Let's get this straight right now!!!

[OMR]

As an aftermath of last weekend's Kernville trip, I ended up with a bent front rotor (Avid mechs).... the result of a close encounter with a Cannell Plunge rock. Luckily, I was able to sorta bend it back into reasonable shape in order to ride JO and Wagy Ridge the next day... although the levers came almost to the handlebars. The question here is: can anybody suggest a way to straighten the rotor out, other than just trying to bend it straight with pliers ????... or should I just bite the bullet and buy a new one?

Thanks guys....This is my rainny day project.

 

[Hoosierdaddy]

Gregg, they have special tools to bend them back into shape depending on how bad it is. To get it staight, you could use a dial indicator to check for run out (trueness) Don't use pliers, you will mar up the surface and can ruin the rotor.

I was going to turn up a special fixture on the lathe and make a trueing stand for rotors. If you want, buy a new rotor and I can fix your old one when I build this thing and you can keep the old one for a spare, that way, the next out of town trip that you bend a rotor on you'll have a backup. Rotors are small to carry around for spare parts. I have several slightly bent rotors myself. I have a couple of Hayes 6" rotors, brand new, there yours if you want them.

 

[Schecky]

Crescent wrench and patience.

 

[genusmtbkr5]

I have a couple of Hayes 6" rotors, brand new, there yours if you want them.

I believe the one he bent was an 8" rotor

 

[dstepper]

A bent rotor should not cause the levers to come almost back to the bars. You also must have lost an adjustment somewhere.
:steppie:

 

[OMR]

Large Grasshopper, Jeff....

Gregg, they have special tools to bend them back into shape depending on how bad it is. To get it staight, you could use a dial indicator to check for run out (trueness) Don't use pliers, you will mar up the surface and can ruin the rotor.

I was going to turn up a special fixture on the lathe and make a trueing stand for rotors. If you want, buy a new rotor and I can fix your old one when I build this thing and you can keep the old one for a spare, that way, the next out of town trip that you bend a rotor on you'll have a backup. Rotors are small to carry around for spare parts. I have several slightly bent rotors myself. I have a couple of Hayes 6" rotors, brand new, there yours if you want them.

Gene's right... it is an 8". But appreciate the offer. I was thinking maybe a sledge hammer would straighten that puppy out.... he he he.... I may take you up on you trying to fix the old one if I do get a new one.... See ya next week end....

 

[OMR]

A bent rotor should not cause the levers to come almost back to the bars. You also must have lost an adjustment somewhere.
:steppie:

No Dean,

I had to backoff the pad adjustment so much in order for them to clear the pads that the levers are almost to the bars now.

 

[Pho'dUp]

You could try these. Or try using a few crescent wrenches. But most likely you'll have to just bite the bullet and up for a new rotor.

http://www.morningstartools.com/drumstix.html

 

[Waldo]

I've straightened a slightly bent rotor by hand, but never anything that needed a pipe wrench or sledgehammer to correct.

Personally, I'll take a shot at repairing almost anything on my bike, but the last thing I want to deal with is a funkified brake. If it were me, I'd bite the bullet and spend the $30-ish for a new rotor rather than deal with uneven braking.

 

[OMR]

Personally, I'll take a shot at repairing almost anything on my bike, but the last thing I want to deal with is a funkified brake. If it were me, I'd bite the bullet and spend the $30-ish for a new rotor rather than deal with uneven braking.

Yep... that's what I did rather than messing around with a bent rotor. The good news is that the new one is lighter!

 

[Abui]

As an aftermath of last weekend's Kernville trip, I ended up with a bent front rotor (Avid mechs).... the result of a close encounter with a Cannell Plunge rock. Luckily, I was able to sorta bend it back into reasonable shape in order to ride JO and Wagy Ridge the next day... although the levers came almost to the handlebars. The question here is: can anybody suggest a way to straighten the rotor out, other than just trying to bend it straight with pliers ????... or should I just bite the bullet and buy a new one?

Thanks guys....This is my rainny day project.

FWIW I use a fiber tire lever to bend rotors to shape. Slip it in the gap between the outer rotor and the inner body and push to bend the supporting arms.

 

[Evil Chocula]

Don't do it! I had a similar rotor-bending incident with my BB7s last year, and I vainly attempted to straigten it out over the course of about three weekends. I could never get it quite right, and there's 5 hours of my life I'll never get back. My $.02.

 

[DownhillWebKook]

Do the math...

Rotor's what, like $40? I wouldn't work too long on that, because I would be wasting my time (thinking $/hr). Make a couple of phone calls to your buddies and I bet you'll find an "extra" rotor somewhere. The Path has a bunch just sitting in a box. I bet you those aren't full price.

Save monkey work for the chimps and get yourself a new rotor and you'll be able to rest assured you got your sheyot straight.