Front wheel drag.. Rotor? Caliper?

[Towboater68]

When i bought my bike (06 busa) the previous owner had removed the disc from the right side of the wheel to show off the chrome rims but i installed them back for safety reasons. I installed the rotor with new pads and can't remember having any dragging problems but really don't remember checking either. I recently put the bike on stands to wash it and polish rims and noticed the drag. Front rim won't spin quarter of a turn without stopping. I did some reading on here and thought the axle may be problem but turned out it wasn't after checking that. I did some more reading on here and seen some test's to do while riding so i went for 5 mile ride and came home and felt rotors and drivers side was too hot to touch and passenger i could touch but wouldn't want to have to hold hand on it. One question i have is, Does the rotor's have a certain side? could i have put this on backwards to have maybe an offset wrong?
Also i stripped one of the caliper bolts so i called my local Suzuki dealer and ordered 4 new bolts for the calipers and they were 30 bucks!!! Is there such a thing as aftermarket bolts??

 

[NINJA KILLER]

Try bleeding your front brakes , You might have a piston in your brake caliper stuck open pushing your pads against the rotor .

 

[Towboater68]

I opened master cylinder and pushed pistons back before putting calipers on and it was still dragging before even pushing brake.

 

[MC MUSTANG]

I opened master cylinder and pushed pistons back before putting calipers on and it was still dragging before even pushing brake.

Was the rim chromed where the rotor bolts on? Also, stupid question but is the rotor face out? The bolts should be somewhat countersink. If the rotor is installed right, it may be that the caliper is slightly out of alignment; what may help is to loosen the front axle (until it is almost out of the barrel) then soon the wheel and grab the brake to realign everything, before torquing back down.

 

[Towboater68]

I will have to check about bolts being counter sunk... I ordered the bolts from the local dealership so I know they are right but the rotor being backwards was one of my main concerns. I am planning on putting it back on the stands tomorrow and looking it over again!

 

[MC MUSTANG]

I will have to check about bolts being counter sunk... I ordered the bolts from the local dealership so I know they are right but the rotor being backwards was one of my main concerns. I am planning on putting it back on the stands tomorrow and looking it over again!

Recessed is a better word than countersunk; my apologies. I am sure you got the right bolts...

 

[georgiabusa_05]

Take the calipers off, tie them up away from the wheel. loosen the pinch bolts and axil bolt. let the bike down off the front stand several times, front wheel hitting the ground, then put back together. I was told by Ken Wheeler at Deals Gap that this will let the fork tubes align up. I was having this same problem and did this and my front will mow almost free wheel, very little drag. Hope this helps.

 

[jphilipson]

Take the calipers off, tie them up away from the wheel. loosen the pinch bolts and axil bolt. let the bike down off the front stand several times, front wheel hitting the ground, then put back together. I was told by Ken Wheeler at Deals Gap that this will let the fork tubes align up. I was having this same problem and did this and my front will mow almost free wheel, very little drag. Hope this helps.

+1 on that - you need to "float" the axle before you cinch everything back up. Don't tighten everything on the stand.

 

[Mac Busa]

Try bleeding your front brakes

 

[HillbillyTom]

Sounds to me like you have a caliper sticking. Since the shifter side (and try referring to sides as "clutch/brake" or "shifter/brake" rather than "driver/passenger", which would actually mean front/back in bike terms) caliper has probably been on there longer than the right side you put back on, it's worn and corroded more. If the bike hasn't had somewhat regular brake fluid changes, water will collect (brake fluid draws moisture like a sponge), and since water is denser than brake fluid, it will settle in the calipers, causing the insides of the caliper to rust and corrode, in turn causing it to stick.
Go through the rest of the stuff mentioned first, but if no help, you may have to rebuild, or replace, the sticking caliper.