Backwards front rotors?
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senior experienced all-knowing leader of the unwise
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 351
From: USA
Backwards front rotors?
Noticed in my 07 touring factory service manual lately in the wheel/disc removal section where it said to put the disc marked "right" on the left side and the disc marked "left" on the right side. WTF? It clearly gives the part #'s of the discs and says put the disc marked "left" on the valve stem side(right side of rim). I wasn't drinking heavily or using drugs when i saw this. It has illustrations of the proper direction of rotation of the sunstar rotors and they are backwards from all the other single disc bikes i looked at. Is this right for dual disc touring models or is harley just pulling my leg or something? I had both rotors off changing a tire and i put them back on like this, works fine i might add.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 169
Likes: 1
From: Virginia
If you look in my gallery there is a good picture of mine. They rotate forwards (I guess is the best way to describe it).
Hey, if the rotors get warped, is it possible to turn them around to make them straighten out?
Hey, if the rotors get warped, is it possible to turn them around to make them straighten out?
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
From: Mandeville, Louisiana
I just pulled off my front wheel and rotors for some powder coating work and, yes, they are backwards. And yes, the SM says the same. I intend to put them back on the way they came off. I don't understand why they did this, but it is backwards. 2007 FLHRS
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
From: New Lenox, IL
I went through this as well when I had my front tire of to investigate a noise. The nearest I can figure, after a thresd on here and speaking with a couple of Harley Service Techs, is that the guy that designed the rotors had them mis-marked in the print and nobody noticed until several thousand were already made. So instead of scraping them out they had the manual changed to reflect this. If you'll look at some of the newer bikes with this same rotor design you'll notice the slots are correct to the way they are on your'07 but they are marked left on left and right on right. Only the '07's are backwards.
George.
George.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: PacNW; Beacon of Conservatism in a Sea of Liberals.......AZ Snowbird; Just another Conservative
My '07 was bass-ackwards. Had a warped right-side disk when I bought the bike, so I bought a "right" disk off ebay...now I have two "right" disks on the front.
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6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Blacklick, Ohio
You hit the nail on the head. My old '06 RK Custom had HORRIBLE brake squeal, swapped the rotors and no more squeal! Well, no more squeal while rolling forward and braking...she'd still howl like a banshee while backing her out of the garage!
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 17
From: Mid West
I have a '03 with the rotors in the "Correct" position and yes, the local dealer says to stop the low speed soft squeal/howl I will need to swap them side to side. One of these days I will but not until I NEED to remove the front tire.