Installing the rear brake caliper bracket

I got the tire on the rear wheel of the '88 today, balanced it on my trusty HF M/C wheel balancer I got 2 oz. on each side in those ugly wts. HF sells and the wheel stops turning when it looses momentum, it stops at random places on the "clock" to to me that's balanced.... comment are welcome, this is my 1st wheel balance job.

So I got the rear brake caliper bracket in hand, put a little grease in each hole and fit it in place on the bike except it wouldn't go on with an easy push, is that normal? I painted the Swing Arm so I got the paint off the pivot the bracket uses and still no easy fit. Should I tap it on or is something (I can't imagine what) wrong?

(I can't imgagine what) wrong?

A picture would help us.

A picture would help us.

Rear brake caliper bracket is located below the rear brake caliperr, the caliper is bolted to the bracket. The bracket is attached to the swing arm (this attachment point is the one I'm talking about) and to the rear wheel axle.

This is an '83 to 85 bike but the bracket is used in the same way. The connection id on the forward end of the bracket where it fits on to the swing arm.

See item 3

My '93 tension bar (rear brake bracket) is a sloppy fit on the swingarm projection. Maybe installed the wrong way? I vaguely recall having a goofy, tight fit when I tried to install it the wrong way.

My '93 tension bar (rear brake bracket) is a sloppy fit on the swingarm projection. Maybe installed the wrong way? I vaguely recall having a goofy, tight fit when I tried to install it the wrong way.

 

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Well, there is a small hole on one end and a BIG hole on the other, one end fits the axle just fine, the other end is VERY tight to start at all so where it goes on isn't the problem, the problem is why does the correct end of the rear brake bracket not want to go where it belongs without a hammer.

Well, there is a small hole on one end and a BIG hole on the other, one end fits the axle just fine, the other end is VERY tight to start at all so where it goes on isn't the problem, the problem is why does the correct end of the rear brake bracket not want to go where it belongs without a hammer.

Your brake pads are cattywhompus in the caliper. Remove the pads. Clean the pistons. Compress the psitons. Put the bracket and caliper back on then put the pads back on.

It can be done easily either way,, with the caliper still on the bracket or with it off.. For this discussin let's say the caliper is not on the bracket.. Make sure you have the wheel installed so the gear in the final drive is lined up with the drive gear on the wheel and that the wheel is setting all the way into the final drive. Now check to make sure that the spacer is in place that sets between the brake side wheel bearing and the caliper bracket - it will set level with the grease seal on the outside of the wheel bearing on the right side of the rear wheel (rotor side). That spacer will have a small shoulder on it = that goes toward the wheel bearing.

The "Big End" of the caliper bracket goes flat against that spacer and there will be LOTS of sloppy room and room to move it into place = NO HAMMER NEEDED!! If your using a hammer something is wrong (IMHO). The small end of that bracket recieves the dowel end of the bracket bolt (it is not threaded) and simply supports the forward end of the bracket - allowing it to move.. So you end up with the bracket facing upward with the bolt holes for the caliper facing upward to capture the caliper.. Holding the big end of the bracket against the spacer, now you slip the washer/spacer that goes between the shouldered end of the axle between the inside shoulder of the swingarm and the outside edge of the bracket and slide the axle thru the washer then bracket then wheel bearing spacer and on thru the bearings and out the left side of the final drive (I like to smear a light film of grease on the axle before pushing it thru = I helped a guy stuck on the highway one time with a flat tire who did not believe in doing so and we had to destroy his axle to get it out of the bearings = a little smear would have helped A LOT IMHO). Now you torque the axle nut and the axle shoulder on the caliper side will capture the spacers/bearings/final drive and set it in correct spec. You will now see a space between the swing arm and the spacer/washer with some of the axle shoulder clearly visable = this is correct IMHO.. Final move is tightening down the pinch bolt on the end of the swingarm = 12mm bolt.

Take a peek at this video of the brakes on my R1.. I know it's back yard mechanicing 101 but I do this with my Ventures when ever I spoon on new tires or swap in brake pads.. It really seems to keep the calipers functioning in my case.. When you finally got the caliper pistons cleaned up nice so they slide in effortlessly,, simply put the pads back in them while the pistons are bottomed and the caliper will slide over the rotor very easily.. Just line it up and slide it on, put the bolts in it - tighten em up and pump the pistons out...

Your brake pads are cattywhompus in the caliper. Remove the pads. Clean the pistons. Compress the psitons. Put the bracket and caliper back on then put the pads back on.

