Galfer Wave Rotor Stutter

ok...

I absolutely love my Galfer Wave Rotors ans SS lines, But i am getting a bad shutter/vibration from 40-30 while braking. I did replace the stock pads with the new Galfer pads.

Is this normal? :blink:

Have you felt to see if there is excessive movement in the rotors? Remember how Gunny had issues with the rivets holding the rotor to the carrier wearing out and causing movement in the rotors.

Hmm... I remember that.

I might have to get Gunny to inspect them for me since he's a pro!

My bet is the pads. My CL's chudder on the front when rolling to a stop. I pretty much ignore it. When these are toast, I'm going back to stock pads. IMO, there's not that much to be gained overall outside of squealing and chudder from 'upgraded' pads.

GalaxyBlue said:

i am getting a bad shutter/vibration from 40-30 while braking.

Click to expand...

This is actually somewhat common... very frequently, it is due to foreign material on the rotor surface, or brake pads, or both.

Typically, a glob of road grease or the like will get up in the rotor/caliper area. When the brakes are activated, the substance is smeared everywhere on the rotor surface and starts to collect in the Galfer cutout recesses.

The "juddering" you are feeling is when the brake pads repeatedly bite into a non-contaminated section of the rotor, and then immediately into a contaminated section, then repeat, repeat, repeat. The clean surface will have a higher coefficient of friction than the contaminated section, so it's almost a sensation of hold/release/hold/release/hold/release as the rotor spins, and this sensation is translated as "juddering" in the handgrips.

The cure: as much as an ass-pain as it is, to really eliminate this problem requires a pain-staking rotor surface cleaning and brake pad decontamination. Ideally, rotors are removed so you can do a thorough, proper cleaning job, including taking about a half a box of Q-Tips and brake cleaner to scrub EVERY SINGLE cutout recess till they are all pristine. Brake pads are removed and scrub on medium sandpaper (using a marble slab or some other absolutely flat surface) until all traces of contamination are removed.

I just went through this exercise on the Hayabusa, and yes, it's a butt-pain. But smooth, predictable braking performance is worth the effort, particularly if one is sorta-kinda pushing the performance envelope.

Still not happy with these Rotors... :angry2:

I swear that they are warped.

I am to the point of removing them and going back to stock. :angry2:

In that case, remember not to strip the hex bolt heads out when you remove them fromt the wheel. Did someone say heat was needed?

Yep. Take a heat-gun to the rim in the vicinity of the hex bolts (not to the hex bolts themselves). Take your time, the heat has to reach the thread and loosen up the Loctite.

GunMD said:

See my ABM rotors in their Hollywood debut

Click to expand...

Adam made a pit stop at my place on his way back home from Cali and we tried to figure out if his rotors were doing the same thing yours did. I couldn't actually see any movement (although I wasn't lying on my side looking) but if I grabbed them and tried to move them, I could hear a 'clicking' noise.

GunMD said:

See my ABM rotors in their Hollywood debut

Click to expand...

They are in no way like that. They are tight with just a small click when you try to move them.

Either it's the pads that are causing this, Or the rotors are warped, With 5000 miles... :angry2:

The pads that are on there are the Galfer Pads i bought during the group buy.

I have a set of new EBC HH that i will try out first, But i am thinkin' thats not the issue.

If what WC said is true about it being typ for the Galfers to need a cleaning like that cause of the design. I am sticking with stock. That sounds like a poor design from his description.

Blue, Do you have a wheel balancer? it would be easy enough to see if the rotors are warped when you spin them. You could do it on the bike as well.

I just swaped my spare set to my track bike cause when I balanced them last, you coud see the thing weave in and out.

More than likely its the pads from what Dale said. I would have to think if you had warpage, it would show through the hole range not just a certain area.

I have been running Galfer pads on my stock disc for some time now. The only problem is the HH pads are wearing down the stock rotors faster. This is normal. I would check that the calibers are bolted tight and moving freely. Are the shoes sliding in and out freely? Then spray the shit out of the pads (inside) and the rotors on boths side with brake cleaner. Brakes pads need to breakin also.

....................the grass is always................................

odot said:

....................the grass is always................................

Click to expand...

Better when it comes from Canada. So I've heard.

Adam, do ya remember how to check wheel run out?

Warchild said:

GalaxyBlue said:

i am getting a bad shutter/vibration from 40-30 while braking.

Click to expand...

This is actually somewhat common... very frequently, it is due to foreign material on the rotor surface, or brake pads, or both.

Typically, a glob of road grease or the like will get up in the rotor/caliper area. When the brakes are activated, the substance is smeared everywhere on the rotor surface and starts to collect in the Galfer cutout recesses.

The "juddering" you are feeling is when the brake pads repeatedly bite into a non-contaminated section of the rotor, and then immediately into a contaminated section, then repeat, repeat, repeat. The clean surface will have a higher coefficient of friction than the contaminated section, so it's almost a sensation of hold/release/hold/release/hold/release as the rotor spins, and this sensation is translated as "juddering" in the handgrips.

The cure: as much as an ass-pain as it is, to really eliminate this problem requires a pain-staking rotor surface cleaning and brake pad decontamination. Ideally, rotors are removed so you can do a thorough, proper cleaning job, including taking about a half a box of Q-Tips and brake cleaner to scrub EVERY SINGLE cutout recess till they are all pristine. Brake pads are removed and scrub on medium sandpaper (using a marble slab or some other absolutely flat surface) until all traces of contamination are removed.

I just went through this exercise on the Hayabusa, and yes, it's a butt-pain. But smooth, predictable braking performance is worth the effort, particularly if one is sorta-kinda pushing the performance envelope.

Click to expand...

My new Galfer set-up (wave rotors and new galfer pads) is doing the same thing. While on a six day trip last wek, I stopped twice to clean the rotors, removed, sanded and cleaned the pads with no luck. I ended up coming home (2) days early 'cause riding with no front brakes is a PITA.

At the slightest touch of the front brake lever above 40 mph, the forks shake violently. I mean VIOLENTLY ! Below 40 is nice and smooth. That would lead me to believe its not rotor related.

I stripped the brakes yesterday - thouroughly cleaned the rotors - soaked them in brake cleaner, installed new pads, went for test ride and same problem.

I'm going to install the stock rotors now and test ride to try to eliminate any and all possibilities. At this point, I'm stumped. I can't believe the rotors would be warped after only 1,200 miles.

Any other ideas....?

Mystery solved. Installed stock rotors and braking is as smooth as can be at any speed. I'll be talking to Galfer tomorrow.

I'mAllIn said:

Mystery solved. Installed stock rotors and braking is as smooth as can be at any speed. I'll be talking to Galfer tomorrow.

Click to expand...

Well, I was hoping you had a better solution for this... I guess i need to be in contact with you soon for your contact info.

In the service manual they say that if the runout is over the spec to remove the rotor and rotate it one bolt hole and retighten and check.

FYI mine were perfect.