8 1/2 years later, here I am finding your disc brake bobbin video helpful on my Dyna. Thanks so much for all the knowledge you've shared over the years!
I do most service/repairs on my bike .wouldnt trust no dealers.do it yourself.the only person to care about your bike is yourself.cheers for your videos.ive learnt some bits I never knew.good man👍
Well done to you, Sir, it's excellent to hear that you've sorted it out. So many riders write to us explaining they have air in the brake hose and cannot bleed properly for trying when all it is is the rotors are flexing due to being jammed up, as you have found! It's not complex but it does take a little understanding of each part of the braking system to be able to maintain it properly so it operates perfectly... well done again and ride safe, Del
Man, you rock! The squealing is gone, and so is the shuddering. The brake lever "takes" higher up and is a lot stiffer than before, my steel-braided brake hoses are finally working properly. I've reason to believe that since the rotors were stuck before, my braking was mostly about warping the rotors in their holders as they were stuck. Problem is now fixed and I have a new motorcycle it feels like!
Really appreciate you taking the time to do these videos Del. Certainly learned my lesson back in January, but now I've got some dough I can start fixing the bike and do all the maintenance work that was waaaay overdue. Cheers, Jon
Thanks for this great tip. I cleaned mine yesterday with a tooth brush and brake cleaner. I realise now i only did half a job at the very best! Off to the garage now to do it properly! Cheers.
Hi Del.I was having trouble with brake noise and was thinking the worst seized pistons in the callipers etc, fitted new pads cleaned callipers and pistons still getting brake noise.Then tried the rotor bobbins, seized tight on one side of the whee,l did what you said in the video NO noise now. Fantastic thanks for your help probably saved me a few quid not having to take the bike to the garage.Keep the videos coming.
brilliant advice been having this problem with my brakes and couldn't work out what it was and almost ordered a new pair of disc's at a cost of near on £400 but this tip of yours del boy has saved me a lot of hassle and unwanted expense thanks and keep up the good work.
Wow thanks a ton man, this fixed my pulsating brake problem, I was worried my brakes were bad, but after watching this I checked them and every single one was seized up, after getting them cleaned and moving again... No more pulsating as I come to a stop. Thank you.
hey, thanks, great vid. I brought a 2001 bandit 3 months ago and the front brake where pulsing, I thought I need new disks and so got the bike cheaper then he was asking for, you sir saved me a lot of money, cleaned and freed off the bobbins and now the disks are as good as new. thanks again, ride safe.
Just taken my front wheel off to fit a new tire & remembered this vid, so gave all the bobbin's a good clean & turn with brake cleaner :) Thank's for the great videos & tips mate!!
A great tip which I’ll be doing when I service my brakes, I remember years back detecting lateral movement on my front disc and thought something was wrong, all that worry for note, now I know it was all good, cheers Del Boy
It is amazing how little known about these are Chris, and when you've done them, it will allow the disc to centre between the pads more quickly and you'll notice your brakes are sharper, many people bleed their brakes over and over trying to make them crisp at the lever, they even go to the expense of buying braided hoses in the quest for sharper brakes with more feel.... when 50% of the problem is the disc being seized up... go to it mate and let us know how you get on!
Ordered bolt (M12), bolt arrived, too wide (literally 1-2 mm off) now to wait for new bolt. my lack of sundries is embarrassing :D May as well use the time to clean the chain, front brakes and replace my horn that sounds like a squirrel farting. Winter ridings a dirty lark.
***** Good work Chris, housekeeping will keep the mechanic away and shame about the M12, little tricks like poking a drill bit through just by hand to check the size first before you order the bolt can save a lot of grief... drill bits are a great tool for measuring holes...! Don't worry about the sundries mate, mine's taken a lifetime to build up and I still don't have everything I need, you never will mate!
M10 Hex Bolt (short) from B&Q... think I have enough to put a bolt in every hole in the bike but win-win. Managed to clean a few that were rock solid; low and behold my brakes don't judder when I have to brake heavily any more. Marvellous Trick, thanks for that!
Man I swear, hats off to you.. You've got me out of so many jams with your videos. Thank you so much I was about to buy new rotors as well. If you're ever in southern California I owe you a beer or many at that... thank you thank you thank you!!!
Most welcome Brother, im glad the videos have helped you so much.. just sharing the basic knowledge that we should all share to keep the bills down and keep the bikes safe. I hope you are safe and away from the fires we're seeing on the news.. the damage looks heartbreaking.. take care. Del.
Hi James...there is nothing you can put on the disc to prevent rust, obviously....but riding it regularly will rub off any rust and wont hurt at all...if its building up too much then the cover is obviously keeping the bike damp underneath, then leaving the cover off as an experiment and see if they still rust...ill bet they dont do so bad...which proves my theory that covers do as much harm as good..!!!
Hey Del, avid fan! I feel it ought to be mentioned (If it hasn't already) that this isn't possible on all brake rotors. EBC's SD bobbins are not round. Hence the name SD (Square Drive). Trying to spin the bobbins could cause expensive problems! So yeah, check your discs people before you give this a try! Still a top trick to know about for regular discs though!
This is a fantastic tip, thank you so much for making this video, I hope you dont stop uploading your tips because for newer riders into self maintained, these are pure gold.
