Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Discussion specific to the 1995 - 2006 KDX200 (H Series) and 1995 - 2005 KDX220R (A Series) models sold in the USA
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MotoArts
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Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Post by MotoArts »

Rear brake question...
On my '97 220, the rear caliper bracket to swingarm boss fit is VERY sloppy. I just brought this neglected poor thing home, and this seems like the worst part on the bike. Caliper bracket actually rubs on the rotor, and you could almost pull it straight off of the swingarm. Aside from building the swingarm with weld, squaring it up and installing a new bracket, what are some hack fixes?

Is this a common problem with this model?

i had a '90 E-model 200 back when it was almost new, and don't remember any issue like this.
I've had short of 50 various bikes over the years, and have never seen a brake part this bad. Remarkably, the bike appears to have better than half of the time my YZ has on it, judging by the slop of the usual worn components (perches/levers, footpegs, wheels, etc.).

Any input will be appreciated, thanks!
Pete
'97 KDX220, '84 YZ125, '81 YZ250, '78 RM250C2, '80 RM100T, '04 KTM 250SX,
'82 Yamaha Seca 650 Turbo, survivor
Jim B
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Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Post by Jim B »

MotoArts wrote:Caliper bracket actually rubs on the rotor...
Is it assembled incorrectly? Is a spacer missing or too short? The bracket definitely shouldn't rub on the rotor. It is a bit loose until the rear axle is tightened. Have any pictures?
MotoArts
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Re: Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Post by MotoArts »

No, sorry, no pics.
It is currently disassembled for rear wheel bearing replacement. When I first looked at the bike (before purchase), I noticed that I could lift the rear caliper up about (what seemed like) an inch off of its "at rest" position from the swingarm. Now that it's disassembled, the "I-beam" boss welded on the swingarm and/or the groove in the bracket that slides over the boss have a TON of play between them. Enough so that I am considering either making a shim that wraps around the boss, and/or replacing the bracket... or swingarm.

I haven't spent more than a minute actually looking at what's going on. Looking at the parts versus an online fiche diagram doesn't show that anything's missing. I expected to find a bushing or sacrificial shim that wrapped around the I-beam or in the bracket groove. I will look closer at why the bracket has touched the rotor also... something seems really fishy here... the axle hole may be egged out... or missing spacer as you mentioned.

Never saw anything like it before, just generally wondering if anyone else has ever found this much wear on these pieces of their bike.
'97 KDX220, '84 YZ125, '81 YZ250, '78 RM250C2, '80 RM100T, '04 KTM 250SX,
'82 Yamaha Seca 650 Turbo, survivor
MotoArts
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Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Post by MotoArts »

Doesn't help diagnose the caliper issue, but here's a gratuitous pic of my son and the 220 day one after rescue. :cool:

Image
'97 KDX220, '84 YZ125, '81 YZ250, '78 RM250C2, '80 RM100T, '04 KTM 250SX,
'82 Yamaha Seca 650 Turbo, survivor
Jim B
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Re: Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Post by Jim B »

Maybe the caliper and/or bracket is off of another bike? (KX perhaps?) You could take a look at KDX calipers and brackets on feePay and see if yours are the same.
MotoArts
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Re: Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Post by MotoArts »

Finally took a longer look at the assembly. Appears as if all of the spacers/seals for the axle are correct. The swingarm and caliper brackets simply look like they beat the daylights out of one another. I ended up fabbing up a shim out of 1/16" teflon (plastic) that fits between the top/inside of the swingarm bracket, and the top/left side of the caliper bracket. I've used this material in the past for several different repairs like this, and have had good success. Can't be any worse than it is now, provided that the shim doesn't work itself out of the groove.

I can't imagine Kawasaki engineering this without a wearable/replaceable/sacrificial shim. It appears that there is wear on both piece equally. to the tune of approx. 1/8" L/R movement, and almost 1/4" vertical (or rotational, depending on how you imagine it) slop. There is no excess wear on the caliper bracket to axle hole, and I can't imagine how the caliper bracket wore against the rotor. Someone in the past could have ran it without a spacer, or incorrectly installed something for a brief time.
'97 KDX220, '84 YZ125, '81 YZ250, '78 RM250C2, '80 RM100T, '04 KTM 250SX,
'82 Yamaha Seca 650 Turbo, survivor
Silverfox
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Re: Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Post by Silverfox »

Sounds like it was a bit loose and wore down during riding.
MotoArts
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Re: Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Post by MotoArts »

OK, upon further review:
Overhauled rear suspension bearings... well, more like a clean and repack. A previous owner had incorrectly installed the dogbones, causing a TON of vertical slop, and making like the bearings were toast. Luckily, the bearings themselves and all hardware look really nice, with only minor rust pitting on one inner bushing and swingarm/axle shaft.
A question did arise from this excercise... I had spare parts. Spare, as in 4 thin thrust washers that don't show in the fiche diagram. I reinstalled them between the dogbones and bearings, but am not sure if I need them... don't think they're doing anything important there.

When I reassembled the wheel (after bearing replacement), I have what appear (according to the fiche) all of the proper parts, and in order. Problem is, there's about 1/4" gap between the caliper bracket and right spacer.
I do also have two large washers (both appear to be OE), with one destined to go between the right snail and nut. I may install the other between the left snail and swingarm, but once again it is not shown on the fiche.
Problem with the whole deal is I will be out of threads on the axle if I simply install as is and try to squeeze the swingarm together that extra 1/4".

I believe the left side is spaced OK, since the sprocket lines up nice and centered in the chain guide slot.

Caliper bracket is ALSO different from the drawing on the fiche. The rearward facing "scallop" on the bracket at the axle is on the outside (touching the swingarm), compared to the drawing that shows it on the inside.
Pics on fleabay DO look like the one on my bike, further adding to the confusion.
It appears as if I make another spacer or small washer stack for between the right spacer and caliper bracket, all MAY be fine.
But I'm not at all warm and fuzzy about altering what at one time was a good thing.

I'm going to remove the spacers and check their width next to one another. It seems like the spacer that I installed on the right is too narrow (sits inboard tighter than the LH), or the caliper bracket is too narrow. I haven't snugged it up to see how much it squeezed up, but I think the bracket may contact the rotor.

If pics would help, let me know.
One main concern is how accurate the fiche drawing is. Am I missing parts, have too many, or possibly short spacers from another bike?

Although I have seen WAY worse, I don't put it past anyone to get "creative" with fixing what ain't broke...
'97 KDX220, '84 YZ125, '81 YZ250, '78 RM250C2, '80 RM100T, '04 KTM 250SX,
'82 Yamaha Seca 650 Turbo, survivor
MotoArts
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Posts: 52
Joined: 08:10 pm Dec 15 2015
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Re: Bad 220 rear caliper bracket wear

Post by MotoArts »

Ding Ding! JimB gets a cookie!
Yep, right (the one I put on the caliper) side spacer is incorrect.
Sure looks like the other side, but is that 1/4" shy.
Just bewilders me as to who would do such a thing, and why. :kick: Pretty much obvious it's a Kaw part, but probably came off of another bike around someone's shop. Could not have been there all of the bike's life.

So I'm stacking 2 large washers to make up the exact difference in width until the correct spacer arrives.

Ugh.
Thanks for the help, guys.
'97 KDX220, '84 YZ125, '81 YZ250, '78 RM250C2, '80 RM100T, '04 KTM 250SX,
'82 Yamaha Seca 650 Turbo, survivor
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