Triumphrat

Jonny955

Yep - it worries me too that even if I need a third set of disks under warrantee, the same problem will return. I've searched this topic and it seems that some Tiger owners have their disks replaced more than once before they get a 'good' set. Seems to be that there was a faulty batch (or batches) manufactured and the stocks are simply being used up rather than filtered out.

Not good if the last set you get FOC is a faulty one!

Jon

Rob Gibbons

I started a thread about this brake issue on the 'general' line and Graeme was kind enough to direct me here. I had decided to strip the wheel out and get the disc bolt faces machined and 'trued up' in a lathe, but finding a lathe with that depth of bed is proving a bit difficult. So yesterday I measured the disc/s run out and shimmed them out to run true. The LH disc had a maximum 'out of .3mm and the right .25mm (12 and 10 thou for us oldies!). The run-out increased from .05mm (2 thou) through .15 to the max over the 5 bolts. When I had completed the shimming the max run-out on either disc was .05/2 thou. This has to be way inside OE manufacturing tolerances.
On roadtest - NO change! The vibration is slightly reduced but at very low speed the brakes feel as if they are releasing and the re-braking even with constant lever pressure. So today I am going to check the brake calipers to make sure that they are completely parallel to the discs and I may make up a brake lines directly to to both calipers, rather than the 'bridging' lines. I'll let you know how it goes.
All the best
Rob (ESSEX)

Jonny955

Rob, it sounds like you have the faulty disks so the re-routing of brake lines should not make any difference. I'll be interested top know about caliper alignment though so please tell.

Jon

Rob Gibbons

I checked the calipers and their alignment (as much as I could) - the pads had been 'gauled' at the lugs and where they contact the anti-rattle plate so I cleaned all that up and greased it. I put a couple of rubber bands round the brake lever to lightly apply them and I could feel the brakes catching and releasing as I spun the wheel. To cut it short, the only thing left was the discs themselves -they vary in thickness up to 6 thou arround their circumferance and they are also 'wedged' ie thicker on the outer rim than the inner by up to 6 thou. This is not wear - I regret to admit that my Tiger has just over 4k miles (I only use it for longer trips, other bikes for arround town) and the discs are almost unmarked.
Can anyone please give me the part number of the EBC discs?

TucsonBill

You need to "go" more and "stop" less! My 1999 just turned 55K miles and I have the original front discs, second set of front pads. On the rear I replaced the disc at 40K and I'm on the forth set of pads. No worries here!

__________________
William Fee
Iron Butt #26777
Tucson, Arizona

Rob Gibbons

Thanks Tuscon Bill!
I have always thought the destination more important than the mileage! I use my bike primarily to attend Historic/'Classic' car racing in the UK at the weekends, but this year I am going to ride down to my pal's place in Italy (near Rimini), arround 2500 miles round trip - near the mileage of one of your day rides?!
You have obviously been lucky with the machining on your discs - or do you never need to touch them on your roads?
All the best
Rob

DAGAD

Hey guys, did you ever think that the material or the heat treatment process is setting up the problem? These are solid rotors and are bolted to a cast, machined hub. I doubt that there will be much run out there.
I think that the material / manufacturing process is the initial problem and by using the brake, ON SOME BIKES, creates the problem?
Ask your self these questions; Why is it only the cast wheel TIGERS that are affected? Why is it random, although frequent and even more so for some owners? Why has this not affected other models with cast wheels and solid rotors or rear discs?
IMHO I think it's either the material or the process which is at fault and Triumph don't seem to have addressed it fully........... YET. It must be costing a fortune in warranty claims?
Rob, if your bike is out of warranty and your dealer will not support your claim, try the EBC discs and let us know. From experience using EBC on my Trident 900, the EBC pads work better than the Triumph ones on the EBC discs, however I ALWAYS use the Triumph pads with the Triumph discs, they do work well.
Roy.

Rob Gibbons

OK - will do. I have been thinking which discs to get - the price is close for the OE and EBC discs. The only problem is that EBC do not offer pads for the cast wheel Tiger (or at least, I can't find it on any of their sites). But I do agree that there is/was an error in the manufacturing process of the OE discs; the dimmension variations on my discs point to that.

Rob Gibbons

Yep - the OE discs are sourced in CHINA. My source tells me they are very likely machined on a lathe, not ground on a bed. Poor material (all castings from scrap rather than ore), technique, tooling and operator training (source not my words) means excess pressure on the cutting tool will create the 'waving' and wedge shaping. So it's likely the replacement discs will be the same unless they have fired the buyer and/or re-sourced. Don't get me started on using a low cost labour source and selling in a high margin market!
I have bought a pair of discs off E Bay. Steel (they will rust - that's OK I've owned lots of Guzzi's!) but cut from the billet (not roll), supported between the bolt centres and nickel plated (today). I e mailed the seller before I bought (£145 inc. postage) to check they would be OK for sintered pads and he confirmed. They are on the bike and so far smooth brakiing!!!!
And the final irony - the manufacturer is located in Shilton, near Coventry, about 5 miles fron the Triumph plant. JMJ Engineering 024 76621107/ jim_meek@btinternet.com

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DAGAD

Looking good my friend, BLACK with shiney bits................. Where are you, Rob?
Roy.