HOW TO Free Floating Discs
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The GSX1400 has “floating†front discs where the actual discs are held to the disc hubs by bobbins (the circular looking things with holes through them!), which get crudded up over time with brake dust and other road dirt and need clearing out to make them float freely again. To clean them is quite and easy and simple job to do.
First, obtain an 8mm bolt and 2x13mm nuts. Thread one nut onto the bolt and insert it through the bobbin from the inside. Now thread the other nut onto the bolt and thread it up so its tight enough to just grip the bobbin (i.e. you don’t need to heave on it, as the bolt needs to hold the bobbin enabling it to turn without compressing it).
Now using a spanner on the end of the nut, turn the whole bobbin assembly whilst at the same time spraying brake and clutch cleaner fluid into the “gap†between the bobbin and the disc. Keep turning and spraying the bobbin until it turns easily and all mucky has been removed (the cleaner will run clean rather than dirty)
(https://gsx1400owners.org/forum/gallery/0/9-030217212111.jpeg)
Repeat for all other bobbins on the disc.
Once you have completed cleaning all bobbins, wipe discs over with a clean dry cloth to remove any residual brake and clutch cleaner residue that may possibly remain.
Mine's an FE with standard discs and an M8 bolt won't go through the disc bobbins...I had to go right down to an M5 to do it.
It worked a treat though and got rid of the worrying knocking noise from the front end :onya:
I used an battery powered drill with easy-outs and just set drill to slow and sprayed brake cleaner works a treat.
Quote from: cawe on Sunday, 05 February 2017, 09:34 PM
I used an battery powered drill with easy-outs and just set drill to slow and sprayed brake cleaner works a treat.
I've done the same Cawe, battery drill. I actually used a nail punch in the drill, the tapered shaft goes in the bobbin good.
FWIW, I used an appropriately sized easy out into the centre of the bobbin in my cordless drill, on reverse.
Worked a charm for me!! :grin: :grin:
A great tip ref the drill I will be putting that to good use ,,, as mine has a little vibration going on so that a good way to sort it out cheers guys :onya:
All, a little warning about using the drill. Its great when the bobbins are only lightly soiled, but if they are well and truly gummed up, starting with a drill can do more harm than good as the bit will spin inside the bobbin, or you'll get a kick on the drill.
Can I suggest (Health and safety here (wot on a 1400 forum Barmy good grief) that you start off with a bolt and spanner to get the bobbin moving at least and THEN use the drill to spin it whilst using brake cleaner.
This is an often forgotten issue which will eliminate any judder. Would never recommend using a drill as I prefer to get a better feel for the resistance experienced and gently releasing bobbins.
Thanks for this post
Battery drill and Screw Extractor Easy Out bits with brake cleaner is the easy way.
I think your pliers need a bit of oil Noddy :whistling:
You overlooked that vintage-authentic tools are now valuable and these are indeed vintage and some say collectable. They will still be working when all the drills have died.
Did mine today.
Mines an 08 plated bike.
There was no hope of getting a bolt that big through the bobbins.
They look similar on the outside but much smaller on the inside.
I ended up using a smaller nut and bolt that only had 8mm heads.
I added a larger nut and washer to stop the 8mm head being pulled into the larger side.
2 x 8mm spanners to make sure they will turn, and give them a bit of a free up.
8mm socket on a drill and a good drink of brake cleaner.
When I started none of mine would turn by hand.
Half hour later they all turn by hand and heaps of muck washed out.
(https://s8.postimg.org/g3i49cyz9/image.jpg) (https://postimage.io/)
(https://s15.postimg.org/m31lqb6m3/image.jpg) (https://certificity.com) (https://postimage.io/app.php) (https://certificity.com)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=1qoPqN2GBdw
i just use the nut/bolt thing. ratchet n socket. lots of brake cleaner. never tried the drill, will next time. seems a great idea.
Same as grog :onya:
Bloody hell - I hav'nt got time to work now. All these little maintenance/cleaning tips I'm finding out are unreal.
Goodness upon you buddy!
She's a great place the org!
org. tips n a 6 pack= great afternoon. adjust, tighten, check every nut n bolt. then just ride it. as far as you want. something harley riders dream about. :grin:
Quote from: Buddynq on Friday, 18 August 2017, 04:30 PM
Bloody hell - I hav'nt got time to work now. All these little maintenance/cleaning tips I'm finding out are unreal.
I hear you. Fortunately for me and my 14 I am retired so I have ample time to get her in A1 condition and, when that is achieved, keep her well maintained. Honestly, I would not be able to do all this if I was still working for a living.
After replacing my front discs, some of the washers on the rear side of the bobbins were gone and the remaining washers were paper-thin. I now can't do the cleaning procedure as outlined here anymore as I have EBCs VEE discs which have SD-bobbins. S stands for square - no turning anymore. Have to ensure an ample store of brake cleaner now.
