Loud clunk when applying front brake

[jmech]

Hi Guys, has anyone else experienced a knocking from the front end when braking. It almost feels as though there is excessive play on the caliper/disc.
I had a quick look but could feel nothing wrong, i will investigate further at the weekend, but thought i would drop a quick post on this superb forum, and see if any of you clever chaps have experienced this before. :)

[c00k1e]

Whatcha, the only thing I can think of is a loose caliper bolt or the rotors are floating a bit too much. The wavy washers eventually stiffen and need replacing (a bit of a pain as the bolts that hold them on are pre-thread-locked, need replacing and cost a bit more than expected).
If the latter, I have ridden for a while on them like that with no problem but an annoying increase in sound when on rough roads.

[joegottberg]

It may not be too bad.

Since the disc "floats" a little and the rivets wear a little, things can "shift" (a little) when brakes are applied.

The other thing is the pads can shift in the caliper. Overall makes it sound worse than it is.

But be 100% sure your caliper is tight.

If the bolts are tight, wiggle the pads and disc and you'll likely see your problem.

Joe

[Caveno]

It could knock once when the pads hit the rotors, if that's the case its normal on the servo-assisted LT. If its knocking multiple times then it definitely needs to be looked at.

[jmech]

Thanks guys, i have just checked and it appears to be the disc floating too much. Would you recommend changing the bolts or washers..or just live with it. Thanks again. :)

[razman10]

If it ain't broken... Don't fix it!!!

[c00k1e]

Thanks guys, i have just checked and it appears to be the disc floating too much. Would you recommend changing the bolts or washers..or just live with it. Thanks again. :)

Keep going till it just gets too embarrassing to live with. When that day comes you have to change all bolts and washers at once. It may be a good idea if you do that when you exchange the pads.

[dukey33]

On bikes with regular telescoping forks, if the front end clunks when braking, it can be an indication of the head stem bearings getting loose.

I can't really speak to the integrity of the LTs front suspension since I haven't delved into its design eccentricities yet, but it may be worth taking a look to verify all is well up there.