Some of my friends have been coming to my shop with questions about warped rotors and brakes that are grabbing, mostly the front.

Here is the tip: The front rotors get splattered with bug guts bouncing off the lower front tubes. As you know bugs are really sticky when they splat on you while riding. Ever get sticky front levers that got hit with bugs?

Well, the rotors also get this sticky crap on them as well. I clean the rotors with rubbing alcohol and a clean rag, both sides, you might have to do it twice if they are really dirty. This will usually stop the grabbing feeling you get and will help from destroying your rotors.

Left dirty, the rotors will get hot on those sticky spots and then you have warped rotors. Do the rears also, even though they don't have the bug crap.
I do this at least every month, only takes a few minutes.

Have a GREAT summer riding!

 

Thanks for the tip

 

Never thought about it, but it makes good sense. Thanks Dave.

 

SD's the man...I'll shoot the rotors every week to clean surface(s) and you ought to see the gunk that comes off onto the rag(s). 09 rotors still working true...

 

I agree that you need to clean your rotors and more importately the pads every so often to remove road contaminants but never have I heard that bug guts cause stickey rotors.I wonder if Off bug spray would keep them away?

 

thanks for the tip. i heard they could warp if you sat with your brakes engaged all the time but never thought about specifically cleaning the rotors.

 

Thanks. Very good info.

 

I go over my fronts with the soapy tire brush when washing wheels, twice.
The bugs down here sure have plenty of stickem, that's for sure!

 

interesting
If you only wash your bike once a year and dont want to deal with the stock quality control issues of at least some of the older models? then look into floating rotors imo didn't need to buy expensive one's, just like the HD semi floater.I was amazed how many other issues went away,thought they were just for raceing but liked the look. And expense of them i theorize will be somewhat recouped in pad and rotor replacement down the road.

 

V/ good to know. Thx. For a short time this spring I had pulsing on the front of my EBC-equipped bike. Was preparing to pull the rotors, then suddenly pulsing stopped. Could have been dirty rotors.

Is there an effective way to clean pads without removing the wheel?