[Brendan]

Does anyone bother to remove the rotors from the front wheel when getting new tires installed ? (The wheels are off the bike.)
Are they susceptible to damage ... by the new guy in the shop ?
I've always left the whole bike at the dealer and hadn't given it much thought before.

 

[salyzyn]

The screws attaching the rotors are not supposed to be re-used as they are coated. I have re-used them twice, checking them through 17K total thus far and noticed none have loosened, even without using a thread locking compound. I have a set of 12 brand new bolts on-hand should I decide to bail on this.

I notice in past discussions regarding the rotor and removal, others have opted to use some thread lock when they reuse theirs. Do some searching, my opinion is not the be-all-end-all on this issue.

The floating disk design is very difficult to determine if it is bent or not, and the replacement is very expensive. I can make the rotor act warped simply by choosing to do a hard stop, and then return it to normal by riding and some gentle stops. I chose to be safe rather than sorry, removing is easy prior to tire replacement. Even transporting the front wheels represents a risk best alleviated by removing the disks.

 

[gpick]

Does anyone bother to remove the rotors from the front wheel when getting new tires installed ? (The wheels are off the bike.)

No, I have a cardboard box the supports the tire and keeps the brake rotors from touching anything.

Are they susceptible to damage ... by the new guy in the shop ?

Yes, the aluminum bends easily.

I've always left the whole bike at the dealer and hadn't given it much thought before.

My tire dealer charges $10.00 to mount if the wheels are off the bike. It is not hard to do. I can check the brakes. I save $75.00 on his price and well over a $100 at a dealer and they set and appointment and mount them while I wait. I wait less time than another trip, takes only one vehicle instead of two, plus I get to look at all the farkles. (I don't care much for blings.) And I watch him mount them. They specialize in Wings.

 

[jfink]

I never take my rotors off, usually find something to set them on in the trunk to keep from laying the wheels on the rotors. The shop I take mine too will let you watch the whole process. My rotors are steel, I can understand why someone would remove them if theirs are aluminum.

 

[robertcuster]

I take mine off that way, I know they won't get bent. It only takes an extra 10 min. to take them off the wheels. It doesn't take much to bend that aluminum center piece.

 

[Pigeon Roost]

I do my own tire changes and opt to remove the valve stem side (left) rotor so that the tire removal bar does not mash against it. I see no reason to remove the right side so long as you take ca in handling the wheel during transport and bead breaking. I have a good supply of new screws, but use a very small dib of mediium Loctite on the original ones.

I do re-install the rotor before the rebalance, but if it makes any difference at all in balance, its very minimal on my front wheel. I also have the original postioning of the of the rotors marked (indexed), but if that makes any difference it too is likely minimal.

prs

 

[murf]

gpick:

Brendan wrote:

Does anyone bother to remove the rotors from the front wheel when getting new tires installed ? (The wheels are off the bike.)
No, I have a cardboard box the supports the tire and keeps the brake rotors from touching anything.

Quote:
Are they susceptible to damage ... by the new guy in the shop ?
Yes, the aluminum bends easily.


The brake rotors are not made out of aluminum.

 

[Pigeon Roost]

Murf;

the brake disc carrier is made of soft aluminium; that is the part that bends and then the steel disc is flexed.

prs

 

[oldtags]

According to my service manager/owner rotors should be on to get a true balance. Guess you could take them off for changing and reinstall before balancing.

 

[Ed Siemers]

I do my own tire changes and balancing. Yes, I remove the rotors. As an experiment, I balanced the front wheel without and then with the rotors attached, there was no difference at all on my wheel.

 

[Brendan]

Thanks for the responses .. I'll take the rotors off this time - just for the experience as much as anything else !

 

[IR Harry]

For what its worth, I have always left my rotors on and taken the wheels to the local Honda dealer for dismounting, mounting and computer spin balance. The last time I wasted a couple of days with a buffing wheel while the tires were off, and had the rotors off. When I took the wheels in to have the new tires installed, they could not get the spin balancer to work right - when it stopped the wheel did not have enough friction surface to stop with the balancer. So, had to put the rotors back on to get the balance right. Anyway, leaving rotors on balances the wheel with all the turning parts in place.

 

[All Boots No Saddle]

Thanks for the responses .. I'll take the rotors off this time - just for the experience as much as anything else !

When I was planning to drop the front wheel off at the dealer to get a new tire mounted, I asked them whether I should take the rotors off or not. They said to leave the rotors on, so I did. IMHO, if they bend it, they should fix it. I just make dang sure that I don't mess anything up in transporting the wheel... I too use the aforementioned box method.

 

[rrm512]

I took my rotors off to polish the rims. When I torqued the bolts down 3 of them snapped. At $2+ a bolt (times 12) that was the last time I will do that. For those of you that are reusing the bolts they are designed for one time use.

Keep in mind that your life depends on these bolts.

Rick

 

[Roadie]

I always remove the rotors from the wheel when I take the wheels to have a new tire mounted. The rotors will bend very easily, so I don't take the chance. I have reused the rotor mounting bolts twice now and I use blue locktite when I re torque the rotor bolts.

I also have the front wheel balanced with the rotors off of the wheel and have never noticed any difference with any motorcycle wheel that is balanced in this way. You will feel a wheel that isn't balanced right at higher speeds with the front wheel vibrating and feeling like it's hopping up and down.

 

[All Boots No Saddle]

... For those of you that are reusing the bolts they are designed for one time use.
Keep in mind that your life depends on these bolts.

Yep. So, why take the chance.