No no no no......why did I not see this video before buying new discs. £320 that half what I paid for the bloody bike. I have using this technique freed up the old ones. Great vid delboy.
Awesome tip thanks a lot. Many mechanics I have come across over the years have felt that brake lever moving in and out and insisted the discs need changing without any other investigation. Happened to me many times. Will try this on my latest wobble!!!
Hi Ian,yeah there are a couple of bikes with solid bobbins,the single only way to do them is by hand using a g-clamp & a postage stamp sized square of inner tube rubber to protect them & then spray away & wiggle! It's more long winded,but gets the job done......I wouldn't sweat it too much, mate, as a bike like that I'm sure, isn't gonna ride in the filthy weather every day, so your discs shouldn't get too cacked up! Hope that helps you, mate, Cheers, Del
My disks were pulsing during braking as well. I used to push them from side to side as you did in your video and spray them with a bit of brake cleaner. This worked, but only for one or two rides, probably because I couldn't get to all the gunk. This seems like it might do the trick, gonna try it tomorrow. Good video!
Hi Stuart, without a front paddock stand, easiest way is to jack against the side stand...simply put it on the side stand, place a trolley jack under the right hand side of the bike & with a folded rag to protect against damage, jack carefully up under the collector box on the exhaust and it will roll left and the front wheel will come up ...and be careful! Cheers, Del
TX I am a numbskull on mechanics. I have just bought a Kawasaki GPZ500s this year. My first bike since 1978. And that also was the last time I rode a MC! I thought the bike was in good nick at first, but realised it had been neglected. Its had work on it but now I am finding the disks are not right and your videos are helping greatly. I appreciate your tutorials and subscribed.
Hi Tony....glad the videos can help you mate, feel free to drop us a line if you get stuck with anything....good luck with the GPZ, and make sure you enjoy it aye... take care...Del.
Nice one mate, we like to spread the basic knowledge around so that we can all benefit from it ... welcome to the world of biking, take it easy and ride safe, Del
excellent tip this.... just checked mine and out fo the 18 bobbins 14 were solid.... took about an hour to do the lot and they are spot on now... cheers mate :)
Brilliant video! I'm pretty sure this is what's wrong with my brakes, and as I was about to order a new disc tomorrow, I'll give this a go first. You've just saved me a lot of money! Thanks =)
First off I know this is a old vid but I want to say thank you for your videos. I never knew about bobbins you just taught me something new definitely something I need to check on my hayabusa. Thanks from across the old pond cheers
Well had a look and one side was free and fine but the other side was loose so I'm gessing the disks need renewed! Altho I did do the same trick on my mates 98 R1 and they have freed up after he thought he had to buy new discs so thanks very much del u have saved him £££
Hiya Delboy! Traded in my Hyosung gv250 and picked up a nice silver 2003 Bandit 600. Did this job today... Bobbing rusted solid. Sorted now, Cheers mate
Charlie Rutledge Hi Charlie, congratulations on youre new bike buddy....good choice, i reckon 9 out of 10 bikes over ten years old will have jammed bobbins, so its a good fix for better brakes right away... ride safe mate.. all the best.. Del.
@Rasd4Metta Yeah you're right chum, anything you spread oil on will gather grit and dirt faster... its only really going to make them nice and free to move by hand for the first day or two.. then it will calcify and 'putty up' with heat anyway.... cheers bud'...
Hi Dean.... no, you're fine as long as they spin with the bolt in...if the bike is quite new and the brakes in fresh condition then the bobbins will still be snug and tight from new...its when the dirt stops them doing their job that your braking efficiency is effected....so just make sure they spin round with the bolt in and thats fine... thanks for your kind support... take care, Del.
Too right Ade, half of these garages just want the money for the big job and think you will trust them and the others dont have a clue how to clue... give it a good cleaning like this and it should get a lot better... mine start to oscilate about mid winter and a good cleaning get them back to normal...warping a disc is very rare unless you are braking really really hard a lot of the time and have a high performace bike.... its much more likely they are gummed up.. good luck and well done.. Del.
Hi Terry... had a look at some, and indeed they do appear to be solid...i guess the only thing you can do is use an old tooth brush and scrub all round them while jetting the brake cleaner in the gap...as long as the worst is off then they will still work ok.... hope that helps you out...i didnt think any bobbins would be solid, seems a bit daft, but who are we to question the mighty factories aye..lol... take care, Del..
@boredofitall The money it saves you Sal is when the bobbins jam up solid and refuse to let the rotor move and expand freely under natural heating and cooling of use.....so they warp.. and a new disc (or pair, as you cant replace just one) costs more then a years wear and tear all on one hit.....
Thanks Delboy. Yours is a go to channel for me. I’ve always done the basics on mine and my wife’s bikes (fluids, filters etc) but keen to learn more. Very good explanations. I’ve also bought a Daytona about a month ago which is going to be a track bike. Been using you videos to get it set up right. At 200kph it needs to be right. Winter is also the better riding weather in Australia. Not as hot. Not as wet and of course no salt. Let me know if you are ever in Brisbane and we’ll go for a fang.
Hi Andrew, thanks mate, that's really kind of you, and it's great to know the videos have helped you out... good luck with the race bike, sounds like fun, but ride safe aye?... all the best, Del
that help is amazing men..thank you i did this today to avoid pulsating brake. I was thinking that i have a blend disk. I Will check my brakes tomorrow.
