

[Sppete]

I've just seen your home made fork compressor Bravo
Mine was a simular home made affair but it had more to do with two fat blokes and a lot of grunting
I'm not sure why it was a recurring problem. The first one I had to get done in a rush so I chucked the bike in a garage and paid to have it done. It lasted about 5 thousand miles, getting me around europe and then the rest of the summer until I put it away for winter. During the winter it just started to leak in the garage so come spring I did the job myself. This time making sure I replaced all the bushes. It got me through the MOT and lasted about 3-4 months and then started to seep. I took it apart again, gave it all a really close looking at, couldn't find anything so put it all back together again with new bushes and seal (hoping the maybe I was given a bad seal). A couple of months, if that, it did the same thing. This time I stripped both fork legs and started comparring them. What I did find was the right leg was slightly thinner than the left. I'm talking hundreths here. So thinking I'm going to need a new leg I took it off to the Honda shop to make sure, at £350 a leg I wasn't going to make a mistake.
I left it with the reception and got a call the next day to say it was all done. The mechanic wasn't about but the girl said he had "Dressed" the leg. No guarantees, but see how I get on.
It looks like the leg has been polished with some very fine wet-n-dry. The shine has been removed but other than that I can't see any difference. That was at the end of last summer and admittedly it's only done a little less than a thousand miles since then but so far so good and I 've already been out a couple of time this year so at least I know it's survived the winter
Fingers crossed for the rest of the summer

Pete

[Dmac]

Aha I see, The stanchons get a tough time

I usually just try to smoothe the sharp edges off of any marks or grooves. There is a company AM Philpot http://www.pittedforks.co.uk/
They can grind and rechrome the stanchons to new. Even USD forks, The stanchons unscrew from the bottom bracket. £225 for the pair of bare legs. Could be worth keeping in mind if it gives more bother.

[Sppete]

Cheers Dermot
I've saved the link for the future in the hope I'll never need them if you know what I mean

Pete