883R brakes? - Harley Forum

admin · #1 05-23-2007, 04:52 PM

My bike seems to be fitted with the W&P type brakes (wish on the front & prayer on the back)..is there any way to improve brake performance on these bikes?? Even at moderate speeds the stopping distances seem to be worryingly long. yours faithfully, prematurely grey.

Posted by: 883R on Feb 9, 06 4:50:18 am

admin · #2 05-23-2007, 04:52 PM

Try this first, fkoating disc and braided cables did this on my 2000 fxdwg I hardly use my rear brake anymore. If that dosen't work you will have to change out calipers. The braided cables have less expansion which = more stopping power, floating disc allows disc to be more centered which = mmore stopping power. You can do this with Harley parts which will probably cost around 350.00 calipers on the other hand will probably cost that each. Besides braking improvement looks good to.
Tipper

Posted by: Tipper on Feb 9, 06 8:50:27 am

admin · #3 05-23-2007, 04:53 PM

I put ferrode sintered pads on my dyna.It made a difference,not huge,but you can tell the difference.Iron roters would help to,haven't done that,braided lines will help some but not alot. Best bet for the money would be a dual disc setup.You can do that with harley parts. Do the work yourself and use braided lines and good sintered pads,you'll have about 500 in it.Might as well chrome the sliders while there off,or powder coat them. Actually while you've got the forks apart you should install race tech springs and gold valves. I did that on my dyna,makes a huge difference.

Posted by: glider on Feb 9, 06 11:27:35 am

admin · #4 05-23-2007, 04:53 PM

I just gotta ask,,,,,why would he take off his lower-legs and or forks to change rotors/calipers/lines/pads,etc......???

Posted by: frisco-rigid on Feb 9, 06 11:23:25 pm

admin · #5 05-23-2007, 04:53 PM

Thanks guys. I will look at this a bit more and take some of your advice. It seems to be a Harley thing to have poor OEM brakes. Its got double discs fitted on the front but still seems slow to get a grip.

Posted by: 883R on Feb 10, 06 5:43:51 am

admin · #6 05-23-2007, 04:54 PM

I was thinking he had a single disc fork,If he has a dual disc now he wouldn't need to take his fork apart.If he doesn't have a dual disc setup,it would probably make more sense to buy the sport fork (fully adjustable cartridge,dual disc)than to modify a standard narrow glide,wouldn't be much difference in cost.I had a sportster sport and it was the only harley I've ever had that handled great right out of the box. If they still made that bike I might buy another one.Actually harley brakes are fine ,they just aren't as sensative to input as most bikes are,which isn't necasarily a bad thing.If you use a dual disc master cylinder with a single disc brake,they will be sensative.If you can lock the front tire up, and you can, then your brakes are plenty strong enough,what were really talking about here is brake feel.What you need is a larger piston in the master cylinder to move more brake fluid when the lever is moved.I'm sure you could find a master cylinder that would accomplish this but I haven't researched it.Fork dive under hard brakeing is more of an issue to me.

Posted by: glider on Feb 10, 06 8:51:45 am

admin · #7 05-23-2007, 04:54 PM

Allow me to respectfully disagree with the large bore master cylinder opinion...
With the large bore master cylinder you do indeed move more fluid per distance of lever movement but with less pressure,, in other words your hand pressure must increase alot to get good braking...
A smaller bore Mas Cyl moves less fluid for the same distance of lever movement but with more pressure,, in other words you need far less hand pressure to get good braking, but you pull in bit further... My preference...
Of course it depends on the size of the caliper piston and how many pistons per caliper, I still try to stay as small as possible...
Imagine this...........
A 100 lbs. weight resting on a lever 1 foot from a 1 foot tall fulcrum and the lifting lever that you push down on is only 2 foot long == a large bore Mas Cyl... You needn't push down far but you must push down very hard...

The same weight and fulcrum but the lifting lever you push down on is 6 foot long === a small bore Mas Cyl... You must push down further but very easily... Wala....

Posted by: frisco-rigid on Feb 11, 06 1:55:24 am

admin · #8 05-23-2007, 04:54 PM

We agree,I may be wrong about which way to go but were going to the same place.What master cylinder would you suggest for a single disc 4 piston harley caliper? Don't know where to get the spec s on the available cylinders.Sounds like you've done this,I've only thought about it but I'd like to try it.

Posted by: glider on Feb 12, 06 2:30:23 pm

admin · #9 05-23-2007, 04:55 PM

I kinda figured we were going in the same direction...

Uh, what size does the factory supply for that 4 piston caliper, that's probably the one you should use, however,,, if it takes more effort to slow that wheel-- front or rear -- than you think it should go to the next size down... If the OEM is 3/4" try 5/8", you know, it's very subjective, i.e. the feel you want...
I like small, more sensitive, more controllable...
I've used lots of diff Mas Cyl's and calipers to me they're all as good as any other, remember they're simply a hydraulic ram on one end and a piston/ram on the other...
The difference is what material the rotor's and pads are made of and the Mas Cyl size...
I seem to get better braking outa the mild steel/ductile iron rotors, small Mas Cyl's and I forget the type of pads, go figure...

Posted by: frisco-rigid on Feb 13, 06 1:33:11 am

admin · #10 05-23-2007, 04:55 PM

Here in the Southland we have a rag called Full Throttle web site www.georgiafullthrottle.com there Feb. rag has an excellent article called "Whoa Down Your Horses" it will give you some excellent reccomendations on brakes.
Tipper

Posted by: Tipper on Feb 13, 06 9:37:55 am