When I got home on the bike yesterday, I could hear what sounded like the front brake pads dragging on the rotor. Sure enough, when I jacked it up this morning if I moved the front tire I could hear the pads dragging on the rotor and see it. It's on both sides. Any idea how this happened and how I can fix it? No riding till I fix this. This sux.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

hmmm........ the brake pads do rub a little bit, it's "normal" unless you have some other issue like a stuck caliper, it usually doesn't happen on both sides...how many miles you have on it? maybe time for pad replacement...

 

Clean and regrease the calipar Bolts/Pins, Most times they are just binding a little bit and don't allow the pads to release fully

 

That's what the tech at the dealer said when I called them this morning. He says it's normal but I swear I've never heard them sound like this. Also, when I've cleaned the wheels I don't remember ever hearing that sound.

Should I be able to see any light between the pad and the rotor on either side? The bike has 8k miles and thae pads are original. Canthey beworn out already?

 

I don't know how to do this. Is it explained in the service manual?

 

It's simple, Just remove the two bolts that hold the caliper half's together, usually allen heads. clean them with brake clean or something similar. then apply wheel bearing grease or white grease and reinstall them
Make sure the unthreaded surfaces of the bolts are smooth as glass before you grease them, If they are rough,hit them wioh some 400 sandpaper

 

If you don't have experience with brakes then don't mess with them; there is too much at stake if you get it wrong. Get a mechanic friend to walk you through but don't try it by yourself.

 

mine make a "swishing" sound especially when the front brake is applied, pads will have constant, or very close contact with the rotor. When you had it jacked up, did the front tire drag at all when you spun it?? If not could be just normal wear into the rotor. I wouldn't worry if the front whell doesn't feel like its dragging. If it is, then as others have said, you may have a stuck/froze caliper piston. Which you would have to take apart and lube. But, no drag, it may be just normal wearand sound.

 

Thanks for the replys. I'll have to have someone take a look and see if they think it's normal. I'm going to take it out and see if I can hear the sound when I'm just rolling. I've also heard the swishing sound when I apply the front brake but now I think that sounds goes away when I apply the front brake. Just the opposite of what it used to do.

 

Don't take the bolts out that hold the calipers together!! You will break the seal and lose brake fluid and have to do a re-bleed and cause yourself a lot of headaches. Take the pad pin bolts out, one at a time. put a small amount of anti sieze on it and re install, then do the other one. They should only be removed one at a time to be sure the anti rattle clips don't drop out. If you are unsure of doing this, make sure a harley mechanic does it, just to be on the safe side. Take care and good luck.