front wheel spacers??

googus

OK guys be easy. I changed my front tire and when I did both spacers cam out when i pulld out the axel. Me being me did not see what side the larger of the two goes on. I mounted the tire (looking at the bike dead on I put the larger spacer to the right) Is this correct. I drove the bike about 100miles and did not notice anything out of wack just checking. I can't find in the service manual the difference in size and what side it goes on. Any help would be great.

I also found out I need new brakes since the right pad is all the way down while all the other pads look good. any thoughts on that one too?
Greg

TigreST

My 1998 manual shows in the "Front Wheel/Suspension/Steering" section 13-0 diagram that the larger(longer) of the two spacers going in on the right side (throttle side) as you have installed it.


Tony

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"Stemmata quid faciunt."

blainerides

Greg,

Tony has it right...I just did that the other day too. Longer one goes on throttle side. Cheers,

Blaine

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Current: 99 Honda CBR1100XX, 94 Honda VFR750F Past street bikes: 01 Ducati Monster 750 (1st street bike) 98 Honda VFR800, 82 Kawasaki KZ550, 01 Ducati SS750, 02 Honda VFR800, 98 Honda CBR900RR

googus

OK now call me crazy. I just got done taling the wheel off again and switching the longer Collar(spacer) to the throttle side and no way the none throttle side rotor hits the fork. So i put it back the way i had it and the space between the rotor are dead equal space apart from the fork tubes



I also switch the pad around in the fron since the left one was total worn down and now the front wheel does not spin as freely.

I reset the piston on the master cyclinder on the one that need space. Put the front tire back on. I then turn the wheel and it moved very well. then I grabed the front brake and there was no pressure until i pumped it. Then the front tie would not turn as freely and the front brake wheer spongy at best.


I think I should just break down and buy new pads and re-bleed the untire brake system.
Any thoughts. thanks again.
Greg

TigreST

Seeing as your having some trouble I've re-read you first post and find that my reply is in error. You were looking at the bike from the front towards the rear, right? This, as per your description, has you putting the longer spacer on the clutch side (your right side as you face the front of the bike) correct?

O.k. now that's cleared up. Something to remember here regarding the brake calipers. They have three pistons each that continue to move outward as the pads wear. But not only do the pistons move with pad wear the total caliper assembly is also free to slide side to side (right to left) in a fashion to help track the brake rotor and any deflections the rotor might make due to heating and cooling cycles during braking. This free floating design helps reduce pulsing at the brake lever i believe.

Given the above,..if one removes the wheel/rotor assembly and upsets the caliper mounting system in a side to side way...you may find that the front wheel no longer alignes with the calipers when the wheel assembly is put back into it's home.

If your anal about how the front wheel and spacers should be installed (I've not looked into why they need to be this way other then the book says so) I'd suggest that you remove the wheel, install the spacers as per the book (long one on the throttle side) and then re-install the wheel assembly. You may need to move the brake calipers out of the way to do this. You may find that the caliper mounting brackets will need to be repositioned (in a side to side manner) to allow the calipers to be re-installed into there mounts. Key in the process will be to be sure that the front wheel is spaced between the fork tubes correctly with equal-distant spaces between the tubes and the brake rotors,..this would assume the wheel is centered. With the wheel centered then install the calipers and related mounts. You may need to move the calipers or there mount system right or left on the slider pins to get the calipers to line up with the rotors. The manual shows that the caliper and its slider pin and the caliper mounting bracket and its slider pin should be silicone greased to ensure the unit can move freely to track the rotor as need be.

Hope this helps.

Tony

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googus

Wow, Thanks Tony great info
This is one of the reasons I went back to Honda
I am sorry to everyone on the board for my simple questions but I am new at wrenching and that is another reason I pick up a 10year old bike. I feel that I have to start sometime because I am poor and refuse to give the dealers anymore of my money if need be

Yes I am looking front to back with the larger collar on thge none throttle side. Again call me crazy and sorry but I tride to put the wheel on before i did the final instal of the calipers and with the longer collar on the none throttle side the wheel rotor where dead even measuring the space from rotor to fork tube.

I guess when I get the brake thing fix I will take her to the dealer

Again thank you for the support
Greg

Nutter67

This is what our bird community is all about - helping each other (and giving them a wedgie when they not expecting it!!).