Hi mate, yes, its a greatly missed little bit of maintenance, but once you've done it, you'll be surprised at the improvement it makes in lever feel and braking response, plus it will prevent you warping a disc in the summer as once they are seized up they cant move about so flex instead... cheers mate, Del.
Crackin vid that mate, I've just picked up an RSV Mille today, lovely bike....but...... brake judder slightly but only from high speed not when slow, so this is on the job list tomorrow straight away, smashin!
Hi Del, the Video is quite an old one but still relevant. Your Videos are all remarkable and those advices along the way as side notes are a real treasure. Have followed both Busa and previous projects. Absolutely marvelous. I was unable to decide where to post this question (Busa Caliper Rebuild or here) as i have something in between. GSXR 1000 K1. Changed the Rotors but not the pads as there was enough meat on them. But now they are moving inside and with rotation at lower speed you can hear that rattling noise. Rotors on the side where this sound is coming from has clean rotatable and free bobbins. On the other side tried a lot of cleaning with brake cleaner but 7 of them are not rotatable by hand. :( Also tried brake grease on the back of pad that did not help either so washed and cleaned it. Pistons are all cleaned up (wd40 lithium sprayed). Moving aahhh... freely (last one comes a bit late but same behavior on both side) Haven't missed any assembly parts as well. Wondering how could this be solved.
@furious607 COMMENT OF THE MONTH..Matt, you are very welcome mate, this is the exact and precise reason i post my shit on youtube..it is to spread knowlegde and help my fellow bikers save money. It takes ten times the effort to film, comentate, and explain, then the hours spent editing and loading a video, than it does to just go in the garage and fix my bike myself..and its when i get a comment like yours, that it makes it all worth while.... well done for gettting stuck in Matt, and ride safe.
Great video. As I'm getting a pulsing/intermittent binding on my brakes and the discs are not warped I'm going to give this a go today. Thanks for the tip.
Ha ha Jim, you are too kind... bikers are a family brother, pass on the things we learn and we become stronger as a collective.. ride safe buddy... Del;.
If the bike is quite new, remember, these are only semi floating discs, not fully floating as on Ducatis where they literally rattle, so they should be firm, but moveable and on a newer bike there is no wear so perhaps they are just still a bit snug, as long as the brakes work ok and all the bobbins are mobile with the bolt in, then that's ok, don't try to over think it, mate, the general rule is that if it rides ok then it usually is ok .. take care Del
Hi mate.. thanks for your kind comments... go through the back library mate, there are loads of videos on Project Damage... you'll probably love the back end frame rebuild series... thanks for watching.. Del.
Hi Del. deffo stuck solid mate, tried the bolt trick, when I got the bike the sales guy made a comment on how free the bobbins were, he even turned one between his finger and thumb, I thought while I was doing a spot of maintenance that I would make sure they are moving freely, got a right size bolt and washers, not a sniff of moving, soaked em in brake cleaner and still nowt, i was thinking of removing the calipers and using wd40 as ive got brake cleaner for afterwards but not too sure, cheers.
Hi Tubbs, there are ways and means, but I thought most bobbins had holes in, never seen them without... what bike have you got - let me know and I'll look them up and see what I can suggest....Del
Hi mate, you need to get the crud out from between the bobbin and its mount. Were you getting lots of rusty crap run out when you rinsed them?...and can they move with your fingers once you taker the bolt out?...
Hi Del, Thanks for this video, had no idea what a brake bobbin was when a friend suggested that I check them. I'm what you might call a novice rookie when it comes to working on bikes, currently rebuilding an old TZR125 to try and teach myself the basics. Enjoying the rest of the videos, keep up the good work chief!
You're right, the Ducati system is 'fully floating' as opposed to most bikes which are semi-floating....if you roll the bike backwards you can sometimes get them to judder and rattle....but its all totally standard. (they should "hiss" under load too lol)..
Thanks mate, im glad you found it useful.. so often i hear this, nobody tells you these things, and its common maintenance issue... glad you are learning and teaching yourself, its the only way buddy, and make sure you pass on the things you know, its how knowledge spreads, and could save another rider a few quid too... cheers mate, good luck with the Tizzer.... Del.
I'm not convinced that disc bobbins are supposed to spin as freely as this video suggests. I've spoken to technicians (people who used to be called mechanics) at my local Triumph dealer. None of them thought of this as a regular maintenance job, other than to clean with brake cleaner (especially if you allow your bike to get as filthy as this one!).In fact one said 'leave them alone'. EBC now produce discs with flat-sided bobbins. They can't rotate.
