Pulsing when squeezing front brakes
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,597
Likes: 136
Pulsing when squeezing front brakes
OK so I got my bike back from the repair shop today, and in addition to the other problems mentioned in another thread, I've noticed even before today (since the new chrome calipers went on a few weeks ago) that when squeezing the front brakes there is a distinct wub-wub-wub that I can even feel in my fingers as a kind of pulsing. Never felt that before the caliper change.
It almost feels like something is warped or grabbing then not grabbing as much then grabbing again...
Now what!!!!!
I want to go to Laconia next week but now I'm getting outright spooked. As I said before, I am really getting discouraged now
It almost feels like something is warped or grabbing then not grabbing as much then grabbing again...
Now what!!!!!
I want to go to Laconia next week but now I'm getting outright spooked. As I said before, I am really getting discouraged now
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 100,455
Likes: 19,810
From: Centennial, CO
How old are the rotors? Miles I mean? And thickness? Calipers mount up nice and square? Could be if you got a high quality caliper, you could be feeling stuff now that has been there all along, too.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 726
Likes: 3
From: Pacific Northwest
I had the same deal with mine. Like mentioned above, warped rotor. Doesn't take much, i.e., you can't see it, and I don't think I saw it even off the bike with a straight edge. But put a new rotor on and the problem went away.
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: TEXAS
That sounds like what my bike did last year, it was just a warped front rotor
How it got warped, I dunno
How it got warped, I dunno
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Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,597
Likes: 136
The rotor is a Ride Wright, new last season (not even a year old yet).
The calipers are Chrome Harley calipers. Everyone was bugging me about having black calipers on the bike so I got the chrome ones from HD and had a shop put them on.
The same shop that put on the back one and installed the brake pad incorrectly which locked my brakes up last week.
I did have the new shop I went to check the front ones after repairing the back ones and they said it was fine.
But I swear, I never felt that pulsing before.
I am absolutely discouraged. It's one thing after another. Next bike will be stock and stay stock.
The calipers are Chrome Harley calipers. Everyone was bugging me about having black calipers on the bike so I got the chrome ones from HD and had a shop put them on.
The same shop that put on the back one and installed the brake pad incorrectly which locked my brakes up last week.
I did have the new shop I went to check the front ones after repairing the back ones and they said it was fine.
But I swear, I never felt that pulsing before.
I am absolutely discouraged. It's one thing after another. Next bike will be stock and stay stock.
Last edited by studiopeg; Jun 7, 2012 at 07:10 PM.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Aug 2005
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Likes: 54
It is not necessarily the add on's that are making your problems but possibly who is putting them on (reference your other thread). It is difficult to find a good mechanic that is close by which is shy I learned to work on my own bikes early on. That way if something goes wrong I know it's my own fault.
Either way, your luck has been really bad. Rotors will usually warp from excessive heat however the stock softail calipers have not been well known to do this. The Brembo calipers on the newer baggers have been known to wrap rotors very easily as they create so much heat.
You might want to ask your shop to check the rotor runout. .008 or less is within Harley spec. Anything above that is our of spec. I have had customers who have had rotors that were in spec t hat still behaved as if they were warped. It could also be that your pads are lower now and wearing unevenly causing this although warpage is the most likely suspect.
Either way, your luck has been really bad. Rotors will usually warp from excessive heat however the stock softail calipers have not been well known to do this. The Brembo calipers on the newer baggers have been known to wrap rotors very easily as they create so much heat.
You might want to ask your shop to check the rotor runout. .008 or less is within Harley spec. Anything above that is our of spec. I have had customers who have had rotors that were in spec t hat still behaved as if they were warped. It could also be that your pads are lower now and wearing unevenly causing this although warpage is the most likely suspect.