Brake pads have nothing top do with the caliper bracket.

thanks all the same though!

It can be done easily either way,, with the caliper still on the bracket or with it off.. For this discussin let's say the caliper is not on the bracket.. Make sure you have the wheel installed so the gear in the final drive is lined up with the drive gear on the wheel and that the wheel is setting all the way into the final drive. Now check to make sure that the spacer is in place that sets between the brake side wheel bearing and the caliper bracket - it will set level with the grease seal on the outside of the wheel bearing on the right side of the rear wheel (rotor side). That spacer will have a small shoulder on it = that goes toward the wheel bearing.

The "Big End" of the caliper bracket goes flat against that spacer and there will be LOTS of sloppy room and room to move it into place = NO HAMMER NEEDED!! If your using a hammer something is wrong (IMHO). The small end of that bracket recieves the dowel end of the bracket bolt (it is not threaded) and simply supports the forward end of the bracket - allowing it to move.. So you end up with the bracket facing upward with the bolt holes for the caliper facing upward to capture the caliper.. Holding the big end of the bracket against the spacer, now you slip the washer/spacer that goes between the shouldered end of the axle between the inside shoulder of the swingarm and the outside edge of the bracket and slide the axle thru the washer then bracket then wheel bearing spacer and on thru the bearings and out the left side of the final drive (I like to smear a light film of grease on the axle before pushing it thru = I helped a guy stuck on the highway one time with a flat tire who did not believe in doing so and we had to destroy his axle to get it out of the bearings = a little smear would have helped A LOT IMHO). Now you torque the axle nut and the axle shoulder on the caliper side will capture the spacers/bearings/final drive and set it in correct spec. You will now see a space between the swing arm and the spacer/washer with some of the axle shoulder clearly visable = this is correct IMHO.. Final move is tightening down the pinch bolt on the end of the swingarm = 12mm bolt.

Take a peek at this video of the brakes on my R1.. I know it's back yard mechanicing 101 but I do this with my Ventures when ever I spoon on new tires or swap in brake pads.. It really seems to keep the calipers functioning in my case.. When you finally got the caliper pistons cleaned up nice so they slide in effortlessly,, simply put the pads back in them while the pistons are bottomed and the caliper will slide over the rotor very easily.. Just line it up and slide it on, put the bolts in it - tighten em up and pump the pistons out...

Guys: I was trying to get the caliper BRACKET on the nub that's part of the swing arm. I sanded off ALL the primer and paint from the nub on the swing arm and it's in place now. Thanks to All that responded! If I were a better write I could make myself better understood!

It can be done easily either way,, with the caliper still on the bracket or with it off.. For this discussin let's say the caliper is not on the bracket.. Make sure you have the wheel installed so the gear in the final drive is lined up with the drive gear on the wheel and that the wheel is setting all the way into the final drive. Now check to make sure that the spacer is in place that sets between the brake side wheel bearing and the caliper bracket - it will set level with the grease seal on the outside of the wheel bearing on the right side of the rear wheel (rotor side). That spacer will have a small shoulder on it = that goes toward the wheel bearing.

The "Big End" of the caliper bracket goes flat against that spacer and there will be LOTS of sloppy room and room to move it into place = NO HAMMER NEEDED!! If your using a hammer something is wrong (IMHO). The small end of that bracket recieves the dowel end of the bracket bolt (it is not threaded) and simply supports the forward end of the bracket - allowing it to move.. So you end up with the bracket facing upward with the bolt holes for the caliper facing upward to capture the caliper.. Holding the big end of the bracket against the spacer, now you slip the washer/spacer that goes between the shouldered end of the axle between the inside shoulder of the swingarm and the outside edge of the bracket and slide the axle thru the washer then bracket then wheel bearing spacer and on thru the bearings and out the left side of the final drive (I like to smear a light film of grease on the axle before pushing it thru = I helped a guy stuck on the highway one time with a flat tire who did not believe in doing so and we had to destroy his axle to get it out of the bearings = a little smear would have helped A LOT IMHO). Now you torque the axle nut and the axle shoulder on the caliper side will capture the spacers/bearings/final drive and set it in correct spec. You will now see a space between the swing arm and the spacer/washer with some of the axle shoulder clearly visable = this is correct IMHO.. Final move is tightening down the pinch bolt on the end of the swingarm = 12mm bolt.