Hi mate,thanks for your question,first check that you are using the right pads for general road use & not race pads & learn to lay off the brakes a bit,unless they are cheap Chinese discs of rubbish quality,then the only way you're warping them is through too much heat,heat that is kept on them for too long,you could be braking too late & too hard or braking light for too long causing a slow heat build up,provided they are fitted correctly only mis-use will warp them..what bike is it? Del
I use a bit of wood on the jack. Gives it a better seat for the bike but won't mark the frome. Also lets the bike go higher easier. Did that for my dad's R6 while switching engines and with my mums bandit 600. The bandit is bloody heavy! If you have a centre stand , use that and get a heavy person to sit on the pillion seat lol
Things like this should be in owners manuals, bye the comment on Ducati floating discs, lol, your absolutely right. My Monster has tonnes of float which can even set up a resonance/vibration if the right brake pressure is held for too long. Must be a Ducati thing! Anyway, great video,
Hi mate,it sounds a little odd as they are supposed to turn,there should be nothing holding them other than dirt or rust,how much force did you put behind it? Perhaps they are just so bad they are locked?? Make sure you're not bolting up too tight as you could be pinching them against the disc on the back,they only need to be a little more than finger tight, other than that, I've no idea, mate, mine have never not moved! Let us know how you get on, Del
90% chance it will be mate, the bobbins have to be free to move otherwise the rotors will freeze up slightly off centre and there's your pulse..get them spun up and you'll see how much better the brakes are... good luck with it mate.. Del.
Brilliant del thanks for this! In all the time I have been into bikes ( 12 years ) I have never seen or heard of any one do this. I sum times get a small pulse through the leaver when my brakes are really hot and wonder if this is the problem on my Gsxr 600k7
@travellar Your welcome matey, its a commonly overlooked little maintainance task, the dealers often dont bother unless its a major overhaul... hope the Rex is going well buddy, keep the rubber in the pavement aye...Cheers. Del.
Hi Ted, he is just one that i chose to leave up for folks to enjoy, mostly i delete them as the fallout just hyjacks the subject matter and ruines the comments section, i get one a week mate, they are just water off a ducks back, You are right, the anonymity of the net allows them to indulge thier perverted trolling habit, what you didn't read, was the personal message i sent him with a little personal information about his address,funny, he's gone all quiet now! cheers for watching mate.. Del.
Amsoil. Great for high rpm bikes like r6 zx6r so on and so on. Wet clutch comparable. As for bandits motorcycle oil or 10w40 or what your manual reccomends will b fine. Great video again man
Hi mate, any brake or carb cleaner will do the job, even something like Easy Start if you are stuck, you just need a spirit based cleaner and NOT an oil like WD40 or GT85... unless you want to ride in to the back of the car you are following LOL!
Wait a moment... My now sad and written off SV, i could move the bobbins. Ok so best you/we just clean the other bobbins all the way round on both discs. Then you should be 100's Later Deano! Delboy your vids are great, keep up the good work!
Hi again Paul, its a bit odd that they wont move... there is no reason they should not rotate, it could be that they are stuck so much you just need to soak them a bit... have you done the 'Bolt through and turn' trick?.. when you say its stuck, is it moving but just real stiff, or is it totally solid?.....let me know mate.. Del.
Hi Phil, Thats great news mate, thats the reason we make them and it seems the message is getting out at last... feel free to ask if there is anything you need to know, always happy to help.. good luck buddy, cheers, Del.
Hi mate, cheers for the reply. Theres no rusty crap that comes out when flooding them with the brake cleaner which i was supprised about and when the bolt is out they dont move by hand even with the added grip of latex gloves :s
Lubing them sparingly is ok if they live in a dust free environment...which they dont....the dust sticks to the wet lube and makes a thick paste that will gum them back up.....better just to keep them clean and dry...after all the huge centrifugal force will just send the lube into your pads...maybe not much, but over time you weill just lose braking efficiency.
8 1/2 years later, here I am finding your disc brake bobbin video helpful on my Dyna. Thanks so much for all the knowledge you've shared over the years!
Me too! Thanks mate!
I do most service/repairs on my bike .wouldnt trust no dealers.do it yourself.the only person to care about your bike is yourself.cheers for your videos.ive learnt some bits I never knew.good man👍
Me too
Well done to you, Sir, it's excellent to hear that you've sorted it out. So many riders write to us explaining they have air in the brake hose and cannot bleed properly for trying when all it is is the rotors are flexing due to being jammed up, as you have found! It's not complex but it does take a little understanding of each part of the braking system to be able to maintain it properly so it operates perfectly... well done again and ride safe, Del
40 years of riding and I'm still learning....your the best Del. Thank you
Cheers buddy... i learn a new thing every week from YT, great platform aye...
Man, you rock! The squealing is gone, and so is the shuddering. The brake lever "takes" higher up and is a lot stiffer than before, my steel-braided brake hoses are finally working properly.
I've reason to believe that since the rotors were stuck before, my braking was mostly about warping the rotors in their holders as they were stuck.
Problem is now fixed and I have a new motorcycle it feels like!
Really appreciate you taking the time to do these videos Del. Certainly learned my lesson back in January, but now I've got some dough I can start fixing the bike and do all the maintenance work that was waaaay overdue.
Cheers, Jon
Thanks for this great tip. I cleaned mine yesterday with a tooth brush and brake cleaner. I realise now i only did half a job at the very best! Off to the garage now to do it properly! Cheers.
Hi Del.I was having trouble with brake noise and was thinking the worst seized pistons in the callipers etc, fitted new pads cleaned callipers and pistons still getting brake noise.Then tried the rotor bobbins, seized tight on one side of the whee,l did what you said in the video NO noise now. Fantastic thanks for your help probably saved me a few quid not having to take the bike to the garage.Keep the videos coming.
brilliant advice been having this problem with my brakes and couldn't work out what it was and almost ordered a new pair of disc's at a cost of near on £400 but this tip of yours del boy has saved me a lot of hassle and unwanted expense thanks and keep up the good work.
