Guys who USE the Rear Brakes ....Making 'anti-lock' brake by drilling R rotor????

Stroke/surgery/radiation/etc fucked up my hand strength. It is getting much better, but it is what it is. I can operate the front brake/controlled, but do not possess the same amount of strength/endurance anymore. I can controlably brake, but i brake way sooner and way longer... it is what it is, to conserve strength/longevity.

I have always used the rear brake instinctively used it, but now I am modifying to adapt to my current physical situation, and am using the rear brake ALL the time (in conjunction w/ the front), all the time, to reduce hand fatigue.
I always ran a rubber/oem rear brake line, w/ air in the line, to give me more pedal 'feel', to soften the 'bite' to dissipate the 'bite'.

Will 'drilling' my rear rotor make it bite even less? In theory, yes for sure! But I asking the guys who do use the rear brakes all the time, did drilling the rear rotor do anything? If so, what did it do? Was it worth the $?
I have $ for improving rear brake foot control,, but not have $ for just 'lightening the rotor... weight reduction (and less friction,))

I ask dumb Q because we are on a budget, we easily Can afford, but not if spending the $ is Not necessary. We FINE but we Not have money to waste anymore.

Thank you for any info/real-world-experiences/etc.
Thank you.

 

Just my $.02 so take that for what its worth: You should theoretically get better "feel" from a stainless braided line with no air in it. The difficulty is that we don't have the same level of fine modulation in our feet like we do in our fingers. We tend to need to apply more pressure with our feet to get the sense of "feel" back. I think what you are after is lessening the overall power of the rear brake so you can use more pressure at your foot and then be able to "feel" it better? If that is the case, what I have heard of others doing is cutting the rear brake pads in half horizontally so there is less pad contacting the rotor and therefore less friction. This makes it so you have to use more pressure at the pedal to get the same braking force which I think is what you are after. Hope that helps.

 

Buy a strong return spring for the rear master instead.

 

[QUOTE="Saiyan66, post: 5909189, member: 73932" If that is the case, what I have heard of others doing is cutting the rear brake pads in half horizontally so there is less pad contacting the rotor and therefore less friction. This makes it so you have to use more pressure at the pedal to get the same braking force which I think is what you are after. Hope that helps.[/QUOTE]

Yes!
I actually machined (Bridgeport) my buddies rear brake pads, for that exact thing, But the pad material, some 'crumbling' occurred during machining which made me feel like it was unsafe, would crumble apart. so I scrapped his modified pads, and we put new oem(s) back in it. But yes, That's the correct theory I am looking for, figured doing the rear rotor would do the same thing?



TY

 

I agree with the suggestion to put a brake return spring on the master to provide more feel, rather than compromising the setup with spongy lines or air in the line. You can also look into finding a smaller bore master that matches the mount pattern? Doing the same up front may help you use the front brake more effectively as well, smaller bore so the lever requires less effort, just more range of motion.

 

Also, you can move the front master left on the bar to increase the leverage ratio. This could help with strength/endurance issues. Keep going until your pinky finger is at the end of the lever.

I take a file to the bottom and rear edges of my rear brake pads. It makes rear tire changes a lot easier. I can’t feel a difference in braking.

 

The idea that anyone would think that running a brake system with air in the lines to achieve the “feel” that they want is frankly terrifying

 

And this isn’t the first time that I’ve read on this forum of people stating that they do this. I feel that they should be required to wear a bright yellow shirt to let everyone else know to stay the f away from them. Not trying to put SpeedyE down but there needs to be clarification of how stupid that is

 

100%.

 

I have seen a couple of people go to a thumb throttle when they are having hand/wrist strength issues, thumb brake is the best feel ever, I put one on my dirt bike and could slide at will as you have so much feel in your hands.

 

Use a grinder wheel to chamfer the pads to easy rear wheel installation. Chamfer deeper until you get enough material off to get the feel you’re looking for. Using a rubber line is fine. Steel would be more consistent with temperature. You could also get shitty endurance pads that are rock hard but not a crazy amount of bite. I run a return spring, steel line, and chamfer pads. No matter what, you will get roasted on here

Another idea is tap the inside of your banjo bolt to accept old school carb main jets. Drill sizes of jets to .25mm increments (.75mm, 1.0mm, 1.25mm, etc.) and install to get customized feel/power you want.

 

All valid solutions to gain what you need. The point that I was trying to make is that running a braking system with air in the lines isn’t consistent and could lead to a complete brake failure at any time. Anyhow, I’m off to go sit in some A.C as it’s hot af at COTA right now

 

The actual answer to the OP's question re drilling the rear rotor is...no. Cross-drilling the rotor will make zero difference in feel,
braking power, or anything else. The theory of drilling brake discs is that as you super heat the rotor, the pads will actually start to oxidize, and being at least partly organic they will emit a gas. If you persist and add more heat, it is possible that the pads will float on this gas layer and contact with the rotor will be reduced to the point of brake fade.
Not to be too direct, if your hand strength is so low that you have to rely on rear wheel braking, you should probably address the front brake situation rather than try to strengthen the rear brake. Just my $0.02

 

Agree with statements above. Don't bother drilling the rotor. Get a different front master that will give you more brake for less pull. Woodcraft should have rear master spring returns. Can go with a smaller rear master if you want less force. CRF250 rear master is 3/8", vs 1/2" or bigger for others.

 

Done successfully at the race track, rear brake only. It can work if you are scientific in the approach. However, I don't recommend it.

 

People are quick to determine the amount of air in my rear brake-line, caliper w/out any idea what is actually in there. Wow!

All I have left in Life is my Mechanical-Reputation.... I wont stand by and not only have it shit on, be called a safety hazard. No way.
W/out trying to get into an internet fight, I dont need more drama in my life right now, but I will say, my bike, in fact anything I work on or own, mechanical, is Beyond reproach.

.... I'm not gonna get into debate/fight over this, I have enuff probs in my life, but I am not going to get shit on publicly for my lack of safety/mechanics/etc... I know for a Fact, 90% of the people on here wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a 100%-bled rear brake and the same/my bike w/ the amount of air (bubble) in it's system.... it's micro. I can tell a difference, but I know for Fact 90% of the people Cant tell the diff.
I also know the amount of air in the/my system is probably less < than 30% of the FRONT brakes of the race/track bikes on here at any given weekend.
QUOTE: Anything I touch is mechanically OCD surgically perfect! ~ Me ~ 2021

fwiw: I am the one who figured out, and got the 3 (three) practice/training (identical) guns to function FLAWLESSLY (I didn't even get to test fire them, I just tuned them, and heard back they 100%!!!) Keanu Reeves' practice/training-gun(s x3) for JW3, in an "ASAP!!!!" time-frame.

Anyways... Didnt Yosh smear grease on the Yosh rear brake pads after cutting the pads to pieces, heavier spring and etc (probably popping an air-bubble in to too...) before finally smearing grease on the rear pads, during KS34's tryout?

Imma leave it all at this/that... I am not looking for a fight, but this is an issue that I will not be shit on... mechanically, my shit is correct.

 

Thank you!

I am trying to un-strengthen the rear brake. Make it more anti-lock, less power. I am not relying on it, I am using it to reduce hand fatigue, as my hand rehabs and gets stronger.

fwiw, I did not take your post as 'mean spirited', so please, my Thank you's are genuine