I have a problem that is self inflicted and requires a short story

As I was doing some winter maintenance, I decided to take a little slack out of my rear brake pedal by lengthening the rod back to the master cyl. I didn't take much slop out of it and as I left my driveway, It was working well.

I rode about 4 miles and heard a little whine. I found that the rear caliper was trying to apply the brakes and all the slop was gone from the pedal.

OK, so I know I over adjusted. I didn't have a wrench to re adjust but I did have my Leatherman with me. I was able to loosen the rear bleeder with the needle nose and rode it on home.

OK, that is the back story

Up to that point, I have been riding this bike trouble free for over a year. When I got home, I tried to bleed the system so I could re-adjust the linkage. I thought that would be a quickie but how wrong I was.

I could not get it to bleed. The hose goes up hill from the master cyl to the caliper so I went to get a vacuum bleeder kit. ( yes I also tried to put the caliper lower than the master cyl and bleed it but that didn't work either)

I used the vacuum kit but still there is no improvement even though it does not appear to have any air in the system now.

When I went to re install the caliper, I saw that the rotor is offset closer to the wheel.
The rear (inside) pad does not have anything to hold on to.
I find this extremely confusing since

I wonder what the hell is going on? Is there such an item as a rotor spacer that can be installed between the wheel and rotor?

I have attached pictures to help show what I am talking about







Man, I am a pretty decent mechanic, built and raced my own dirt cars, built my own motors, dune buggies and such but it seems every time I put a wrench to the Harley, something goes to crap......very frustrating

Any input is appreciated
Thanks
Dan

 

Spin the wheel....you may have warped the rotor.

 

I think you got air behind the piston. I would put my bleeder kit back on and compress the disc cylinder piston all the way back into the calipers to remove all the air behind the piston. Reinstall the disc caliper back on the bike. Then use the vacuum bleeder and remove all the air from the system before even thinking about hitting the brake pedal and sending the piston out of the caliper. I have done that on hard to bleed truck brakes before. Remember to watch fluid level and keep that brake fluid off of everything. Some of it is not as harmful as others but all brake fluid is bad in my books. Your in a place I never thought to be doing a repair on a Harley. Lesson I learned a long time ago. Any time you are adjusting something and take it for that test ride---always take enough tools to get home if you over adjust.

 

Also, don't add or change any spacers. Don't adjust you alignment or anything else. Fix the brakes first. If you rotor is warped. That is a later fix. Fix the air in the system problem first. A good point is that if you break more than you fix---your behind. Solve one problem at a time.

 

Did you perhaps reverse the pads?

 

Yep, did that... The rotor is straight



Oldairboater, you are correct, I have assembeled a complete tool kit this afternoon !!

I will do what you described about pushing in the piston and vacuum bleeding before touching the pedal

I am having a little problem with the hose that is attached to the bleeder nipple wants to suck air while pumping.

I will have to do something to completely stop that.....it works if I hold the tube just right

 

I can not adjust the wheel (side to side) spacers because the only one on the right side is not adjustable, you can not remove it which is what would put the rotor back in the middle of the caliper bracket.

Also, like I mentioned, the wheel is centered and it is where it should be.

Is there such a thing as a rotor spacer that will move the rotor only over to the outside of the wheel about a 1/4 inch?

That would fix the rotor placement issue....by the way, this is a cast wheel if that matters

 

You probably has slop in the rod because pads were worn. Shorten the rod back to where it was. Re-bleed. Get some speed bleeders.

 

Yeah, I did both, I shortened the rod and tried to bleed it and then lengthened it and tried.

Not sure what a speed bleeder is tho

 

Forget about the spacers and the wheel, you did not remove the wheel, or change any spacers around, you simply adjusted the brake. They were in the correct position before, so leave them alone.

Make sure the pads are in the caliper correctly, and get the air out of the system.