Wow thanks a ton man, this fixed my pulsating brake problem, I was worried my brakes were bad, but after watching this I checked them and every single one was seized up, after getting them cleaned and moving again... No more pulsating as I come to a stop. Thank you.
That's great news buddy, we love to hear that a video has been of use to a fellow rider... good luck and thanks for watching.. Del.
great tip bro!i have been a bike mechanic for 12 years now and i cant believe i didnt know this trick!thanks,GOD bless!
Hi mate...we never stop learning buddy, i learn something every day, and usually its from the least likely person .
hey, thanks, great vid. I brought a 2001 bandit 3 months ago and the front brake where pulsing, I thought I need new disks and so got the bike cheaper then he was asking for, you sir saved me a lot of money, cleaned and freed off the bobbins and now the disks are as good as new. thanks again, ride safe.
Just taken my front wheel off to fit a new tire & remembered this vid, so gave all the bobbin's a good clean & turn with brake cleaner :) Thank's for the great videos & tips mate!!
Cheers Mike, you are most welcome mate...thanks for watching.. Del.
A great tip which I’ll be doing when I service my brakes, I remember years back detecting lateral movement on my front disc and thought something was wrong, all that worry for note, now I know it was all good, cheers Del Boy
Didnt realise these things existed till I came here and lucky me they're all seized; Thanks for the useful trick 3 down, lots to go
It is amazing how little known about these are Chris, and when you've done them, it will allow the disc to centre between the pads more quickly and you'll notice your brakes are sharper, many people bleed their brakes over and over trying to make them crisp at the lever, they even go to the expense of buying braided hoses in the quest for sharper brakes with more feel.... when 50% of the problem is the disc being seized up... go to it mate and let us know how you get on!
Ordered bolt (M12), bolt arrived, too wide (literally 1-2 mm off) now to wait for new bolt. my lack of sundries is embarrassing :D
May as well use the time to clean the chain, front brakes and replace my horn that sounds like a squirrel farting. Winter ridings a dirty lark.
***** Good work Chris, housekeeping will keep the mechanic away and shame about the M12, little tricks like poking a drill bit through just by hand to check the size first before you order the bolt can save a lot of grief... drill bits are a great tool for measuring holes...! Don't worry about the sundries mate, mine's taken a lifetime to build up and I still don't have everything I need, you never will mate!
M10 Hex Bolt (short) from B&Q... think I have enough to put a bolt in every hole in the bike but win-win. Managed to clean a few that were rock solid; low and behold my brakes don't judder when I have to brake heavily any more.
Marvellous Trick, thanks for that!
Man I swear, hats off to you.. You've got me out of so many jams with your videos. Thank you so much I was about to buy new rotors as well. If you're ever in southern California I owe you a beer or many at that... thank you thank you thank you!!!
Most welcome Brother, im glad the videos have helped you so much.. just sharing the basic knowledge that we should all share to keep the bills down and keep the bikes safe. I hope you are safe and away from the fires we're seeing on the news.. the damage looks heartbreaking.. take care. Del.
Yet another great video helping us noob riders get familiar with their bikes. I didnt even know bobbins existed!! Thanks again and keep them coming!
Hi James...there is nothing you can put on the disc to prevent rust, obviously....but riding it regularly will rub off any rust and wont hurt at all...if its building up too much then the cover is obviously keeping the bike damp underneath, then leaving the cover off as an experiment and see if they still rust...ill bet they dont do so bad...which proves my theory that covers do as much harm as good..!!!
Hey Del, avid fan!
I feel it ought to be mentioned (If it hasn't already) that this isn't possible on all brake rotors.
EBC's SD bobbins are not round. Hence the name SD (Square Drive). Trying to spin the bobbins could cause expensive problems!
So yeah, check your discs people before you give this a try!
Still a top trick to know about for regular discs though!
as a new biker I didn't have a clue about floating dismcs! Now I do and how to keep them working by cleaning them! Cheers
This is a fantastic tip, thank you so much for making this video, I hope you dont stop uploading your tips because for newer riders into self maintained, these are pure gold.
No no no no......why did I not see this video before buying new discs. £320 that half what I paid for the bloody bike. I have using this technique freed up the old ones. Great vid delboy.
Awesome tip thanks a lot. Many mechanics I have come across over the years have felt that brake lever moving in and out and insisted the discs need changing without any other investigation. Happened to me many times. Will try this on my latest wobble!!!
Hi Ian,yeah there are a couple of bikes with solid bobbins,the single only way to do them is by hand using a g-clamp & a postage stamp sized square of inner tube rubber to protect them & then spray away & wiggle! It's more long winded,but gets the job done......I wouldn't sweat it too much, mate, as a bike like that I'm sure, isn't gonna ride in the filthy weather every day, so your discs shouldn't get too cacked up! Hope that helps you, mate, Cheers, Del
My disks were pulsing during braking as well. I used to push them from side to side as you did in your video and spray them with a bit of brake cleaner. This worked, but only for one or two rides, probably because I couldn't get to all the gunk. This seems like it might do the trick, gonna try it tomorrow. Good video!
