After-market front brake rotor issue

[Esther]

Hi All,
I recently bought a 97 TRX with blue-spot callipers on the front.
The original rotors were worn and warped, so I purchased a new after-market set from China.
They look very well made - but appear to have a greater off-set than the originals, and are thicker.
This means that the rotors now rub on the outer side of the callipers - they no longer run in the centre of the callipers, but just a few thou from the outer edge.
Since I have fit the rotors - I won't be able to get a refund, and am wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation and has any advice?
The bike looks to have the original front forks/triple trees and wheel.
There aren't any spacers between the forks and the callipers. Has anyone added spacers to the axle on either side? Any suggestions?
Cheers,
Esther

[HolerTogni]

Hi Esther!

The blue spots have to be fitted with a standard washer as a spacer for centering the calipers over the standard discs.

I can't say anything about discs from China.

I would not (i.e., never) buy brake discs made in China.

"Recommending NG discs made in Spain in my part of the world"-greets from Munich!

[Esther]

Hi Esther!

The blue spots have to be fitted with a standard washer as a spacer for centering the calipers over the standard discs.

I can't say anything about discs from China.

I would not (i.e., never) buy brake discs made in China.

"Recommending NG discs made in Spain in my part of the world"-greets from Munich!

Hi Holer,
Thanks for your reply. I'll check for washers.
Hello from Perth!
Esther

[dicky]

Metal Gear in Brisbane make discs and pads for TRX's. Well worth it in my experience.
You should not need any spacers between the blue spot calipers and the fork mounting lugs unless someone has been in there and removed metal from either of the mounting surfaces.
My old calipers are 17mm and 15mm across the flats of the lugs, and the forks are 14mm.
If the discs do have a different offset and aren't fouling anything else then you could add spacers to better centre them in the calipers.
The discs don't need to be dead centre, the pistons will adjust to the position, but the closer the better.

[Esther]

Metal Gear in Brisbane make discs and pads for TRX's. Well worth it in my experience.
You should not need any spacers between the blue spot calipers and the fork mounting lugs unless someone has been in there and removed metal from either of the mounting surfaces.
My old calipers are 17mm and 15mm across the flats of the lugs, and the forks are 14mm.
If the discs do have a different offset and aren't fouling anything else then you could add spacers to better centre them in the calipers.
The discs don't need to be dead centre, the pistons will adjust to the position, but the closer the better.

Thanks Dicky,
Yes - I have bought sprockets and brake pads from metal gear before and always had a good experience.
I want with the other discs due to the cost difference.....not sure if that was a great idea now. The actual quality is fine (Braking Area:420 Stainless Steel
Carrier Material:6061-T6 Aluminium Alloy) - I just think the offset is too much.
I will check the brake callipers and forks to make sure there are no shims - and that they're standard thickness.
The problem with the current fit is that the discs are rubbing the outside/outboard of the callipers - so adding spacers to the callipers will make it worse.
Is adding spacers/washers between the forks and the wheel something anyone has done before?
Thanks for your help Dicky

[HolerTogni]

Hi dicky!

...
You should not need any spacers between the blue spot calipers and the fork mounting lugs unless someone has been in there and removed metal from either of the mounting surfaces.
...

Many of the members in the German TRX-Forum have mounted a washer as a spacer under the blue (or silver or gold) calipers to have them correctly centered over the brake discs.
And there was no material removed from the fork or the calipers.

...
The discs don't need to be dead centre, the pistons will adjust to the position, but the closer the better.

Therefore, mounting of a simple standard washer is a good and easy fix if the brake disc is not in the middle.

"Middling" greets from Munich!

[BigAl-TC]

Hi Esther,
I'm no good at posting photo's. If you would like to send me a PM on here and exchange mobile phone numbers I can send photo's of my setup with blue spots.
I have blue spots with no washers and Chinese disc's and the calipers are centered.
Cheers, Alan.

[Esther]

Hi Esther,
I'm no good at posting photo's. If you would like to send me a PM on here and exchange mobile phone numbers I can send photo's of my setup with blue spots.
I have blue spots with no washers and Chinese disc's and the calipers are centered.
Cheers, Alan.

Hey Alan,
That sounds awesome. If I get home in the daylight tomorrow I'll send some photos of the fork/disc/calliper setup.
Thanks for you help,
Esther

[Esther]

Hi All,
Bit of an update:
I took the front wheel assy off tonight and the callipers - there were no washers between the forks and the callipers - bummer.
Looks like the forks have been painted, as well as the wheel - and there's paint on the fork lug mating surfaces that the callipers attach to, as well as the wheel hub where the discs mount. So I've spent an hour or so slowly filing away the paint.
I'll try put it back tomorrow night and see where the discs align.
I've measured the new and old discs in terms of offset - distance from the inboard surface of the disc (the face that mates to the wheel hub) to the outside of the offset (the outboard flat side of the outer circumference of the non-floating part of the disc - after the flange).
The new discs are about 0.4mm wider - which I thought would be contributing to the new discs sitting up against the outboard side of the callipers - however; The new discs are also 1mm thicker (5mm) in comparison to the old (4mm) - so if I split that and add it to each side - it makes the offset more or less the same.
The space between the inboard and outboard sides of the calliper housing is about 8mm (I'll measure it more accurately tomorrow), so I need to change the ratline position of the discs and callipers by about 1.5mm (discs moving inboard and callipers moving outboard).
Any ideas?
Not sure if drag and drop works on this - but hopefully.
Thanks all

[Esther]

Hi Esther,
I'm no good at posting photo's. If you would like to send me a PM on here and exchange mobile phone numbers I can send photo's of my setup with blue spots.
I have blue spots with no washers and Chinese disc's and the calipers are centered.
Cheers, Alan.

Hey Alan,
That sounds awesome. If I get home in the daylight tomorrow I'll send some photos of the fork/disc/calliper setup.
Thanks for you help,
Esther

Hi Alan,
I've sent you a pm. Gimme a buzz when you can - keen to see your tax front brake setup.
Cheers,
Esther

[jpe70]

I've been running bluespots on TRX fork and later R6 fork on the bike for something like 15 years. Never any spacers fitting the calipers to the fork. Nicely centered and never any problem with warped disc.