A new rider joins the fray... (and questions about brakes)

[winger]

What are floaters???

[throttlemeister]

Floating discs aka discs that are not rigidly mounted, but can move sideways. Typically you can hear them rattle with Ducati's. Most other companies including BMW have wavey springs between them to prevend that rattle.

On our bikes, the fronts float, the rear is rigid.

[winger]

The front discs do not float,and thats the problem,they might do when the mounting stubbs are worn away!!! but when the discs are bolted to the wheel there's zero movement, resulting in maximum heat build up, now with the stock brake setup,it's passable with the AP setup it isn't.

I could go into war and piece about disc's and who makes what and were,Mr Boxerpan will verify that!!,what i haven't told him i've managed to secure the drawings for the discs!!!

I still think out of the crate,the Beringers are a better system,the discs are the full floating real M'coy, although useing them in the rain,and getting up the following morning and finding the pads welded to discs is a slight disadvantage to wet weather riding!!!

[throttlemeister]

The front discs do not float,and thats the problem,they might do when the mounting stubbs are worn away!!! but when the discs are bolted to the wheel there's zero movement, resulting in maximum heat build up, now with the stock brake setup,it's passable with the AP setup it isn't.

I could go into war and piece about disc's and who makes what and were,Mr Boxerpan will verify that!!,what i haven't told him i've managed to secure the drawings for the discs!!!

I still think out of the crate,the Beringers are a better system,the discs are the full floating real M'coy, although useing them in the rain,and getting up the following morning and finding the pads welded to discs is a slight disadvantage to wet weather riding!!!

I don't know about the older types, but the after 2001 models like my 2003 twinspark definately have floaters. They have wavey rings to prevent rattle, but they can definately move about sideways for approx 2mm. And that is without wear on stubs or anything. If yours do not move, then there is something wrong. I can take pictures tomorrow if you want.

[r550s]

floating discs float so that they can cope with the effects of heat expansion whilst at the same time being minimal and lightweight. The radially slotted mounting holes in the OE rotors are so that they can grow when hot - not neccessarily so that they can waggle around. I'm not saying that it works though - the original pre-spacer setup is an o-level design failure! FYI the PFM kit uses large-diameter disc carriers bolted solidly to the wheel, and super-slim 320mm rotors that float on an ingenious lug-and-circlip mounting. Even so, the wheel posts need to be fettled so that the disc runs as true as possible - otherwise it brushes against the pads all the time and runs too hot, and distorts, and knocks the pads back, which means too much lever travel and prematurely knackered rotors. Take your time, don't settle for anything less than spot-on. Golly that sounds serious!

[throttlemeister]

The lug and circlip system is identical to the mounting system of the BMW discs in its function, except the lug is a bolt & spacer. It provides the same radial and axial movement needed to allow the disc to expand and keep the rotor nicely centered between the pads. Just because something has a carrier doesn't make it fundamentally different. Have a look and you will see.

[winger]

I run a set of floating discs(Beringers) on my Tiger,the BM's ain't it's as simple as that,their sprung loaded there no free movement,as i've found to my cost,the heat build up just kills e'm,i've done 3 sets of discs before i worked out a solution.

[r550s]

the oe set up uses just 5 bobbins at a comparatively small pitch diameter to take the shock & braking forces of a disc in action. Most other manufacturers use 10 bobbins (or lugs!), at a larger pitch diameter (look at the photo in this thread) Hence the early wear/failure of the oe bobbins when used hard. Note also winger's experience when 'overloading' the oe disc with a race caliper. Floating discs do not 'self-centre' between the pads - that is the job of the caliper pistons. A floating disc is not there to correct an out-of-true disc mounting - if it was then why do most applications have spring washers?

[winger]

If you look at the picture Gus posted,you'll see nothing is stock, wheels, discs, calipers,that picture was taken some time back,the carriers were changed almost as soon as the wheels were delivered,those discs are Mk 1 version there is another,but the same basic crap BM concept still exists and a basic mod has been found to keep the discs from warping,because of the heat build up and because their not floating discs,it's not ideal but it works,the real solution is to dump the discs and carriers and find a Brembo that bolts to the hub,which at some time i'll get off my arse and sort,but the various parties have run out of steam at the mo.

Tony Smith got round it with his dymags by running PFM 6 pots and floating discs,they only made a couple of kits,but thats another story!!!!

[r550s]

oooh I'm getting going on this one! just got back from the NEC where I've spent the day waggling discs on everything I could get away with, such research!

[winger]

My Beringer full floaters are closer to being a musical instrument they make such a racket!!!

[Steptoe]

finished in a nice black coating which comes off at pad contact point. .

Thats only because they're to lazy to "finish" of the steel.