Another cracking video that saves folk cash and keeps parts going for longer. Its a tip I will remember, cheers Del
Great delivery, Delboy. I enjoyed this and the caliper one.
Glad you liked it Jamie, appreciate you watching... all the best.. Del.
Thanks for another great video and tip.
As a newby I really appreciate your videos.
I had no idea what a bobbin was or indeed did. Thumbs up as usual.
Hi Stuart, without a front paddock stand, easiest way is to jack against the side stand...simply put it on the side stand, place a trolley jack under the right hand side of the bike & with a folded rag to protect against damage, jack carefully up under the collector box on the exhaust and it will roll left and the front wheel will come up ...and be careful! Cheers, Del
TX I am a numbskull on mechanics. I have just bought a Kawasaki GPZ500s this year. My first bike since 1978. And that also was the last time I rode a MC! I thought the bike was in good nick at first, but realised it had been neglected. Its had work on it but now I am finding the disks are not right and your videos are helping greatly. I appreciate your tutorials and subscribed.
Hi Tony....glad the videos can help you mate, feel free to drop us a line if you get stuck with anything....good luck with the GPZ, and make sure you enjoy it aye... take care...Del.
Nice one mate, we like to spread the basic knowledge around so that we can all benefit from it ... welcome to the world of biking, take it easy and ride safe, Del
excellent tip this.... just checked mine and out fo the 18 bobbins 14 were solid.... took about an hour to do the lot and they are spot on now... cheers mate :)
Brilliant video! I'm pretty sure this is what's wrong with my brakes, and as I was about to order a new disc tomorrow, I'll give this a go first. You've just saved me a lot of money! Thanks =)
Thanks I'd never thought about these things. I was ready to buy everything brand new. This weekends project
Very good tip, nice to know it's meant to move and the science behind the braking system! Will incorporate this on my weekly Checks!
First off I know this is a old vid but I want to say thank you for your videos. I never knew about bobbins you just taught me something new definitely something I need to check on my hayabusa.
Thanks from across the old pond cheers
Hi Jerry, not all bikes have movable bobbins, but if you do, and they're jammed up, then it'll help to clean them out. Good luck with it.. Del.
@@Moonfleet41 thank you
Well had a look and one side was free and fine but the other side was loose so I'm gessing the disks need renewed! Altho I did do the same trick on my mates 98 R1 and they have freed up after he thought he had to buy new discs so thanks very much del u have saved him £££
Hiya Delboy! Traded in my Hyosung gv250 and picked up a nice silver 2003 Bandit 600. Did this job today... Bobbing rusted solid. Sorted now, Cheers mate
Charlie Rutledge Hi Charlie, congratulations on youre new bike buddy....good choice, i reckon 9 out of 10 bikes over ten years old will have jammed bobbins, so its a good fix for better brakes right away... ride safe mate.. all the best.. Del.
@Rasd4Metta Yeah you're right chum, anything you spread oil on will gather grit and dirt faster... its only really going to make them nice and free to move by hand for the first day or two.. then it will calcify and 'putty up' with heat anyway.... cheers bud'...
Hi Dean.... no, you're fine as long as they spin with the bolt in...if the bike is quite new and the brakes in fresh condition then the bobbins will still be snug and tight from new...its when the dirt stops them doing their job that your braking efficiency is effected....so just make sure they spin round with the bolt in and thats fine... thanks for your kind support... take care, Del.
Too right Ade, half of these garages just want the money for the big job and think you will trust them and the others dont have a clue how to clue... give it a good cleaning like this and it should get a lot better... mine start to oscilate about mid winter and a good cleaning get them back to normal...warping a disc is very rare unless you are braking really really hard a lot of the time and have a high performace bike.... its much more likely they are gummed up.. good luck and well done.. Del.
Hi Terry... had a look at some, and indeed they do appear to be solid...i guess the only thing you can do is use an old tooth brush and scrub all round them while jetting the brake cleaner in the gap...as long as the worst is off then they will still work ok.... hope that helps you out...i didnt think any bobbins would be solid, seems a bit daft, but who are we to question the mighty factories aye..lol... take care, Del..
@boredofitall The money it saves you Sal is when the bobbins jam up solid and refuse to let the rotor move and expand freely under natural heating and cooling of use.....so they warp.. and a new disc (or pair, as you cant replace just one) costs more then a years wear and tear all on one hit.....
Thanks Delboy. Yours is a go to channel for me.
I’ve always done the basics on mine and my wife’s bikes (fluids, filters etc) but keen to learn more. Very good explanations.
I’ve also bought a Daytona about a month ago which is going to be a track bike. Been using you videos to get it set up right. At 200kph it needs to be right.
Winter is also the better riding weather in Australia. Not as hot. Not as wet and of course no salt. Let me know if you are ever in Brisbane and we’ll go for a fang.
Hi Andrew, thanks mate, that's really kind of you, and it's great to know the videos have helped you out... good luck with the race bike, sounds like fun, but ride safe aye?... all the best, Del
that help is amazing men..thank you
i did this today to avoid pulsating brake. I was thinking that i have a blend disk. I Will check my brakes tomorrow.
Didn't know that (and lots of other things too) but now I do thanks to you. Excellent
Hi mate, yes, its a greatly missed little bit of maintenance, but once you've done it, you'll be surprised at the improvement it makes in lever feel and braking response, plus it will prevent you warping a disc in the summer as once they are seized up they cant move about so flex instead... cheers mate, Del.
