Little Trick on tuning up your full floating rotors - Page 5

was92v · 11-13-2008, 09:51 PM

All modern brakes float, either the rotor, caliper or both.Full floaters just have the ability to recover from heat warping better by moving within the calipers. I used to race an old RD350 that had no floating anything, solid caliper mounting-solid disc. At the end of the straights the first pull on the brake lever came back to the bar every time. After you got used to it, no problem but at first it was a little disconcerting. I would just use the first brake marker as the the Lever Slack marker and then when I really needed the brakes an instant later they were there. But there was always that thought...
Hot rotors warp and knock the pads back into the calipers while you are on the straights and floaters allow the pads to stay closer to the discs. I still prefer them to work immediately, thank you.

HRCNICK11 · 11-14-2008, 05:04 PM

The caliper only needs to float if it does not have opposing pistons. If all the pistons are on the same side the caliper has to float in order to keep the caliper centered so you use both pads. Lots of rear brakes only have one or two pistons on the same side and need to have a floating caliper. If they did not have floating calipers as the pads wears the caliper would no longer be centered on the rotor.

Calipers with opposing pistons (2,4 or 6 piston calipers all radial mounted) calipers. Do not need to float because the pistons move on both sides of the rotor and keep the pads in contact by moving the pistons.

Rotors float for a different reason and do not move enough float(or play) to keep a non opposing caliper centered. They float so that the brakes still work well even when they slightly loose shape side to side caused by heat during hard braking. Another reason they float is to increase pad contact through better alignment. They are also less affected by rim deflection during cornering.

Dnyce · 11-17-2008, 12:24 AM

theres the answers i wanted

11-13-2008, 09:51 PM	#41
was92v Nowhere Man Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 558	All modern brakes float, either the rotor, caliper or both.Full floaters just have the ability to recover from heat warping better by moving within the calipers. I used to race an old RD350 that had no floating anything, solid caliper mounting-solid disc. At the end of the straights the first pull on the brake lever came back to the bar every time. After you got used to it, no problem but at first it was a little disconcerting. I would just use the first brake marker as the the Lever Slack marker and then when I really needed the brakes an instant later they were there. But there was always that thought... Hot rotors warp and knock the pads back into the calipers while you are on the straights and floaters allow the pads to stay closer to the discs. I still prefer them to work immediately, thank you. Last edited by was92v; 11-13-2008 at 10:49 PM..

11-17-2008, 12:24 AM	#43
Dnyce flyin high Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: cali Moto: 10speed huffy w/cards in the spokes Posts: 2,318	theres the answers i wanted __________________ "Racing Is Life, Everything Before and After is Just Waiting" Steve McQueen

11-14-2008, 05:04 PM	#42
HRCNICK11 Canyon Carver Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 429	The caliper only needs to float if it does not have opposing pistons. If all the pistons are on the same side the caliper has to float in order to keep the caliper centered so you use both pads. Lots of rear brakes only have one or two pistons on the same side and need to have a floating caliper. If they did not have floating calipers as the pads wears the caliper would no longer be centered on the rotor. Calipers with opposing pistons (2,4 or 6 piston calipers all radial mounted) calipers. Do not need to float because the pistons move on both sides of the rotor and keep the pads in contact by moving the pistons. Rotors float for a different reason and do not move enough float(or play) to keep a non opposing caliper centered. They float so that the brakes still work well even when they slightly loose shape side to side caused by heat during hard braking. Another reason they float is to increase pad contact through better alignment. They are also less affected by rim deflection during cornering.