Pre 82 front calipers

[malcy25]

Early Yamahas were opposed piston callipers they changed them later, the TZs for the most part used the same calliper. Including the first models TZ750


These are not to be confused with the Later slider calliper set up as seen on the RD400s etc. (Yamaha changed to the inferior design sliding caliper to avoid paying the royalties to Girling I think)

The Early yam design ones can still be brought her rather cheaply.
The bolt pattern on the Yamaha disks for these are the same up until the FZR1000 likely even later.
I also note that sme Hondas share the same rotor disk and offset pattern early Cb's at least.
Might be more applicable to the other classes though.
They are a steal at each $100US new
http://www.mikesxs.net/products-67.html#products

Weighed one lately - christ they are heavy!! Interesting you can buy them new still.

[husaberg]

Weighed one lately - christ they are heavy!! Interesting you can buy them new still.

Yes they were not light granted but they used to still put them on the later alloy calliper equipped models as well as they flexed less.
Have a look at the period pics they were still used on some of the later works bikes too.
I would say they are maybe off the Indian rd's?.

[Grumph]

Weighed one lately - christ they are heavy!! Interesting you can buy them new still.

There's a huge restoration market for them. One weighs about as much as 2 Brembo '08's.
Can't think of anything I'd use them on, Brembo '05's are pretty much the same size and way better.

[husaberg]

There's a huge restoration market for them. One weighs about as much as 2 Brembo '08's.
Can't think of anything I'd use them on, Brembo '05's are pretty much the same size and way better.

Give us the actual weights, granted I know they are heavy, but twice the weight Greg?

[Grumph]

Give us the actual weights, granted I know they are heavy, but twice the weight Greg?

Hey, I'm old and weak...don't have one here at present but yes, they are heavy and Brembos are light....and the 05's which are pretty similar dimensionally are very light, particularly with plastic pistons fitted.
The genuine factory Yams i believe had magnesium versions fitted rather than the normal TZ calipers.

[husaberg]

Hey, I'm old and weak...don't have one here at present but yes, they are heavy and Brembos are light....and the 05's which are pretty similar dimensionally are very light, particularly with plastic pistons fitted.
The genuine factory Yams i believe had magnesium versions fitted rather than the normal TZ calipers.

Some were as recognised by the webbing and finning but they used to put the heavies back on as they worked better.
Pretty sure even a lot of the GP bikes right up until the early to mid 80's still used heavy iron. Up until MMC came in in the early 90s it was a trade off.
I think there is a Yam calliper at the olds I will steal and weigh it.

[malcy25]

Yes they were not light granted but they used to still put them on the later alloy calliper equipped models as well as they flexed less.
Have a look at the period pics they were still used on some of the later works bikes too.
I would say they are maybe off the Indian rd's?.

Yeah the TZ350F/G and TZ750D-E/F alloy ribbed calipers were shockers. Can feel the flex in your hand if you grab the caliper and give the lever a squeeze!

As you say, the give away on performance was pictures of Roberts' 500 with the cast iron calipers through to about 1980....long after you think they out of date.

Problem with them these days is getting really good pads. SBS used to do RQ3 dual carbon pads which were awesome, but stopped a few years ago. Now days they are more the base line product only you can buy.

I swapped mine for twin brembo 05's on the 350. After I had a loss of lever incident at HD....

I'd heard a rumour of alloy versions of the cast iron black caliper, but no one of the etxtensive yam network I have has ever confirmed and the guy who said it, was known for spouting stuff that stretched the truth. A visit I'm making in the UK to a guy who is well versed in works Yamaha stuff and knows the subtle differences (and owns a lot of it too, like factory produced alternative gear ratios and shafts out of YZR750's!) will probably know if they existsed. I should ask him.

After about 1980, the 500's both works and production (plus the 250's from about 83/84 for a year or so) went to a more oblong alloy 2 piston caliper.
http://motosvit.com/Yamaha%20TZ250/1/tz250L-1984.jpg

....before going to the original Brembo 4 piston in 83.

[coops]

I cleaned the pads and the brakes are a lot better, but theyre still crap.
Done some more thinkin and will probably go with brembo F08 cos there reasonably cheap. Motokiwi has new for $520 a pair and second hand ones are half that. Also theres a pair of them in my garage on my lemans 1000 which seem to work very well on such a heavy bike and ive measured them up and can make them fit.
Which brings me to my next question. Are discs open or do they have to be a copy of pre 82 discs. Do they need to be floating? why do they float discs?
because I will need to make new disc carriers which would be easy unless they need to be floating, that would make it more difficult.
Probably only have room for 300mm discs. currently got 270mm non floating. Suzukibandit wheels. I doubt any of the shelf discs/carriers will have the correct offset.
Thanks.

