Slight front wheel play: Ideas?

firffighter · Post by **firffighter** » 08:35 pm May 01 2009

OK. Finished my front end conversion, but have about 5mm play front to back when I lock up the front brake on a solid surface.

-It is not the forks (triple checked)

-Seems like my front wheel bearings are fine (spin great with axle in hub and wheel not mounted)

-Checked stiction and remounted everything 3 times to ensure it all was seated and torqued properly

The only thing I can figure is that the front disc on the KX125 is a floating disc. Do they move slightly?

Ideas?

skythrasher · Post by **skythrasher** » 09:11 pm May 01 2009

Yes. The floating discs will have a small amount of movement. You notice this when setting still and locking up the brake. When riding you don't notice this due to the slack being taken up when the brake lever is first applied.

firffighter · Post by **firffighter** » 09:15 pm May 01 2009

OK.

Kinda what I thought it might be since everything else seemed tight and in great shape.

Seems weird to have some movement, but if that is how it is supposed to work then I am satisfied.

canyncarvr · Post by **canyncarvr** » 10:30 pm May 01 2009

..as long as that is play in the DISC and not play in the FORKS.

You put the required spacer in the top clamp? Last I recall, you had your bottom clamp at RB..and maybe he was maybe going to make you a top spacer (not for 'up' but for shimming the stem to the hole in the clamp).

Did that happen?

You can SEE the disc move when you rock back and forth with the brake on.. right where the disk attaches to the 'spider' (where the rotor is riveted to the piece that bolts to the hub.

I got a rotor off ebay that had some of the hardware missing at that 'connection'. The rotor slopped back and forth like it was going to come off.

You will also be able to see the caliper move back and forth.

Hold the front wheel somehow other than the brake, rock back and forth..and there should be no 'movement' in the forks.

Or...have someone else sit on it..lock up the brake..rock back and forth..start putting your hands on 'stuff'. You can feel a very small amount of movement. Say...wrap your hand around the steering tube under the top clamp..rock-n-roll...you should feel nothing shifting in your hand.

5mm is pushing 1/4"...and the rotor don't move THAT much!!!

firffighter · Post by **firffighter** » 11:39 pm May 01 2009

Canyn,

Definitely not the forks. Made sure of that 1st. Checked before wheel was mounted several times and checked for movement in the forks with wheel mounted and everything is nice and tight.

Ron's sleeve and my extra KDX collar nut (used as the spacer) worked perfectly.

It almost seems like the axle may be moving a bit inside the hub. So, that would indicate wheel bearings.

I will check the disc and caliper again tomorrow and see if I can spot or feel any movement.

It is moving less than 1/4", but there definitely is movement there.

skipro3 · Post by **skipro3** » 12:47 am May 02 2009

Look close and you will see the wheel move on the little floatys on the disc. Block the bike up and have the front wheel off the ground, hold the front brake and by hand, move the front wheel. You will see it's just the floating front disc. Nothing to worry about.

firffighter · Post by **firffighter** » 01:45 am May 02 2009

Couldnt get to sleep, so went out to garage in PJ's to check.

Sure enough it is the floating disc.

Got bike on stand and zip tied the front brake to handlebars and checked the front disc. It moves a couple mm's right at the "floatys". Feels like it is moving quite a bit at the bars.

Yes, now the conversion is complete and ready to take out for a maiden voyage.

Thanks for the help, had me worried after spending hours getting everything on the conversion modified, lined-up, mounted and torqued.

skipro3 · Post by **skipro3** » 02:13 am May 02 2009

So, meet up with us at carvr's later this month. I think we are gonna go riding May 30, 31 but not sure. I have a 4 day weekend then; May 29th to June 1.
Maybe Ed would come too!

firffighter · Post by **firffighter** » 11:50 am May 02 2009

I would love to, but will be out of the country to spend a couple of weeks with my wife's family.

Thanks for the invite and thanks for the help with the floating disc.

I will get to put the bike through its paces in a couple of weeks at the Monkeybutt harescramble. Cant wait!

canyncarvr · Post by **canyncarvr** » 01:11 pm May 02 2009

Would you be so kind as to post a close up pic of that disc fastener setup..that holds the spider to the rotor?

.080" is too far for that joint to move.

Where'd the disc come from? It's used?

Even if it moves as much as it normally would (not .080") it certainly does feel like a big 'clunk' via the handlebars.

BTW...the OEM KDX forks/brake use a floating rotor, too. It felt the same way..maybe you just never noticed it.

firffighter · Post by **firffighter** » 02:53 pm May 02 2009

Funny you mentioned that. I was just over at my brother's and was checking his KDX floating disc and it moves just the same as my KX. The disc fastners on the KX seem to be bigger in diameter than the KDX's though.

You are right, I just never noticed. I noticed after the KX conversion because I was so concerned that everything was set up correctly.

I'll try to get some pics up this evening.

MXOldtimer · Post by **MXOldtimer** » 04:16 pm May 02 2009

Check your rubber grommets on the caliper. They could be wearing and your getting slop their also. Lock the front brake and rock the bike back & forth and put your finger on the caliper where it bolts to the fork. If they're getting wore out you'll feel movement there as well when the caliper moves.

firffighter · Post by **firffighter** » 08:45 pm May 02 2009

Here is what the floating disc looks like:

island220 · Post by **island220** » 10:23 am May 03 2009

How did you mount your brake line clamp, if it is not connected to fork guard you will get play there also. Was looking at pics of finished bike looks good

canyncarvr · Post by **canyncarvr** » 12:56 pm May 03 2009

HA!! I knew that would happen........

I should'a been more pacific....

A pic from the other side, please? That's where the spring washers are.

It's all clean!! That's gotta change......

MonkeyButt is @ Trask?

Got some finsihed pics? ..which might be in your gallery 'cuz I didn't go looking..........?

firffighter · Post by **firffighter** » 03:47 pm May 03 2009

Monkeybutt harescramble is at Morrow Co. OHV. It is my favorite place to ride. Over 200 miles of amazing trails, nobody rides there, tons of money spent on top notch facilities, awesome, cant wait!

I'll get a pic of the other side up tomorrow.

Finished pics on the fork conversion forum.

canyncarvr · Post by **canyncarvr** » 04:55 pm May 03 2009

Morrow..that's like kind'a right next to Winom-Frazier!

road trip road trip

Hear that? Sounds like a pile of money with glasses on!

MXOldtimer · Post by **MXOldtimer** » 05:46 pm May 03 2009

firffighter wrote:Monkeybutt harescramble is at Morrow Co. OHV. .

Hey, can you show up pay and race that thing or do you need to join a club/s?

firffighter · Post by **firffighter** » 07:18 pm May 03 2009

I think you have to have an OMRA membership for any points race which the Monkeybutt is. I think an OMRA card is $20 and the race fee is around $40.

You should come on over. It is a great place to race and ride. Some of the guys I went with last year are China Hat regulars and they complained a bit about the rocky sections, but I like more technical terrain, so it is right up my alley.

I am taking my whole family and we are headed over Thurs. morning to get a few days of play riding in before the poker run on Sat. and race on Sun. My oldest (13) wants to race the youth class on Sunday, so I may ride chaperone with him.

Cant wait!

BTW, Morrow Co. OHV is S.W. of Hepner near Spray. It takes me 3 1/2 hrs. from Portland. Winom Frazier is farther east and is almost all quad trails. Morrow Co. is a model OHV for the rest of the state. Very impressive what they have done over there.

KDXRIDER.NET

KDXRIDER.NET

Slight front wheel play: Ideas?

Slight front wheel play: Ideas?