Hi, just signed up :) from the UK

Welcome, what are you riding now? Looking at a zx?

Got an 08 gen1 zx14 a few months ago after years on a GSXR1100 killer K. Had a few bikes over the years but the zx14 blows me away :)
Got the wheels off at the moment to replace a knackered rear wheel bearing so thought id replace the fronts as well and got the wheels powder coated as they were looking a bit shabby. Joined the forum for a few pointers putting it all back together.

The ZX14 blows everything away.

Welcome!

Got the wheels off at the moment to replace a knackered rear wheel bearing so thought id replace the fronts as well and got the wheels powder coated as they were looking a bit shabby. Joined the forum for a few pointers putting it all back together.

Welcome to the forum. Good idea replacing them all while it's down. Oh, and it goes back together exactly the opposite way it came apart :-D

* Last updated by: Hellmutt on 1/25/2015 @ 2:47 PM *

Cheers guys...
Hellmutt, you can train a monkey to take it apart but it takes a mechanic to put it back together ;)

I hope it goes back together better than it came apart. Ive had a read through some posts on here about people changing rotors/discs and it seems so easy...not so for me it seems. Taking the bolts out of the front wheel i knew they were locked in so i warmed them up and started to undo them a bit at a time...those suckers were unbelievably tight all the way out even with a heat gun, so tight in fact that halfway out a bolt snapped. It was a cheap fix for a mate to drill out the busted bolt and helicoil every hole but these were the original kawasaki bolts and every one came out with knackered threads and the bolt holes were pretty beat up as well.
I replaced the bolts with genuine kwak ones which come ready coated in red locktite but i wire brushed it off and used a blue locktite around the shoulder of the bolt so i dont rip the helicoil out if i have to replace the discs. Everythings back together and looking good but i got a nagging paranoia about helicoiled rotor bolts!!! I read they are stronger than original for lower torque settings but the paranoia wont go away!

Everythings back together and looking good but i got a nagging paranoia about helicoiled rotor bolts!!!

I have aluminum rear rotor bolts with steel threads. Basically a reverse heli coil. Yeah, if you torque them, the steel will turn on the aluminum. Hope I don't have problems when it comes time to remove the rotor.

Yeah, OEM puts a dab of red threadlocker on those, plus every time I remove them I add a drop or 2 more. Its on the threads fairly heavy, but doesn't prevent me from backing them out. Sounds like someone was careless with the rotor bolts before you got the bike? Helicoils should be fine since the torque spec on the rotors isn't too severe. I ordered a harder stainless set from Probolt USA for mine just to have spares for when the damned OEM hex heads start rolling out of shape from regular removal/install. Wish I could find them in Torx drive so the bolt heads would hold up longer

Yeah does make me wonder if they have been over tightened but its original rotors...unless they replaced warped ones with original, cant see any reason to be taking them off otherwise.
Ive taken the back wheel off again though to take it to my mate to have those holes helicoiled as well. When i replaced it all and spun it the rotor was rubbing, looking down the back of the bike i could see one of the bolts wasn't seated fully although it was torqued up. I don't want another busted bolt in there and the threads on that hole look knackered now Doh!
Now ive had the wheels off and the belly pan i can see the exhaust has a repair and is blowing and there's an oil leak up top, probably the valve cover...I'm trying to remain calm, at least they forecast snow tomorrow so hopefully i can get all these problems fixed before the weather improves!!

my OEM rotor bolts were very hard to break loose. I had to step on the wrench to turn the rear rotor bolts. I removed rotors when I got my tires changed because the shop is so careless with my rims. I didn't want warped rotors on top that. Only problem is they balance the wheel without rotors if you take them off. Not a problem, they probably skipped balancing them anyway.

Had to step on them!!! They weren't that tight but they took a bit of grunt to undo them. Ive changed rotors on other bikes with no trouble, guess ive just been unlucky with this one.
......What i thought was a repair to the exhaust, where the down pipes connect to the back pipes under the belly pan, is some silver lagging or something thats part of the system from pics ive seen. Its blowing from there though so maybe it will be a case of doing the clamp up tighter!? haha...no chance, nothings that simple.

Rook, your How to Posts are excellent, the reason i joined the forum, cheers for taking the time and effort to help numpties like me :)

thanks. good to know some people are using them.

What i thought was a repair to the exhaust, where the down pipes connect to the back pipes under the belly pan, is some silver lagging or something thats part of the system from pics ive seen. Its blowing from there though so maybe it will be a case of doing the clamp up tighter!? haha...no chance, nothings that simple.

You mean just ahead of the belly pan, where the midpipes conect to the collector? There are gaskets there that seal that connection. Sounds like maybe your gaskets are leaking. It shouldn't be too hard to replace those. Just unbolt the clamp and the muffler hanger bolts. Buy new gaskets. Make sure you get the right year gasket. The 08-11 gasket is a bit bigger than the 06-07. Some people have swapped 06-07 mufflers with 08-11 and vice versa. I guess the gasket might not fit quite right but it works if you can get the gasket to seal. Maybe your exhaust was switched and they weren't careful with the gaskets. normally, you shouldn't see the gasket sticking out. Measure the ID of your midpipe so you know for certain what year exhaust it is. I have my exhaust off so I could measure what the ID of an 08 should be to confirm. PM me if you need some measurements.

* Last updated by: Rook on 1/29/2015 @ 2:51 AM *

It's 54mm where the mid pipe joins on. Sometimes a small amount of silicone will seal that leak.
Clean the parts where the pipes join, Put a little on the collector side and spread as a thin film right around and then slide mid pipe on again. Fasten all the bolts, wipe excess silicone and leave to dry.
It's difficult to get the right gaskets here so that's why I resorted to the silicone. Worked well until I changed to aftermarket pipe.

Found the hole haha...maybe it is that simple. When they fitted the MTC pipes they haven't pushed it on far enough or its slowly worked its way back. Things hanging in there by a wing and a prayer.
Im guessing there is no gasket with aftermarket pipes?
I will change the clamps as they look ready to fall apart and do it all back up.
Cheers Rook and Untamed... thats what i like, a nice easy fix, why couldn't my rotor bolts be that straightforward!

Welcome!

Where abouts in the UK you from Wobbo?