Geez and I was about to buy new brake discs at 15k miles. Thanks for this!
"Give the bike a leatherin" love it thanks for your upload, from BC
Crackin vid that mate, I've just picked up an RSV Mille today, lovely bike....but...... brake judder slightly but only from high speed not when slow, so this is on the job list tomorrow straight away, smashin!
Hi Del, the Video is quite an old one but still relevant. Your Videos are all remarkable and those advices along the way as side notes are a real treasure. Have followed both Busa and previous projects. Absolutely marvelous.
I was unable to decide where to post this question (Busa Caliper Rebuild or here) as i have something in between.
GSXR 1000 K1. Changed the Rotors but not the pads as there was enough meat on them. But now they are moving inside and with rotation at lower speed you can hear that rattling noise.
Rotors on the side where this sound is coming from has clean rotatable and free bobbins. On the other side tried a lot of cleaning with brake cleaner but 7 of them are not rotatable by hand. :(
Also tried brake grease on the back of pad that did not help either so washed and cleaned it.
Pistons are all cleaned up (wd40 lithium sprayed). Moving aahhh... freely (last one comes a bit late but same behavior on both side)
Haven't missed any assembly parts as well.
Wondering how could this be solved.
@furious607 COMMENT OF THE MONTH..Matt, you are very welcome mate, this is the exact and precise reason i post my shit on youtube..it is to spread knowlegde and help my fellow bikers save money. It takes ten times the effort to film, comentate, and explain, then the hours spent editing and loading a video, than it does to just go in the garage and fix my bike myself..and its when i get a comment like yours, that it makes it all worth while.... well done for gettting stuck in Matt, and ride safe.
Great video. As I'm getting a pulsing/intermittent binding on my brakes and the discs are not warped I'm going to give this a go today. Thanks for the tip.
Good call mate, hope you can sort it out.. let us know how you get on..
Ha ha Jim, you are too kind... bikers are a family brother, pass on the things we learn and we become stronger as a collective.. ride safe buddy... Del;.
If the bike is quite new, remember, these are only semi floating discs, not fully floating as on Ducatis where they literally rattle, so they should be firm, but moveable and on a newer bike there is no wear so perhaps they are just still a bit snug, as long as the brakes work ok and all the bobbins are mobile with the bolt in, then that's ok, don't try to over think it, mate, the general rule is that if it rides ok then it usually is ok .. take care Del
This is so incredible and I am just learning it right now!
pretty brilliant. I'm enjoying these videos... would love to see more of this mad max bike
Hi mate.. thanks for your kind comments... go through the back library mate, there are loads of videos on Project Damage... you'll probably love the back end frame rebuild series... thanks for watching.. Del.
I hope I just have to clean the bobbins, a new disc + brake pads is pretty expensive. Thanks for the tip
Thanks! Will try this on my VFR. Have just the problems you describe, with squeling and shuddering brakes, and rotors sorta' stuck on the holders.
Hi Del. deffo stuck solid mate, tried the bolt trick, when I got the bike the sales guy made a comment on how free the bobbins were, he even turned one between his finger and thumb, I thought while I was doing a spot of maintenance that I would make sure they are moving freely, got a right size bolt and washers, not a sniff of moving, soaked em in brake cleaner and still nowt, i was thinking of removing the calipers and using wd40 as ive got brake cleaner for afterwards but not too sure, cheers.
A very good trip Del thank you.Tony
Hi Tubbs, there are ways and means, but I thought most bobbins had holes in, never seen them without... what bike have you got - let me know and I'll look them up and see what I can suggest....Del
Thanks for this upload..it helped me a lot...
Greetings from La Paz - Bolivia - South America
Good to hear from you Miguel, thank you so much for taking the time to get in touch!
Fantastic. Buttons binding can happen to any bike, not just ones that are ridden a lot or ones that are dirty.
Nice, i guessed freeing them off might take that sort of attention, but it is nice to see that what I thought i might need to do is how it is done.
Hi mate, you need to get the crud out from between the bobbin and its mount. Were you getting lots of rusty crap run out when you rinsed them?...and can they move with your fingers once you taker the bolt out?...
just spotted this.
added it to my bank holiday weekend list of things to do.
many thanks for the great tips.
keep 'em coming :)
Hi Del, Thanks for this video, had no idea what a brake bobbin was when a friend suggested that I check them. I'm what you might call a novice rookie when it comes to working on bikes, currently rebuilding an old TZR125 to try and teach myself the basics. Enjoying the rest of the videos, keep up the good work chief!
Thanks for another great video! I look forward to watching the next one!
You're right, the Ducati system is 'fully floating' as opposed to most bikes which are semi-floating....if you roll the bike backwards you can sometimes get them to judder and rattle....but its all totally standard. (they should "hiss" under load too lol)..
Thanks mate, im glad you found it useful.. so often i hear this, nobody tells you these things, and its common maintenance issue... glad you are learning and teaching yourself, its the only way buddy, and make sure you pass on the things you know, its how knowledge spreads, and could save another rider a few quid too... cheers mate, good luck with the Tizzer.... Del.
