Serious brake fade or lack of brakes??

[Yamajon1]

I too witnessed this quite a bit the last couple of weekends and it scared me. I have the BOP Wedge installed as well, flush with the shaft. When I originally installed the BOP Wedge I did not have it flush with the end of the shaft. I then decided to take the bolt out and to try and tap the wedge so it would be flush with the end of the shaft. I had to heat up the wedge and shaft a bit to get it to budge so I could tap it in. I then put the bolt back on and torqued it to 35 ft lbs. Not sure by tapping the wedge in without the bolt it did something, but now I have very little rotor movement (almost none) when I try and wiggle my rotor when it is sitting on a stand.

Would not having any or very little rotor movement back and forth on a stand have any effect on the brakes fading???

If the rotor is not floating as it is supposed to and it or the shaft has excessive runout it will knock the pads back while you are riding and then when you grabe the brakes you have to pump them to get the pads back to the rotor surface.

 

[Turboflash]

Dry boiling point of DOT 4 is around 230c. We go through 1-2 sets of pads per race weekend on our USXC sleds and run DOT 4. I'd look to Knapp's suggestions on this for the fix.

For us lowly Americans, 230C = 446 F. No way your caliper is getting that hot.

 

[putz21]

If the rotor is not floating as it is supposed to and it or the shaft has excessive runout it will knock the pads back while you are riding and then when you grabe the brakes you have to pump them to get the pads back to the rotor surface.

Ok, this makes sense. It is what I am experiencing. I now just tap my brake before a corner just to make sure there is enough pressure, otherwise I give it a quick pump or two.

I wonder if my BOP wedge somehow is set a bit too close to the rotor, thus no play in the rotor, causing intermittent brake fade because of what you just described.

Problem is, I can't seem to budge by BOP wedge. It seems completely locked in place and I would have to use a metal rod from the chaincase side to knock it lose. I'd like to reset the wedge if I can, but fear I have to open up the chaincase to do so.

 

[TrueBlue]

If the rotor is not floating as it is supposed to and it or the shaft has excessive runout it will knock the pads back while you are riding and then when you grabe the brakes you have to pump them to get the pads back to the rotor surface.

I agree also. Had the same issue on my bike rotor. Just a slight runout will cause this. New rotor problem gone.

 

[WinderFab]

Ok, this makes sense. It is what I am experiencing. I now just tap my brake before a corner just to make sure there is enough pressure, otherwise I give it a quick pump or two.

I wonder if my BOP wedge somehow is set a bit too close to the rotor, thus no play in the rotor, causing intermittent brake fade because of what you just described.

Problem is, I can't seem to budge by BOP wedge. It seems completely locked in place and I would have to use a metal rod from the chaincase side to knock it lose. I'd like to reset the wedge if I can, but fear I have to open up the chaincase to do so.

If you do decide to remove the wedge when you reinstall it use a bike wrench if you can get a hold of one, this way it holds the outer part of the wedge and it’s a lot easier to remove if you have to remove the wedge.. plus the bike wrench is only about an 1/8” thick.

I put the wedge in lose and held the wedge with the bike wrench while torquing it down.. very easy to install and to remove the wedge..

 

[KnappAttack]

Loosen the bolt on the wedge and hit the bolt with a hammer. It will loosen up. At that point use a thin wrench to snug it up some, then hit it inward with a hammer till the washer is close to the shaft and torques it down tight, it will hold itself if you snug it enough first before hammering it in flush or close to it. Make sure the disc still has a bit of play after final torque.

 

[hellflyer]

Loosen the bolt on the wedge and hit the bolt with a hammer. It will loosen up. At that point use a thin wrench to snug it up some, then hit it inward with a hammer till the washer is close to the shaft and torques it down tight, it will hold itself if you snug it enough first before hammering it in flush or close to it. Make sure the disc still has a bit of play after final torque.

Exactly! I still think if the wear is to great on the shaft and you actually get it to lock the bearing the distortion might be enough to effect the rotor

 

[KnappAttack]

Exactly! I still think if the wear is to great on the shaft and you actually get it to lock the bearing the distortion might be enough to effect the rotor

Good point there. Certainly could.

 

[hibshman25]

Loosen the bolt on the wedge and hit the bolt with a hammer. It will loosen up. At that point use a thin wrench to snug it up some, then hit it inward with a hammer till the washer is close to the shaft and torques it down tight, it will hold itself if you snug it enough first before hammering it in flush or close to it. Make sure the disc still has a bit of play after final torque.

Just as Knapp stated, you need to give the bolt a quick shot with a hammer to unseat the wedge from the fingers. The wedge remains tight in the fingers even after the bolt is loosened up. The quick shot with the hammer will unseat the wedge and allow the fingers to relax.

By you previous post it appears you said you already have it flush though. Once you unseat the wedge I'd be curious to see if your rotor regains wiggle? Was your shaft a new shaft with no wear?

 

[putz21]

Just as Knapp stated, you need to give the bolt a quick shot with a hammer to unseat the wedge from the fingers. The wedge remains tight in the fingers even after the bolt is loosened up. The quick shot with the hammer will unseat the wedge and allow the fingers to relax.

By you previous post it appears you said you already have it flush though. Once you unseat the wedge I'd be curious to see if your rotor regains wiggle? Was your shaft a new shaft with no wear?

Thanks Travis. I’ll be up with my sled next weekend so I will loosen up the bolt a little and then give it a quick shot with the hammer to unseat the wedge.

Correct. I now am flush. When I first installed it, I wasn’t flush. If I recall, I took the bolt out and then used a hammer to push the wedge in flush and then snugged it up to 35 ft lbs.

I am not on a new shaft. Using existing shaft with 1,666 miles when wedge was put in which had no wear. I’ve put on a little over 650 miles already and this is when I noticed hardly any rotor play along with the brakes getting soft at times until I pump them.

I’ll report back once I get to unseat the wedge and try and remove the wedge and/or check for play with the rotor.

 

[SAB1]

Soon as my wedge comes Ill be installing it in a brand new shaft. Does that equate to less torque needed?