Dont worry about asking any question, no matter how silly it sounds. You wont learn if you dont ask. As Mr Garrison says "There are no stupid questions, just stupid people"

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Paul

Never let a motorcycle take you somewhere your brain didn't get to three seconds earlier

TigreST

Googus,
If money is no object then you are right to take the bike to the dealer. If money is a concern then anything you can do yourself will cost you nothing but your time. It is your call of course. Most often I find that if I take a break and a couple steps back and seek understanding of a system or item, given enough time the answer comes to me. It's easier of course if you have someone to ask who is not "on the clock".

One more item to check if you please. On the tire you should see an arrow that denotes the normal forward direction of rotation the tire is designed to roll. The tires on motorcycles are not like most car tires,..the tread pattern is designed to only spin one direction to give best performance. So the tire needs to be installed on the wheel correctly,..and then the wheel/tire combo needs to be installed on the bike correctly so the indicating arrow on the tire is spinning in the correct direction for forward travel. Is the tire's arrow pointing in the correct direction for normal rotation on your bike as you have it installed on the bike now?

The reason I ask is...if the wheel is installed backward then perhaps the long collar is on the correct side of the wheel...but the wheel may be installed wrong. Check the arrows on the tire and see if the wheel might be turned 180 degree's and then installed without the rotor hitting the fork tube issue.

I find these types of problems interesting, because we have all been to these kinds of places while doing our own maintenance work. I've had my front wheel off for tire changes, brake pad change out, fork seal and fork tube spring replacements and all manner of things,..and yet I do not have the details in my head about what might effect the wheel install to give up results like you are seeing. Funny how that is. Given enough time the problem can be resolved and you end up wondering how it could have been so hard to get it wrong.

Tony

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"Stemmata quid faciunt."

googus

Thanks again I will keep on digging and asking questions
Greg

googus

Well as you say Tony just go back and think things threw and look with a clear head.

It appears that I mounted the front ite on backwards by just looking at the bike after washing her I noticed the rim Mags(spokes) whre facing a different direction from front to back and since you can't screw up the back the front has to be re-mounted and then new brakes. Boy what a PITA to save some $$ but I chaulk it up as a lesson
Greg

TigreST

Coool,
Glad things seem to be heading in the "right direction" for you.

Caution: War story in coming somewhat related.

Co-worker buys a new to him, used 1986 Corvette C-5. Over time the Goodyear Gatorbacks are trashed, so he of course has new rubber installed. I see it sitting in the parking lot at work and notice all is not right with it.

Me: "Hey Craig,...new skins on the Vette?"

Him: "Yeah finally broken down and got the new tires installed. It's much nicer to drive now...no more sliding all over the road."

Me: "Well you need to go back to the tire shop and have them do it right!"

Him: "What? What're talkin' bout Bagman...there the correct size and balanced perfect. What's the big deal?"

Me: "Well,..you don't know this I guess, and neither did your tire shop guy..but the Corvette C-5 chassis is one of the few vehicles that has a left side and right side wheel castings. I think it's the first time that GM ever did this for one of their production cars. The wheels for each side of the car are only designed to go on that particular side of the car to effect the correct air flow over the brake rotors. The wheels have turbine blade style spokes cast into them that draw air across the brakes...so there are two sets of wheels...one set designed for the right side and the other set designed for the left side. If you look close at the small spokes that make up the turbine blade spokes they all should face the same direction of rotation regardless of which side of the car you view the wheels from. Your wheel spokes do not face the same direction on both sides of the car so the wheels need to be swung from one side to the other. If your running the stock OEM style Gatorbacks..they are also directional in design...even if you swap the wheels from side to side you may in fact need to have the tires swapped from wheel to wheel to get them all in the correct location on the car so the tires and wheels are all allowed to spin in the correct as designed direction of rotatation...other wise it will not be right!"

Him: "Shit Bags,...I would have never known that! I guess they F'd up. Thanks man!"


War story ends.


Tony "its in the details" Bagley

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"Stemmata quid faciunt."

googus

+1

I will fill you in when I get $$ to do the brakes and tire change to see if that is 100%.
i think it is, so A+ just for having somewhat of a clue