Warped Rotors

Leave it on the bike. Bend it as best you can with your hands. Use the calipers as a guide. Depending on how bad it is and how your skill is is going to dictate your results

I normally use an adjustable wrench or 2. The second wrench allows you to bend just as section of the rotor rather than the entire. Flip the bike over and spin the wheel slowly, checking where it rubs hard on the brake pad, and bend accordingly. You can fix quite a few rotors this way as long as the bend isn't too severe.

jcook90 said:

I normally use an adjustable wrench or 2. The second wrench allows you to bend just as section of the rotor rather than the entire. Flip the bike over and spin the wheel slowly, checking where it rubs hard on the brake pad, and bend accordingly. You can fix quite a few rotors this way as long as the bend isn't too severe.

Click to expand...

2 wrench thing is good advice. ive always just tried beastin it with one.

Thanks

Nothing like a good old Farmers Wrench.

Two adjustables as everyone has already said works great. Another trick I have seen people do is use a couple chuncks of 2x4's. Put the rotor in between and tap with a hammer. Never tried that one myself, people used to swear by it though.

usually you have to bend the rotor beyond flat to get it to go back to flat. I have found it really easy to get too aggro w/ the AFS, a cheap gentle tool would be to grab a seat pillar for a really cheap bike and cut a slot into it. it has a pretty wide grip on the rotor. I use it all the time.

SthFRider said:

so with the two adjustable wrench method do you just clamp metal onto metal or do you put something between the wrench and the rotor to keep from f'ing up the rotor? I figure you leave it on the bike too so you can see what your doing.

Click to expand...

Leave it on the bike like you said.... wipe of the wrench faces so they are clean.... and yes, just clamp them down... You dont have to use incredible hulk force clamping them down, you dont need to twist super hard...In other words, your not going to jack the rotor surface.

I use three adjustable wrenches.
Spin the wheel and watch the rotor in the caliper.
Use a sharpie or marker and mark where the rotor goes out off true
(Two spots, where the bend starts and where it ends).
Clamp on the wrenches at those points to protect the good part of the rotor from being bent by your fixing job. Put the third wrench between them in the middle of the bent part. Pressure the middle wrench to realign the three handles without allowing the outside two to move (to avoid warping the good rotor part).

Carry a spare rotor with your tools when out, then you just swap parts and keep riding. Fix the warp later, and avoid getting raped at a resort bike shop for parts.

get two boards put the rotor in between....roll a car/truck/bus over it...
always works

I usually just ride around a parking lot for a while with the brakes on just to the point that you can still make the bike go, or just ride down a big hill on the road doing the same thing. When they heat up they'll unwarp themselves, though it does wear down your pads and your legs haha.