Was helpin a buddy of mine with his 21" inch hogpro. I dont know what style wheel but its chrome with matching chrome rotors. So we get the wheel on - following factory guidelines and torque specs but the wheel wont spin freely. I check the spacers and they are on the right side. double checked everything 4x. The only conclusion I can come up with is that the entire rotor is chromed and it seems to be a little on the thick side. Could this be the rubbing issue ???

 

Take the caliper off to make sure the wheel is not binding.

 

Spins smooth as butter with the calipers off

 

compress the pistons a bit

 

You might try cleaning the caliper piston real well as they tend to get dirty and stick.

 

compressed them . pumped em up. tried everything. The rotors seem awful thick. you would think just the inner would be chromed but the entire rotor is chromed. the face of the rotor (axle hole to pad contact area), both sides and the entire edge.

 

how do you clean the piston ?

 

The rotors are probably polished not chromed. I have only ever heard of one type of rotor chromed and they are not being made, PM stopped making them along time ago. Do the calipers fit over the rotors and then when you tighten the caliper bolts then it binds up? What diameter rotor came off and what are you putting on? Harley changed the dia from 11.5 to 11.8(300mm)in 07 or 08, and it is possible they sent 11.8 and the original one is 11.5. Measure each to see.

 

You didnt mention what year bike it is.
Assuming you put new pads on as well. Its not gonna spin as freely with the calipers bolted up as it does without. Gonna have that slight brake pad drag. If the rotors are centered in the calipers, even with the pad drag, you should get 2-3 revolutions.

 

If you have an 08 or later bike the rotor location is very important. The Brembo brakes are far less forgiving then the old ones as far as having the rotors centered. Even with new rotors the wheel should spin freely or at best have a slight amount of drag. My wheel was put on by the dealer at time of delivery. My hubs and rotors had to be replaced because the rotors warped due to being offset enough to cause a problem with heat. Hogpro told me that they had a lot of problems with 08 bikes with the first release of the new brakes and rotor placement.