I'm not convinced that disc bobbins are supposed to spin as freely as this video suggests. I've spoken to technicians (people who used to be called mechanics) at my local Triumph dealer. None of them thought of this as a regular maintenance job, other than to clean with brake cleaner (especially if you allow your bike to get as filthy as this one!).In fact one said 'leave them alone'. EBC now produce discs with flat-sided bobbins. They can't rotate.
Hi mate,thanks for your question,first check that you are using the right pads for general road use & not race pads & learn to lay off the brakes a bit,unless they are cheap Chinese discs of rubbish quality,then the only way you're warping them is through too much heat,heat that is kept on them for too long,you could be braking too late & too hard or braking light for too long causing a slow heat build up,provided they are fitted correctly only mis-use will warp them..what bike is it? Del
I use a bit of wood on the jack. Gives it a better seat for the bike but won't mark the frome. Also lets the bike go higher easier. Did that for my dad's R6 while switching engines and with my mums bandit 600. The bandit is bloody heavy! If you have a centre stand , use that and get a heavy person to sit on the pillion seat lol
Nice job buddy! I agree with you with not lubricating the brake parts, sure it lets its move freely, but it collects so much dirt and shit!
Cheers for putting the video up
I had some that were free and some seized all sorted
Thanks delboy👍👍👍
Shaiyk del boy probably the best fix vid
Well done! Never thought that the rotor would float -
Simple enough aye buddy..
Good luck with it mate, it will make a big difference.
Things like this should be in owners manuals, bye the comment on Ducati floating discs, lol, your absolutely right. My Monster has tonnes of float which can even set up a resonance/vibration if the right brake pressure is held for too long. Must be a Ducati thing! Anyway, great video,
Hi mate,it sounds a little odd as they are supposed to turn,there should be nothing holding them other than dirt or rust,how much force did you put behind it? Perhaps they are just so bad they are locked?? Make sure you're not bolting up too tight as you could be pinching them against the disc on the back,they only need to be a little more than finger tight, other than that, I've no idea, mate, mine have never not moved! Let us know how you get on, Del
90% chance it will be mate, the bobbins have to be free to move otherwise the rotors will freeze up slightly off centre and there's your pulse..get them spun up and you'll see how much better the brakes are... good luck with it mate.. Del.
Thanks Rezzi, glad you like it mate and happy to be of help.. ride safe chap.. Del.
Brilliant del thanks for this! In all the time I have been into bikes ( 12 years ) I have never seen or heard of any one do this. I sum times get a small pulse through the leaver when my brakes are really hot and wonder if this is the problem on my Gsxr 600k7
@travellar Your welcome matey, its a commonly overlooked little maintainance task, the dealers often dont bother unless its a major overhaul... hope the Rex is going well buddy, keep the rubber in the pavement aye...Cheers. Del.
Hi Ted, he is just one that i chose to leave up for folks to enjoy, mostly i delete them as the fallout just hyjacks the subject matter and ruines the comments section, i get one a week mate, they are just water off a ducks back, You are right, the anonymity of the net allows them to indulge thier perverted trolling habit, what you didn't read, was the personal message i sent him with a little personal information about his address,funny, he's gone all quiet now! cheers for watching mate.. Del.
Amsoil. Great for high rpm bikes like r6 zx6r so on and so on. Wet clutch comparable. As for bandits motorcycle oil or 10w40 or what your manual reccomends will b fine. Great video again man
Hi mate, any brake or carb cleaner will do the job, even something like Easy Start if you are stuck, you just need a spirit based cleaner and NOT an oil like WD40 or GT85... unless you want to ride in to the back of the car you are following LOL!
Great upload Del, I didn't know this! Thanks 👍
I'll keep this simple fix in mind when inspecting bikes pre-course on my local track. I'm an instructor, but apparantely still have some to learn. ;-)
Wow just got a 02 GSXR 600 with similar problems when braking, I pray this works for me 🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾. Thank you for the information .
Good luck, i hope it sorts it out mate.
Saw several of your videos. Good explanation I really liked your work method no power tools or least kept to a minimum. Subbed! Great channel!
Wait a moment... My now sad and written off SV, i could move the bobbins.
Ok so best you/we just clean the other bobbins all the way round on both discs. Then you should be 100's
Later Deano!
Delboy your vids are great, keep up the good work!
Hi again Paul, its a bit odd that they wont move... there is no reason they should not rotate, it could be that they are stuck so much you just need to soak them a bit... have you done the 'Bolt through and turn' trick?.. when you say its stuck, is it moving but just real stiff, or is it totally solid?.....let me know mate.. Del.
Hi Phil, Thats great news mate, thats the reason we make them and it seems the message is getting out at last... feel free to ask if there is anything you need to know, always happy to help.. good luck buddy, cheers, Del.
spot on, will do this myself, great video
Brilliant tip which I used recently and it worked a treat!!
Hi mate, cheers for the reply. Theres no rusty crap that comes out when flooding them with the brake cleaner which i was supprised about and when the bolt is out they dont move by hand even with the added grip of latex gloves :s
Lubing them sparingly is ok if they live in a dust free environment...which they dont....the dust sticks to the wet lube and makes a thick paste that will gum them back up.....better just to keep them clean and dry...after all the huge centrifugal force will just send the lube into your pads...maybe not much, but over time you weill just lose braking efficiency.