Thursday, April 1, 2010

Mounting an Oversized Front Rotor and Caliper Relocation Bracket


This article will guide you through the installation of an oversized front rotor and caliper relocation bracket on a 2004 KTM 450SX. This will be the same for most KTM models and very similar to other mx/offroad bikes. This should only take you a half hour to complete.
- pictures show mounting on a stock 21" knobby tire. The idea was to represent a sportsman setup (stock wheels) but I don't have any non-knobby tires....

An oversized front rotor is necessary for supermoto because it greatly increases your stopping power as well as resists overheating/ fade you would encounter with a stock rotor. The caliper relocation bracket is required to space the caliper out to match the larger rotor.

This modification is the most bang for the buck change that can be made when converting a mx/offroad bike to supermoto. The front brake is critical to going fast on the track. This kit allows you to keep your stock front brake caliper and master cylinder.

When you buy your oversized rotor and relocation bracket make sure that the bracket you buy matches the rotor diameter.

 

Remove the front wheel, remove the stock rotor and replace with the oversized rotor.

Remove the caliper by removing the (2) 10mm hex head bolts

Remove the brake pads. Pull out the cotter pin(s) then slide out the retaining pin. The pads will then fall out.

Slide the stock mounting bracket off of the caliper by pulling the two apart. The rubber seal on the top shaft needs to be pulled off the caliper and slid off with the mounting bracket.

The stock bracket is on the left and the new relocating bracket is on the right. Notice the difference in locations of the (2) mounting holes. This is what moves the caliper further off the fork leg to match the larger rotor.

You need to transfer the brake pad seat and the rubber seal from the stock mounting bracket to the new relocating bracket.

Slide the new relocating bracket into the stock caliper the same way the stock one came off. Push it in untill it bottoms out. This seats the rubber seals

Replace the brake pads, retaining pin and cotter pin(s)

Remount the caliper to the fork leg.

Remount the front wheel and you are done!

Don't for get to pump up your front brake lever before firing your bike up for a test ride. So you don't pull the lever to the bar and have no brake when you need it....

Be careful the first time you try the new brake. There will be a lot more stopping power than you are used to!