Put some new brakes on the front of my 01 Roadking...improved the brakes but I had a slight surge. I believe it was from a bent rotor (dropped my bike awhile back) so I just replaced the two front rotors today. The calipers fit right on the new rotors no problem but the front wheel spin is so tight it's bothering me! I haven't driven it yet...I took both calipers off, cleaned them real good and without the calipers, the wheel spins freely. So, it's obviously the calipers which are tight. I took one off at a time and it seems they are both equally tight... Does this sound right or have I done something wrong? I know the free spin on the front wheel was never much of a free spin but I don't remember it quite this tight. Any suggestions? Or, do I just drive it to break it in?

 

When you cleaned the calipers did you push the pistons back into the caliper, or extend them further by putting a spacer in , and pump them up?

 

I didn't do anything, I didn't pry the calipers to make room for the new rotors, they just fit like they did on the old rotors...

 

You should pull the calipers, and take out the pads, and put a spacer in between the pistons that is 7/8ths of an inch or slightly bigger, do one side at a time, and pump the brakes to the spacer, then clean the caliper. Push the pistons back in the caliper all the way, this will free up all of the pistons, and make the brakes work much better.

 

I believe I found out what's happening! It appears that the rotors are slightly larger in diameter causing the outside edge of the rotors to rub on the inside of the caliper. When looking inside the caliper, you can see where the rotor is rubbing on the inside of the caliper molding and pad pins. WTF!? I just checked...the rotors are a whole 1/4" more diameter meaning 1/8" on each side...

 

Found out they sent me the wrong rotors! They sent me a 2006 and current instead of 2001. They were a larger diameter!