I'm confused over something this simple. I put my motorcycle on a lift and it tipped over on the lift hitting only the handle bar end on the floor so, I don't think that did anything to my ride other then surprising me when I realized the shock linkage was the only thing touching the liftat the rear. I rolled the bike back a little and made sure both lift rails make contact with the frame and skid plate which was almost exactly balanced front to rear with the front tire kissing the concrete gently.

I took the chain off and pulled the axle bolt. I then rolled the tire back twisting it a little to clear the outer Dunlop 603 lugs around rear disc brake caliper. I levered the tire off the rim and started cussing and sweating as I tried to put the new Dunlop 606 back on. After enough cussing and sweating I threw it in the car and drove for an hour to get it changed on a machine. Ireturned and put it back together.

What I noticed:
[ul][*]Itwaswas hard to get those chain adjustment tabs set the same. It's not something crazy like one needs to be plus 1 versus the other is it?[*]The brake calipers seem to drag on the disc.[*]I took it for a short spin down the street and discovered I had no rear brakes.[/ul]
Do I need to bleed the brakes? Did I get the axle grease caps reversed? I don't have an owners manual so, no help there but it's not like this was something I haven't done in my childhood. Any suggestions about where I went wrong (besides not taking the motorcycle to the dealer)?

 

If the brake caliper was dragging excessivly you probably boiled the brake fluid and then lost your brakes. If this was the case I would drain all of the fluid from the rear brake and replace and bleed.

Some pics of what you got would be helpful in telling whats wrong.

The rear brake lever didn't bend or anything when it hit the floor did it.

 

No, it tipped over on the left side and the only thing that touched down was the handle bar end. It really was centrally ballanced so it didn't hit hard.

I seriously doubt I boiled the brake fluid. I don't use that brakes that hard.

For pictures, that will have to wait since I mailed my camera off to Mom for her vacation.

 

Try pumping them several times, if you haven't already.

When putting the rear wheel back on, you didn't by chance dislodge the brake pads somehow?

 

bleed the rear brake. you have air in the line. m2c's

 

I think if You accidentally swap the spacers on the rear wheel it will cause the brakes to drag and work poorly...

 

I think that's what's happening.

 

I checked the brake fluid before it got dark and it was fine.

Sounds like the spacers are different sizes and I got them swapped. I'll pull the axle again and swap them. I didn't notice them being sized differently but, that would certainly explain my trouble with the chain adjusters. It also would probably cause my brakes to bind on the disc.

I still don't understand the lack of any brake pressure but, if the pads are binding onmy discthings are pretty screwed up. However, looking at them, the disc seems centered in the pads.

 

I took the rear wheel off again. At first, I thought I might be able to pull the axle and drop the rear wheel with the chain attached saving myself some grief. Well I got the axle grease cap/spacers swapped but, there wasn't enough slack get the brake caliper aligned with the disc so, the chain came off. The tire spins with less drag and the rear brake now works with the spacers swapped. [8D]

So a word of advice to the amateur mechanics like myself, PAY ATTENTION TO SPACER ORIENTATION! Otherwise your going to cause yourself some grief and extra time spent working on your ride instead of actually riding!

The part that really sucks right now is the master link on the chain. I can't get the clip to fit anymore. I took the link completely off and cleaned itthoroughly. The removable side of the link is binding on the two shafts enough to prevent the link from squeezing together enough to allow the clip to actually clip. [] Working with the master link is hard on my hands too. I called around the local shops thinking I would just get a new master link that doesn't have a burr or something else I missed but they are all closed today. The master link clip is sprung too. [] My wrists are starting to hurt and my fingers are getting stiff so, it looks I'll be a cager this week while I wait for RockyMoutianATV to come through with a delivery from UPS.

Thanks for all your help so far! Best Regards,
Sid

 

I just had the same trouble with my master link. Make sure all the little o rings are on both sides of the master link. They probably are, since your having trouble squeezing it together. I got mine together by squeezing the center of the master link with some channelock pliers while I put the retainer clip on. I think it's just tough to compress all the o ringsenough toget the retainer clip on. If your clip is bent, get a new one but you may be fighting the same battle with the new master link. Try the pliers. Anybody else have similar troubles? I'm no expert, I just had the same problem and think I got it fingerd out.