[Kickaha]

Done some more thinkin and will probably go with brembo F08 cos there reasonably cheap. Motokiwi has new for $520

Nothing really wrong with them so long as you fit good pad compounds and a decent master cylinder

[husaberg]

I cleaned the pads and the brakes are a lot better, but theyre still crap.
Done some more thinkin and will probably go with brembo F08 cos there reasonably cheap. Motokiwi has new for $520 a pair and second hand ones are half that. Also theres a pair of them in my garage on my lemans 1000 which seem to work very well on such a heavy bike and ive measured them up and can make them fit.
Which brings me to my next question. Are discs open or do they have to be a copy of pre 82 discs. Do they need to be floating? why do they float discs?
because I will need to make new disc carriers which would be easy unless they need to be floating, that would make it more difficult.
Probably only have room for 300mm discs. currently got 270mm non floating. Suzukibandit wheels. I doubt any of the shelf discs/carriers will have the correct offset.
Thanks.

Read this re the questions about floating etc. click on them a few times to supersize them.

Funny it has all the stuff said in it I must have retained some stuff over the years.

The rules for Pre 82 are these.

these are old rules (removed)they were on the post classic website? fixed they were not updated on the post classic site

Edit these are the current rules.
25.4.6 Brakes Front and rear brakes must be manufactured in the period or be faithful replicas of the style and materials of those manufactured in the period. Maximum disk diameter is 320mm, the maximum number of pistons per caliper is two, unless fitted as original equipment to the specific model of bike concerned. (Note: onus of proof is on rider or entrant of the machine).

Floating disks are permitted; however the disk carrier or “centre” must be of a style faithful to those manufactured in the period. (e.g. RG 500 “Star” pattern) Rear disk is open, but not exceed 300mm diameter.
Master cylinders (front and rear) are open.
Wave disks, their carriers and “direct pull” or “radial” master cylinders are specifically banned.

Re looking for oversized disks or doing a conversion look here for the measurements.
http://metalgear.com.au/search_by_disc_measurements.php
http://products.moto-master.com/advanced-search

[Grumph]

I cleaned the pads and the brakes are a lot better, but theyre still crap.
Done some more thinkin and will probably go with brembo F08 cos there reasonably cheap. Motokiwi has new for $520 a pair and second hand ones are half that. Also theres a pair of them in my garage on my lemans 1000 which seem to work very well on such a heavy bike and ive measured them up and can make them fit.
Which brings me to my next question. Are discs open or do they have to be a copy of pre 82 discs. Do they need to be floating? why do they float discs?
because I will need to make new disc carriers which would be easy unless they need to be floating, that would make it more difficult.
Probably only have room for 300mm discs. currently got 270mm non floating. Suzukibandit wheels. I doubt any of the shelf discs/carriers will have the correct offset.
Thanks.

Yes, you can now go to floaters as you'll have seen. Whether you need to is debatable....Kev's GS1000 is still on 296mm solids and it's not getting outbraked.
Even if you go to town on the 750 8V donk, you're not going to go as fast as that 1000...The 08's inside a 17inch rim are effectively limited to 300mm discs due to their being a fairly high profile caliper. The Lockheeds are quite a lot lower profile so Bob's been able to go to bigger discs.
Again, fun Vs $$$ equation - and that bike has taken forever to get built so, I'd suggest just run it and see what problems you strike.

[malcy25]

I cleaned the pads and the brakes are a lot better, but theyre still crap.
Done some more thinkin and will probably go with brembo F08 cos there reasonably cheap. Motokiwi has new for $520 a pair and second hand ones are half that. Also theres a pair of them in my garage on my lemans 1000 which seem to work very well on such a heavy bike and ive measured them up and can make them fit.
Which brings me to my next question. Are discs open or do they have to be a copy of pre 82 discs. Do they need to be floating? why do they float discs?
because I will need to make new disc carriers which would be easy unless they need to be floating, that would make it more difficult.
Probably only have room for 300mm discs. currently got 270mm non floating. Suzukibandit wheels. I doubt any of the shelf discs/carriers will have the correct offset.
Thanks.

If in doubt, first of all read chapter 25 on what you can do. Discs are not "open" - there are still rules surrounding what you can do - essentially looking for period looking discs not wave discs or latice style carriers.
Many guys here for years used XS1100 discs redrilled for Suzuki wheels as they were 298mm or something on their big Suzukis.

[sidecar bob]

If in doubt, first of all read chapter 25 on what you can do. Discs are not "open" - there are still rules surrounding what you can do - essentially looking for period looking discs not wave discs or latice style carriers.
Many guys here for years used XS1100 discs redrilled for Suzuki wheels as they were 298mm or something on their big Suzukis.

Whats a lattice carrier? Is that what I have?
The only reason I have that system is because the wheel & discs complete with bearings & axle cost me $200. If it's illegal I'll just park it up, as the fun dollar ratio would be skewed too far to the dollar side.

[Grumph]

Whats a lattice carrier? Is that what I have?
The only reason I have that system is because the wheel & discs complete with bearings & axle cost me $200. If it's illegal I'll just park it up, as the fun dollar ratio would be skewed too far to the dollar side.

Given the large PCD of your hub, I'm not buying into any arguments.....On the smaller PCD hubs like the majority of Suzuki models, I'd define a lattice carrier as one which has an outer ring bridging the disc pickup points. The period RG ones had stand alone "spokes" carrying the discs.
i note you're still using the (perfectly legal) leading axle forks too - which some would say are a penalty in themselves....
malky?......

[coops]

What about these ones?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321684013882...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I could make these fit