helppp!!! brakes refuse to mount to wheel?

[usmc_scott]

So iv been spiffying up the bike for months now. And I'm ready for a good test run. I went to put my breaks back on and the refuse to fit! When I get one brake pad in the mount and go to put in the second pad it gets wedged and won't budge. The rotor is centered so that's ok. Are the brake pads mixed up? They are wedge shaped but when pressed together the fit together and make a square. What's going on? Help! Weekend project has come to a dead stop!

[DGXSER]

HAving the Special brake pads, makes it a Special treat to mount them.

I have always mounted them together, in unison. So get both pads in the caliper with the rod in place they slide on, then holding them in proper position, slide down over the rotor. In this position, the slot for the rotor remains even.

[usmc_scott]

They are the origional pads. The bike was sitting most of its life and I brought it back from the dead. I tried that. Put the caliper on screw it in to the fork mount just a bit and swing them up into the mount points and it gets jammed

[SFerinTEXAS]

I assume you are aware the front pads at not interchangeable from side to side.

[usmc_scott]

well the pads came in a zip-lock with other parts when i got the bike sooo....how are the pads supposed to go?? i figured they would go together so they fit into each other they are wedged and whe the caliper presses them together they fitinto eachother makinga square ist that right?

[SFerinTEXAS]

Maybe this may help

http://www.ebcbrakes.com/Assets/2010_US_MC_Catalog.pdf

page 98 fa41 right side, page 103 fa61 left.

[XS1100 Newbie]

Is the piston in the caliper all the way in? If not compress it in.

[usmc_scott]

Argh the piston is all the way in...as far as I can get it. Just the lip part is poking out. I can get the pads and piston all mounted up fine. Its just that the damn bolt hole is off by a few centimeeters and the rotor is already as far over as it can go without scraping the. Guides.....idk what to do...I got the right side on but its so tight its hard to free roll the bike

[mack]

picture

It should just slide right in. Post a picture so we can see what you've got happening .

[DGXSER]

Just for S&Gs switch the pads form one side to the other. I'll ask the stupid question also, are you certain you have the calipers on the correct sides? It might be possibel to switch them although I have never had both completely off at the same time I can recall. JAT

[crazy steve]

Unlike other bikes, on the special you need to 'adjust' the fork legs in/out to line the calipers/rotors up. Try loosening the axle pinch bolt and moving the fork legs and see if that helps. If that doesn't work, did you disassemble/clean the front calipers? If not, you may have crud behind the piston and they're not going in far enough.

And an off-the-wall thought; is the rotor too far in (towards the wheel) or too far out? Too far in, and I may have an explanation. I've got two rotors (one off an unmolested special, the other off a molested standard) that have a different 'dish' compared to all others I've seen (.050" more) and these may be a 'production line' part used in 'special' cases. According to the parts fiche, the rotors are all the same, so where did these come from? Wouldn't be the first time a manufacturer used a part that wasn't available in replacement...

'78E original owner

[SFerinTEXAS]

I will add one more to this but I suspect you need someone who knows to come see whats going on. Maybe put your location would help that happen,

Using a manual? If not then I'm speechless . Do you have the spacer above the caliper and have you left the caliper with a tiny amount of sideways wiggle ?

[newc4]

Let’s assume you have the correct pads on the caliper ( Sounds like it when you say the pads together form a square). I’d unscrew the caliper and rotate the pads up to be sure they fit into the slots in the caliper. Once in place, with the caliper piston pushed in all the way, there should be a sufficient gap between the inner and outer pad that the rotor can pass through. Is this the case? If not you may have the pads on incorrectly.

Hopefully, you’ll brakes will pump up fine once you’ve resolved your pad problem.

[Lamric]

[Prothec]

The front pads on my XJ650 were a pain in the ass. It took me a while staring at it to realize there must be a washer between the caliper and the mounting surface like on the picture from Brian above.

Either it rolled away when I took it apart a couple of years ago, never to be seen again (gremlins) or the PO somehow got it together without the washer...

Nonetheless I went through the same kind of frustration.

On another note, I have all my XJ1100 brake parts all cleaned up in a box, waiting to be put back on my bike to be mated with stainless lines. Almost time to get her back on the road!