Rear Wheel gets harder to turn as I tighten axle nut

[donpearsall]

Does anyone know the reason why my 'busa rear wheel gets harder to turn when I tighten the axle nut to torque specs? It turns freely when the nut is loose, but gets harder to turn (and the chain tightens up) as I tighten the nut. It has all the required spacers so there does not seem to be a real reason for it.

Any ideas?
Thanks
Don

[Cookie]

On the stand or not, Don?

[donpearsall]

Yes, I have it on a PitBull swingarm stand.
Don

[Cookie]

Hmm,,, I am thinking that maybe you have the spacer on the wrong side of the caliper and the wheel? Take a look at that. I have done that before and the same tightening happens.

[donpearsall]

Thanks Cookie,

I just took the whole rear wheel apart, checked spacers, bearings, etc. There was lots of pits from salt and hardened grease, etc, but when I put it all back together it still got harder to spin as I tightened the axle nut. So I got my spare rear wheel and put that on - same thing.
So I sprayed silicone on the rear brake disk and it got easier to spin. I think one of the floating brake pistons is stuck, and when the axle nut gets tightened, the disk rubs against the brake pad and the tighter the axle nut, the harder the disk presses against the stuck piston and pad.

I will take apart the brake tomorrow and make sure it is working ok.

Don

[Cookie]

  Glad you sourced it. It's pretty easy to open the caliper if that is what you are going to do. With a pressurized air line, wrap the caliper in a towel and blow forced air into the caliper bleed valve (valve removed) until it "pops" and breaks the seal. Cleaning is a lot easier then. Good luck!  

[sportbikeryder]

Pretty easy to pull the rear caliper and try tightening the axle to see if it still binds. Also, perhaps the spacers are a tad small. Even though they may be stock, could still possibly be binding the bearings when they are tightened I suppose.

[Ghost-Geezer]

If that slider is stuck.........you might need a new caliper.  At the very least, it will have to be sanded/cleaned up. 

[donpearsall]

Thanks for the advice everyone! All is well now. I just removed the whole caliper unit and cleaned it and recharged with fluid and now there is no dragging. I am hoping that this thread will help someone else out with the same problem. just pull off the caliper like SportBikeRyder suggested and if the wheel turns freely again, it is a stuck caliper. The problem, as with many of my problems is 5 years racing on the salt. Salt eats everything. Even plastic.
Don

[fvance]

Don, will you be at Speedweek this year?

[donpearsall]

Hi Fred. No SpeedWeek for me, just BUB. Still hard at work and the bike is still in pieces. Are you going to BUB?
Don

[fvance]

No Don, i am an SCTA guy.