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Pulsating Front Brakes

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gil7247

Member
My 05 Road Glides front brakes are pulsating badly. When I apply the front at low to moderate speed the front bobs like a pogo stick. I just bought the bike this winter it has 24K miles. I'm thinking warpped rotors? Any other Ideas? Thanks Gil
 
Gil

Warped rotors will do it. It's hard on the neck bearings if you let it go too long.

A nice set of floating rotors would go nice and you wouldn't have this problem again. Also don't use water on the rotors when they are hot after a ride, that's the biggest cause of warped rotors on bikes and cars both. You'll find this especially true with cars that drive through a car wash with hot brakes.
 
Hi, my bike goes also up and down when breaking with front brake. Rotor seems to be okay. Just curious could suspension oil, or bad brake fluid cause similar symptom?

Thanks,

Tuukka
 
The suspension oil could be the problem but more than likely it's a warped rotor if you get the hammering or pulsing of the bike when applying the front brake. Try lifting the front wheel off the ground and rotate it and notice how badly you heat the wish- wish- wish as the high spot on the rotor hits the pads as the wheel turns.
 
Now I do not have a touring bike but, I have read something you could try on the dual disk bikes.

Try swapping the rotors. Can't recall if side to side or 180 degrees. But if you think about it and have slightly warped rotors, you can cancel this out by rotating one of them.

Might be worth a try before spending the $$$

Tom
 
panels said:
Now I do not have a touring bike but, I have read something you could try on the dual disk bikes.

Try swapping the rotors. Can't recall if side to side or 180 degrees. But if you think about it and have slightly warped rotors, you can cancel this out by rotating one of them.

Might be worth a try before spending the $$$

Tom
Click to expand...

Don't think that would help much, once warped there would still be a pulsating only out of phase with each other. Try hitting the brakes at a high rate of speed like this and you would get some serious vibrations.
 
Hi, pulsating was not from brake fluid. I changed fluids. First came yellow then green and eventually violet which was the color I added. Brakes work better but still some pulsating. Maybe it is from rotor.

I do not know fluid what previous owner had used but it should have been DOT5.
Maybe I have to check all other fluids just to be sure what there is...

Tuukka
 
I think max runout on the front rotors is .010 of an inch. Don't seem like much but can cause quite a bit of vibration.
 
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