Brembo Caliper Install...Lot of pics

[thunderpaw]

Excellent post and pictures-thanks! Sometime in the future I'd like to add dual Brembos-because I just have always liked them, lol, but for now I am staying with the dual four pot BT calipers. I did find my stock 14mm mc wasn't moving enough fluid, so I went to the 11/16 mc from a Road King, along with matching clutch perch and levers. The new mc was already DOT 4 and I had converted my front system to it earlier. Much better feel and haul down than stock...and the parts were inexpensive on the 'Bay.

Now, If I hadn't already gotten the BT calipers, that's another story...I would literally jump at the Brembos, had I known that they were a bolt on option at the time!

Kim

[Erik]

Great write-up and excellent pics to go with it. Rep points from me, Dan.
I am absolutely hooked on these explainatory "how-to's-with pics"

Thx for taking the time and effort to share it with us here.

[Haggisman14]

? - When doing the bedding process, how exactly do you do it. Just replaced the brakes on my car, and I took the car up to 70/80, and then got on the brakes heard for about 10-15 tiems, and then just rode to let them cool.

I'm slightly concerned about getting the bike up to that speed, and getting on the brakes hard...don't want to go bringing about an endo!

Marc

[Screw Loose Dan]

Originally Posted by Haggisman14

? - When doing the bedding process, how exactly do you do it. Just replaced the brakes on my car, and I took the car up to 70/80, and then got on the brakes heard for about 10-15 tiems, and then just rode to let them cool.

I'm slightly concerned about getting the bike up to that speed, and getting on the brakes hard...don't want to go bringing about an endo!

Different brake pad manufacturers recommend different bedding processes. Lyndall doesn't publish any that I could find, so I looked at a couple different manufacturers that do publish recommendations and they all pretty much want you to heat them up to the point that they begin to fade then ride until they cool (all without stopping).

I believe Whittlebeast was in contact with Lyndall and they stated that bedding was necessary with their pads.

It would be (nearly?) impossible to do an endo with a Sporty...but the concern of locking up the front tire is valid. I recommend a large parking lot or a empty stretch of road that you are familiar with. You don't need/want to lock up the brakes, you are just trying to heat them up. From my experience, it will probably take 5-8 hard slow downs (not stops) from 60 mph until they begin to fade. It's critical that you don't stop until the brakes are cooled off again.

FWIW - You SHOULD be practicing hard braking, not just for bedding your brake pads but rather for real life. If your scared of doing an endo in a controlled situation, what are you going to do in a panic situation??

[bassboy311]

Originally Posted by drcstang

FWIW - You SHOULD be practicing hard braking, not just for bedding your brake pads but rather for real life. If your scared of doing an endo in a controlled situation, what are you going to do in a panic situation??

+1!!!!!! Knowing the limits of your brakes is very important for everyone. Hard stopping can be scary as hell in an empty parking lot, much less with a stopped car in front of you. Go find ya a parking lot and practice. I set up a course on a low-traffic road near my house to practice braking and measure stopping distances. It takes some practice to learn how to trust your front brake and quit sliding the rear tire so keep that in mind. 60-0 in 108ft says a lot for the Brembo upgrade though!
http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/s...80#post1497980

[Haggisman14]

Thanks for the info guys. And you do make a valid point about knowing just how hard you can pull on that front brake without locking her up. Never a bad idea for a little refresher on safety and hard braking maneuvers.

As always...

[repairguy]

Alright....Went to my local dealer and was going to order the parts to do the brake upgrade. They say that "I" have a slight problem in doing so. This upgrade will not work with my spoke wheel. They are saying that there is not enough clearance between the caliper and the spokes. Said I needed to go to an alloy wheel like the one Loose Screw is using. And why Loose Screw you ask? Well I will explain!

First off they where telling me that this upgrade "could not" be done on my Sportster. Then I very calmly brought both the service & parts managers here to this thread. After about 5 minutes of the both of them reading through theses posts, the service manager left. Never came back out. Didn't say a word or anything!!! Now the parts guy on the other hand got real excited!!! Starting looking things up in the parts book and stuff. Told me he would put together a list and get back with me, and he did!!!

That is when we discovered the wheel problem.... Any thought on this out here in Sportster Land???? My parts guy is now a firm believer in this forum. My Service guy is still wandering around in the shop in some sort of stuper. Amazing what a little lite can shed on some things. hahaha

[whittlebeast]

As long as you have the same wheel as a Nighty, it has been done here. It is close but clears.

AW

[Deimus]

Originally Posted by repairguy

My Service guy is still wandering around in the shop in some sort of stuper. Amazing what a little lite can shed on some things. hahaha

I guess his reaction to being wrong is to go back into his hole. Too bad. It is okay to be wrong. We're all wrong at times. Glad to hear the parts guy had a better reaction.

[Deimus]

Originally Posted by repairguy

That is when we discovered the wheel problem.... Any thought on this out here in Sportster Land????

Look back at post#39. Here it is on a 19" spoke wheel. Which spoke wheel have you got?