Gl1100I - front brake pads not braking on the whole surface

[Onclefabi]

Hello everyone,

First of all, thank you so much for this amazing website. I've been rebuilding my old GL1100 with the help of you guys since last year and you don't know how helpful you've been!

After rebuilding the whole engine and drivetrain, I'm now after the front brakes because I always had a small issue with the front right rotor. It seemed to me that it was sticking a little, and sometimes I was hearing it squeal when I rode for a few minutes.

But right now, when looking at it, I realized that the calipers were offset from the rotors and that the brake pads were only braking on about 2/3 of their surface. Also, the right disc seems to be too far from the center of the wheel, pushing the caliper outwards to its limit.

I wonder if the last owner switched parts with other years of GL's.. the wierd thing is that when I look at some pictures in the internet, the wheel/caliper and rotor seems just like mine..

Hope someone can help me with that!

Thanks,
JP

[PhotoDoctor]

a photo of your current set-up might help.

[Onclefabi]

Sure, here are some pictures :

[PhotoDoctor]

I have a 1983 out in the garage - when it stops raining I'll go take a look.

[PhotoDoctor]

I wonder if those calipers are from another model of bike. Your bike is a 1983 or at least the front wheel is.

[PhotoDoctor]

Your fork leg has the word Trac stamped on it................ I wonder if those are GL1200 forks and everything is the same as a GL1100. I know the GL1200 has a different size wheel.

[PhotoDoctor]

This is what I think is going on with your bike.

The forks on your bike appear to be from a GL1200 which has a 16" wheel but the disk are larger at 276 mm vs. the disk on a GL1100 which are 232 mm. (I think Honda move the caliper mounting points to account for the bigger rotors)

Thus if the disks from a GL1200 will bolt onto a GL1100 wheel you could go that route. Or you could also maybe find an entire GL1200 wheel with good disk and try swapping the whole wheel onto the forks........... (I recently found an entire rear wheel with disk for 50 bucks)

You will want to double check my research and perhaps there are those here who already know if my suggestions will work.

[Onclefabi]

Yes, the bike is a 1983.. I don't know the history of the bike, but it wouldn't surprise me since the last owner lied about a few things already...

However, is it possible that the late-1983 GL1100 had some features of the 1200? I've seen it on mine for the valves and their retainers that were different from the 1980-1982...

[PhotoDoctor]

Often, 40 year old bikes have had several owners and they don't know the history and if they don't have wrenching talents ......... they can be clueless.

[PhotoDoctor]

Perhaps the caliper brackets could also be replaced and that would solve the issue. Compare the distance between the bolts here on the mounting brackets - this is my bike and on yours the top caliper bolt is much higher which would also account for the issue. There may be several ways to cure this issue I do like the larger disk solution as it would be like a little up-grade in front brakes.

[Onclefabi]

Interesting.. the rotors are 276mm and the wheel seems to be 18 inches.. looks like the caliper bracket might be the issue here...

[Onclefabi]

Other pictures didn't follow.. here they are

[Sig45227]

This is my 1983, unmolested front end. All original outside of brake lines, pads. You can see the engagement area showing after a few rides, after I deglazed the rotors.

[PhotoDoctor]

Hmmm..... in this photo of the silver 1983 the rotor looks larger than the original posters and also looks like it is vented. Aspencade version perhaps?

[LAB3]

I had the same problem on mine, turns out the part number of the lower legs matched an Aspencade with the rest of the front end being Interstate, the rotor diameter is larger on the Aspencade. Noticed the solution when swapping out the front tire and found a sticker with the Showa part number on it under the fender mount.

[Onclefabi]

Hi LAB3,
Thanks for your help on that one! Please forgive my ignorance, but what do you define as the lower legs?

[PhotoDoctor]

On your bike it's the part with the word "Trac" - the lower part of the fork that slides on the tube and the axel bolts through about 18" long.

[LAB3]

On your bike it's the part with the word "Trac" - the lower part of the fork that slides on the tube and the axel bolts through about 18" long.

Yep, that's it. The rest of the fork parts are the same between the Interstate and the Aspencade, it's a matter of disassembly and changing just the cast aluminum part that the calipers mount to. You might want to look at a Honda parts fische, you can learn a lot by studying pictures and part numbers.

https://www.babbittsonline.com/oemparts ... ycle/parts

[Onclefabi]

Thanks to everyone for helping me solving that issue! I knew it was impossible that Honda could have made it that way!

I'll start looking for that bracket..
But what if I put the Aspencade rotors.. they seem easier to find on Ebay..

[LAB3]

The problem is FINDING Aspencade rotors! If you look up aftermarket replacement part numbers you'll see that the Standard and Interstate rotors fit a few different years although genuine Honda part numbers show them as being different for the '83. As for me, I bought a set for an '82 Interstate that someone had spun on a lathe to clean up and they fit and operate the way they should. Trying to find Aspencade rotors was nearly impossible and at $250 each new for aftermarket and I wasn't going to do it. Either way, check aftermarket suppliers to see which years can be mixed and matched, the physical dimensions are the same.

[Onclefabi]

Alright, thank you for that. I'll start looking for that option