Calipers won't fit?

[audijunky]

Hey fellas, So when I got the bike(79 xs11) the calipers were hanging from a rope and not bolted to the forks. I figured the PO had quit trying to fix them and said screw it. Well it turns out that they were off for a reason. If your sitting on the bike the caliper on the left goes on fine but the one on the right appears to not have enough room to squeeze between the rotor and the mounting hole on the forks. I noticed when cleaning the right side caliper that it had been rubbing against the rotor. I originally figured the brake pads had been worn down to low but that was not the case.I can jam it in there but that aint right. Anybody have an Idea what could be wrong? Caliper warped? Forks turned? looking at the bike from the front everything looks straig1ht. Spacing between forks and rotor look the same on both sides. I dunno whats going on.

[skids]

You might want to check the part numbers on the caliper if there are any...

[mro]

w/front wheel up, spin wheel and see that rotor is not bent.
You can hold a small screw driver aginst fork pointed at edge of rotor to see if it wobbles when you spin it.



mro

[e.z.nightrider]

Try to loosen the pinch bolts on the fork and move one fork to get it to fit then tighten the pinch bolts.

Ed Z.

[prometheus578]

"Poor man's dial indicator"

hold a small screw driver aginst fork pointed at edge of rotor to see if it wobbles when you spin it.

Or take a can o' Brakleen or carb cleaner and set it so that the spray straw lightly touches the rotor and then spin it.

[knewsom]

BRILLiant!

[audijunky]

After further testing, The rotor is straight, the forks are staight, the only difference I can see is the gap between the rotor and the forks on both sides is different? about an 8th inch less gap on left than on right. Is there away to adjust the wheel on the axle?

[e.z.nightrider]

Let me be more clear, I may not have explained it well the first time. Loosen the pinch bolt (or bolts if it is a standard) on the bottom of the left fork that holds the axle. Then move the left fork to center the calipar on the disk, then tighten the pinch bolt or bolts.

Ed Z.

[skids]

And don't forget to loosen the fork brace first!

Originally posted by e.z.nightrider
Let me be more clear, I may not have explained it well the first time. Loosen the pinch bolt (or bolts if it is a standard) on the bottom of the left fork that holds the axle. Then move the left fork to center the calipar on the disk, then tighten the pinch bolt or bolts.

Ed Z.

[DiverRay]

audijunky,
I would loosen the complete front end, and then install the calipers and retighten the axle. The proper order is as follows:
after all parts are installed, tighten the axle nut to factory torque specs. THEN tighten the pinch bolts on the bottom of the left tube, and finally tighten the bolts on the fork brace, if you have one installed.
This is for the standard model, but the only difference on the special is the pinch bolts are on the front of the fork tube.
Ray

[audijunky]

AHHHH, said the rookie. I thought you were talking about the top. I would like to thank all of you for your help.Much Appreciated

[pathfinder]

See this post and it will enlighten your perspective.
Alignment