Show us your TransAlp modifications!

[Belgian Waffles]

Originally Posted by mas335

Can you elaborate on this little contraption?

[mas335]

BW,

This is a dial indiator and accurately measures the "run out" or warpage of the rotor in thousanths of a inch, some indiators read in mm.

The indicator has a tab on the end that contacts the rotor and moves in or out while you rotate the wheel and displays the amount of movement.

It is the only accurate way to read the rotors "warpage" from the calipers point of contact and is a fairly common tool for doing precise work.


Showkey,
I have always heard about a function of the seals as also retracting the piston cups and that the seals are supposed to be directional when installed BUT......

The service manual does not describe this seal orientation and the seals from Honda have no indiactors on them as to which side goes toward the pads. Even when I look at them under magnification I do not see any angle or bevel to the edges.

Educate me please.

[2bold2getold]

Originally Posted by mas335

BW,

This is a dial indiator and accurately measures the "run out" or warpage of the rotor in thousanths of a inch, some indiators read in mm.

The indicator has a tab on the end that contacts the rotor and moves in or out while you rotate the wheel and displays the amount of movement.

It is the only accurate way to read the rotors "warpage" from the calipers point of contact and is a fairly common tool for doing precise work.


Showkey,
I have always heard about a function of the seals as also retracting the piston cups and that the seals are supposed to be directional when installed BUT......

The service manual does not describe this seal orientation and the seals from Honda have no indiactors on them as to which side goes toward the pads. Even when I look at them under magnification I do not see any angle or bevel to the edges.

Educate me please.

Hummm, Never really thought about it much, Just thought pad return was due to "Knock Back" as explained in the this page http://stoptech.com/technical-suppor.../pad-knockback

But also found this http://www.ucx.com/documents/squareseal.pdf
and this http://www.raybestos.com/wps/portal/...liper+Assembly

And this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_brake --- TMI --- but explains that hard/wide, soft/narrow thing. Didn't know how or why, Just seen it more than once.

[showkey]

Originally Posted by mas335

BW,


Showkey,
I have always heard about a function of the seals as also retracting the piston cups and that the seals are supposed to be directional when installed BUT......

The service manual does not describe this seal orientation and the seals from Honda have no indiactors on them as to which side goes toward the pads. Even when I look at them under magnification I do not see any angle or bevel to the edges.

Educate me please.

You are correct the SM does not call out a direction on TA piston seals.........so they appear to be a square seal and are not directional. My mistake on the directional warning.

That said if the piston are not retracting after application the first place to look is the caliper seals, piston and piston bore. The piston should slide in and out by hand. The second place is the master cylinder..........all fluid pressure should be released as the brake handle is released. Master cylinder holding pressure ports blockage is common cause, less common but possible is brake hose collapse.

on the other comment 2bold

Knock back is a bad thing caused by excessive flex in the system........knock back then causes excessive pedal travel to get braking force back on the next application. In a perfect world zero runout, zero warpage, zero thickness variation and zero dish would be preferred and desired.

[2bold2getold]

Originally Posted by showkey

You are correct the SM does not call out a direction on TA piston seals.........so they appear to be a square seal and are not directional. My mistake on the directional warning.

That said if the piston are not retracting after application the first place to look is the caliper seals, piston and piston bore. The piston should slide in and out by hand. The second place is the master cylinder..........all fluid pressure should be released as the brake handle is released. Master cylinder holding pressure ports blockage is common cause, less common but possible is brake hose collapse.

on the other comment 2bold

Knock back is a bad thing caused by excessive flex in the system........knock back then causes excessive pedal travel to get braking force back on the next application. In a perfect world zero runout, zero warpage, zero thickness variation and zero dish would be preferred and desired.

Quess my world is not that perfect.

[mas335]

" In a perfect world zero runout, zero warpage, zero thickness variation and zero dish would be preferred and desired. "

I don't live in a perfect world either, I have seen some rotors that have the surface texture so rippled that the thickness variance is all over the place, I blame this on wrong choice in pads, the braking effect is horrible and will pulse like mad.

Most TA caliper cups that I have seen do not move by hand at all, they are very tight.

[showkey]

The perfect world is the best case ........not seen on 25 year old bike............there are some that believe the rotor needs run out to knock the pads back........this is not the case. Runout or warpage is bad and at some point ( less than perfect) it will cause several of the problems mentioned earlier such as pulsation and poor braking. Runout can be caused by the rotor, hub, bearing or axle.
But this is not new news as it has thoroughly discussed.

There are motorcycle rotor resurfacing companies to make rotors "perfect" but some rotors do not have enough meat to get perfection before min thickness.

[2bold2getold]

[Ladder106]

Nice....it's also cruise-control

[2bold2getold]

Originally Posted by Ladder106

Nice....it's also cruise-control

Already got a Audiovox cruise control for it (got right wrist problems from old injuries). Had one on my old Concours and got one on my Fz1. Works great, just like a car.

[Belgian Waffles]

Originally Posted by mas335

BW,

It is the only accurate way to read the rotors "warpage" from the calipers point of contact and is a fairly common tool for doing precise work.

So I should be able to get my hands on one of these somewhere around here? Common tool at moto repair shops or am I looking at an unpleasantly large purchase to get ahold of one? Seems like another plausible cause of my issues.

[showkey]

Originally Posted by Belgian Waffles

So I should be able to get my hands on one of these somewhere around here? Common tool at moto repair shops or am I looking at an unpleasantly large purchase to get ahold of one? Seems like another plausible cause of my issues.

Not a Harbor Freight fan but......it can be had for under $40...........quality unknown

http://www.harborfreight.com/clampin...tor-93051.html

Sears lists a wide variety of indicators with varying quality and price:

http://www.sears.com/search=dial%20i...e=CAT_REC_PRED

your location may vary............

[2bold2getold]

Originally Posted by Belgian Waffles

So I should be able to get my hands on one of these somewhere around here? Common tool at moto repair shops or am I looking at an unpleasantly large purchase to get ahold of one? Seems like another plausible cause of my issues.

Been lucky, never needed one for a bike rotor. On cars, if any doubt, just resurfaced or replaced. Used a magnet mount indicator to set crank shaft end play. Any shop that rebuilds motors or machine shop should have a varity of dial indicator set ups. You can spend a lot or a little. Just Google "Dial Indicator" and you will find more information than you need. Ebay, Harbor Freight, Grainger, etc. Starrett has been the standard, but might not be necessary to spend what they cost if you are not using it much. An inexpensive one and a c-clamp or two will probably work on the TA rotor. https://www.google.com/search?q=dial...w=1280&bih=631

[Thor77]

My new susp.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-G...3/SAM_3594.JPG

[happyclam]

My ta is finally legal. Still have a lot of work to do. Carb still has issues, xr forks feel like a jack hammer, rear shock waiting for a spacer upgrade, etc. I've put about 500 miles on her since i brought her back to life. Thanks for this thread you guys...I'm up to page270. My vstrom is getting neglected...as well as my wife and kids