timgray Posted February 10, 2009 #1 Posted February 10, 2009 I heard here that you can rehab the brake rotors by taking a sander to them. does anyone have and instructions about this? do I use a drill mounted sander and try to get the sanding marks all the same way? do I use an orbital and just rough everything up? They look grooved but when you touch them they feel smoother than they look. do I just leave them be?
GaryZ Posted February 10, 2009 #2 Posted February 10, 2009 Leave them be . . . However, I always replace all fluid with fresh when messing with brakes.
5bikes Posted February 10, 2009 #3 Posted February 10, 2009 Rotors are too thin to be ground down. Replace them and/or replace the pads and bleed the systems. Clutch too. Never grind without the correct equipment. They can be cleaned up with brake fluid, and "light" sanding. I have used the "HH" pads to smooth off rotors. HH are hard, wear the rotors fast and after the rotors clean/smooth up then use softer compound pads.
skydoc_17 Posted February 10, 2009 #4 Posted February 10, 2009 Hey Tim, Boy, This is a very good question, and I have put some time into finding what can be done in this area. According to Yamaha Specs. you can decrease the thickness of the MK2 VR Rotors (1986-1993) by .5 MM (about .020 thousands) before they become unserviceable. The preferred method to resurface a rotor is called "Blanchard" grinding where the "side" of the wheel does the metal removing as opposed to the outer most OD (outside diameter) of the wheel. I received a quote from a local grinding shop of $40.00 to grind a pair of rotors on both sides. As you can see in the pic at negative .5 MM I didn't get 100% cleanup but it did remove the "Lip" on the outer most area of the OD (outside diameter) where the brake pads NEVER touch. It did make putting the calipers back on much easier and the seating time on the new pads was a lot shorter but I can honestly say that I didn't notice a lot of extra braking power for the amount of time and money I put into this project. On my 86'VR I put the bike up on the center stand and with Jean holding the handle bars, I rotated the front wheel and with a small right angle air grinder I decreased the thickness of the "Lip" area (outer most OD) and got similar results without removing both front rotors and spending $40.00. I have heard from members on this forum that if you take a file and bevel the sharp edges of the new brake pads you can avoid the contact area of the lip and the break-in for the new pads is quicker because the edge of the pads do not contact the "lip" of the rotor. Either way, by removing the lip or beveling the pads decreases the break-in time for a new set of pads considerably. One other thing I want to mention is that the rear rotor is a 2 piece "semi-floating" rotor and Blanchard grinding is NOT an option because of the Rivets holding the 2 pieces together. Unless of course you have the ability the drill out the original rivets, grind the outer disk, and rivet the 2 pieces back together again. I guess what I am trying to say here is either live with your old rotors, or replace them. There doesn't seem to be a good way to refurbish the First Gen. rotors that I have found other than what I have described above. Earl
okscooter Posted February 11, 2009 #5 Posted February 11, 2009 I know certain year Vmax front rotors bolt right up to the 86-93 Venture wheel, I did it. They look a little different, they are a vented design, the venture rotor is slotted. I have a pic somewhere of them mounted on a venture wheel. I believe the 83-85 rotors are different and won't interchange, someone may correct me. This can only be done for the front, the Vmax rear rotor is different.
jasonm. Posted February 11, 2009 #6 Posted February 11, 2009 ONLY V-Max rotors up to '92 match up in size to the 1300 86-'93 Venture. I bought a used set of Vmax rotors. They fit just fine but one was bent. I got a refund and I bought new EBC rotors. The EBCs are thick like the OEM rotors. If you did not know. The Venture rotors are thicker than most bikes. But the drilled holes from EBC are oddly spaced in my opinion. BUT oddly enough my EBCs work fine.
bobcat Posted February 11, 2009 #7 Posted February 11, 2009 I heard here that you can rehab the brake rotors by taking a sander to them. does anyone have and instructions about this? do I use a drill mounted sander and try to get the sanding marks all the same way? do I use an orbital and just rough everything up? They look grooved but when you touch them they feel smoother than they look. do I just leave them be? Tim....From time to time I use a .000 steel wool pad with a clean rag and brake fluid to clean road grime etc off my front rotors...IMHO I wouldn't risk useing any electic driven device to clean up the rotors...
jasonm. Posted February 11, 2009 #8 Posted February 11, 2009 Bobcat, You use "Brake Fluid" to clean your rotors???? FYI , your pads clean them better than any steel wool.
MikeM8560 Posted February 12, 2009 #9 Posted February 12, 2009 Hey Tim, I guess what I am trying to say here is either live with your old rotors, or replace them. Earl maybe this is a dumb question, but can new rotors be bought still ? specfily for my 84?
timgray Posted February 12, 2009 Author #10 Posted February 12, 2009 Yes you can buy new ones. They are insanely priced though. my local stealer has them for $235.00 each. I still cant find any for sane prices elsewhere. What I have will last another set of pads. but I guess I need to start searching for another set.
Rocket Posted February 12, 2009 #11 Posted February 12, 2009 maybe this is a dumb question, but can new rotors be bought still ? specfily for my 84? From DennisKirk.com, EBC Aftermarket rotors, check other sources for the best price.... I installed these last year, on my 83....... Remember to heat the Allen bolt area prior to removal of the old ones (OEM threadlocker) EBC Pro-Lite Left front rotor $166.99 EBC #MD2081LS Part 195214 fits the following machines: 1983 Yamaha XVZ1200TD Venture Royale 1984 Yamaha XVZ1200TD Venture Royale 1985 Yamaha XVZ1200TD Venture Royale 1983 Yamaha XVZ1200T Venture 1984 Yamaha XVZ1200T Venture EBC Pro-Lite Right front rotor $166.99 EBC #MD2081RS Part 195255 fits the following machines: 1983 Yamaha XVZ1200TD Venture Royale 1984 Yamaha XVZ1200TD Venture Royale 1985 Yamaha XVZ1200TD Venture Royale 1983 Yamaha XVZ1200T Venture 1984 Yamaha XVZ1200T Venture EBC Pro-Lite Rear rotor $141.99 EBC #MD2081 Part 195305 fits the following machines: 1983 Yamaha XVZ1200TD Venture Royale 1984 Yamaha XVZ1200TD Venture Royale 1985 Yamaha XVZ1200TD Venture Royale 1983 Yamaha XVZ1200T Venture 1984 Yamaha XVZ1200T Venture
bobcat Posted February 13, 2009 #12 Posted February 13, 2009 Yes you can buy new ones. They are insanely priced though. my local stealer has them for $235.00 each. I still cant find any for sane prices elsewhere. What I have will last another set of pads. but I guess I need to start searching for another set. Tim...Check with Rick at www.buckeyeperformance.com for your rotors or any other Venture part...he's a fellow Venture owner and will give you a square price etc..
timgray Posted February 13, 2009 Author #13 Posted February 13, 2009 I'll give him a call. Thanks a Bunch! I need to find and save links to every one of the Venture friendly parts sellers so I look there first. I wish he would carry the carb diaphragms, I'd rather give a fellow venture rider the money than someone else.
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