Take a peek at this video of the brakes on my R1.. I know it's back yard mechanicing 101 but I do this with my Ventures when ever I spoon on new tires or swap in brake pads.. It really seems to keep the calipers functioning in my case.. When you finally got the caliper pistons cleaned up nice so they slide in effortlessly,, simply put the pads back in them while the pistons are bottomed and the caliper will slide over the rotor very easily.. Just line it up and slide it on, put the bolts in it - tighten em up and pump the pistons out...

oppsss,,, forgot this:

Brake pads have nothing top do with the caliper bracket.

thanks all the same though!

IMHO they could if the caliper is attached to the bracket and the pads are out far enough that they are keeping the caliper from sliding over the rotor while your trying to slide the bracket down to like it up with the axle... iWith the pistons compressed fully so the pads are wide open one should fairly easily be able to slide the caliper over the rotor while it is still attached to the bracket and then line up the bracket, slide the axle in and then put the forward bolt with the dowel end on it into the bracket...

I can't speak for Duey but I got a gut feeling that that is what he was talking about..

Guys: I was trying to get the caliper BRACKET on the nub that's part of the swing arm. I sanded off ALL the primer and paint from the nub on the swing arm and it's in place now. Thanks to All that responded! If I were a better write I could make myself better understood!

Doug is the nub your talking about the end of the bolt that protudes into the inside of the swing arm where the furthest forward part of the bracket with the smaller hole slide over or are we talking about an actual protusion that is a permenant part of the swingarm?? If its permenant,, I am way lost here,,,, I dont recall ever seeing that on any of my 83's,,,, all of mine have had a bolt thru the swingarm whose dowel end slides into the smaller hole in the caliper bracket.... Strange....

Doug is the nub your talking about the end of the bolt that protudes into the inside of the swing arm where the furthest forward part of the bracket with the smaller hole slide over or are we talking about an actual protusion that is a permenant part of the swingarm?? If its permenant,, I am way lost here,,,, I dont recall ever seeing that on any of my 83's,,,, all of mine have had a bolt thru the swingarm whose dowel end slides into the smaller hole in the caliper bracket.... Strange....

The caliper bracket pivot on the 1983-1985 is a bolt screwed through the swing arm.

The caliper bracket pivot on the 1986-1993 is a welded on (to the swingarm) post.

Doug, can you slide the bare caliper bracket onto the pivot post, i.e. without the caliper attached? Can you slide the bracket onto the pivot post when the big end of the bracket is not in position on the axle?

If the unencumbered bracket slides onto the pivot post easily, but will not when installed on the axle, there is either an alignment problem or an assembly problem or a incorrect part problem.

An example: You are not trying to install a 1983-1985 caliper bracket on the 1988 swingarm are you?

To All;

Thanks for your responses!

The arm is installed. Due to bad lighting I could not see the primer and paint I on the nub that

I neglected to mask off prior to painting. After removing the primer and paint the BRACKET slid on just like it's supposed to!

All is well now Thanks!

To All;

Thanks for your responses!

The arm is installed. Due to bad lighting I could not see the primer and paint I on the nub that

I neglected to mask off prior to painting. After removing the primer and paint the BRACKET slid on just like it's sup[posed to!

All is well now Thanks!

Well... I knew it all the time yeah......

10-4. Good job there yank... Dilly Dilly!!!

IMHO they could if the caliper is attached to the bracket and the pads are out far enough that they are keeping the caliper from sliding over the rotor while your trying to slide the bracket down to like it up with the axle... iWith the pistons compressed fully so the pads are wide open one should fairly easily be able to slide the caliper over the rotor while it is still attached to the bracket and then line up the bracket, slide the axle in and then put the forward bolt with the dowel end on it into the bracket...

 

I can't speak for Duey but I got a gut feeling that that is what he was talking about..

Caliper, There are no pads in the caliper, the caliper is tied off, out of the way, caliper bracket, and wheel are all removed from the bike. That's why the caliper is not the issue...

It's been a long time since I have had a bike apart; but I think the caliper bracket has to be in place before the wheel is installed because there is no room to get the caliper bracket in once the wheel is installed so that is what is going on in more detail...

The first pic is how I started the install of the caliper bracket section of job. Note; no tire/wheel so the caliper proper and it's associated parts aren't part of the picture literally!

In the next pic you can see the paint on the caliper bracket nub on the long side of the Swing Arm; note how much bigger the nub is vs. the '83 to 85 models. The bracket can be installed only one way because like the Mark 1 the holes on each end are different sizes. So I removed the paint and the bracket fit, so I applied a little grease to the bracket and installed it.

I appreciate the membership for all the help and guidance you give me and keeping me straight! CRS is real!