I wonder now how much the turning of the bobbins will cause the washers to wear prematurely. There was plenty of thickness of the discs themselves left for many Ks.
An explanation (rather lengthy) why you don't need to clean the bobbins:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOA5cOrvwRw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOA5cOrvwRw)
"It's all bollocks, don't bother".
Excellent. That is exactly the kind of maintenance advice I can follow.
Quote from: Andre on Tuesday, 30 October 2018, 10:18 PM
An explanation (rather lengthy) why you don't need to clean the bobbins:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOA5cOrvwRw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOA5cOrvwRw)
Which is great until you need too, cleaning them has cured a vibration on mine a few times. Not that they need doing very often at all really.
Only problem I see with it is if you don't clean them brake dust/road grime and salt can build up stopping them from being able to move when they need to due to heat .
I'm with
@Hooli I give mine a good clean especially in the winter .
Very rare I would put a bolt through and spin them though.
:cheers:
I've got wobbly discs at the moment, which I need to do something about at some stage.
I tried the rotating bobbin trick, didn't make any difference for me.
Now that I've rebuilt my front calipers with new seals the discs are clonking again...
Time to get the nuts and bolts out to free the bobbins up.
When you ride a bike all year round maintenance is never ending!
I spoke to the chap who services my bikes about cleaning bobbins as described by Delboy. He said to me "Leave them the fuck alone". Which I think is what Mat says on "The Workshop" video. So that is what I do :)
I don't agree with leaving the standard bobbins alone. This is what EBC says about the standard circular bobbins:
QuoteUnder the heat of braking a rotor blade expands or shrinks in both its diameter and band width causing the inside of the rotor blade to shrink radially inwards towards the hub. With circular buttons, as the rotor shrinks, it will contact the inner button and cause the rotor to tighten and either be distorted sideways causing either brake pulsation or spongy brakes.
In my opinion accumulated dirt has the same effect. I wouldn't use a power tool to spin them bobbins - only gentle with spanners. Probably can save the bolts/spanners if you use brake cleaner frequently.
I have EBC VEE discs that use the "SD-System Square Drive". Don't have the the above problems and can't be rotated. They just get a bit of brake cleaner every now and then.
Mine are a pain to do as the largest bolt I can through the bobbin hole is an M5. It would be so much easier if I could use an M8 with big washers.
It seems that some Suzuki discs use different sizes bobbins.
Quote from: cawe on Sunday, 05 February 2017, 09:34 PM
I used an battery powered drill with easy-outs and just set drill to slow and sprayed brake cleaner works a treat.
Why dont't you make it easy?
Because the tension-washers on the back side wear thin when you spin the bobbins. If they are gone you certainly have a clunky disc.
Quote from: Andre on Sunday, 05 May 2019, 04:48 PM
Because the tension-washers on the back side wear thin when you spin the bobbins. If they are gone you certainly have a clunky disc.
You don't need to turn them tens of turns.
Exactly
Every now and then i stick a bolt thru, give them a turn with some cleaner. Doesnt concern me much. Never really noticed difference before and after.
I get a loud clicking noise from mine when the bobbins seize..I've just done them and loads of white corrosion dust came out.
All nice and quiet again now.
This is what I used.
M5x20mm bolt and nut, plus the dished washer. It grips beautifully. The dish formed itself when I tightened it all up prior to spinning it.
Hi
New GSX 1400 owner and first post here :)
I used this tactic and a washer cracked in half. :doh:
How screwed am I?
If it's just one washer I would say you will be okay to ride, disk might make a clicking noise in use but nothing to worry about.
It's usual to introduce yourself in the new members section before posting questions. :whistling:
For goodness sake folks, stop mucking about with your `bobbins` :rolleyes:
Virtually all of us will have semi-floating rotors up front - i`m running EBC`s which are excellent - and they all will `click` noticeably, some of the time. Its totally normal and the product of the rotor movement against the bobbins as the pads bite. The bobbins themselves don`t need to spin, why would they :frustrated:?? They certainly shouldn`t collect `crud` either due to the surrounding parts `moving` under load, ie. expanding & contracting etc. etc.
To replicate the `ticking` sound, just drop the wheel away from the calipers , grab the rotors and shove them sharply side-to-side and you`ll hear the noise as the rotor moves against them. Thats exactly as they should sound. :onya:
On the other hand, stick a bolt through them, attach it to a drill.......and wreck them! :stir:
Years ago on old forum, big talk about keeping bobbins clean, spinning etc.I did it a couple of times. Something you were supposed to do. Never noticed much difference, havent bothered for maybe 8 yrs. Still work fine.