Rotor rubbing after reinstalling wheel

[AvalancheRun]

A rotor is rubbing when reinstalling a rear wheel with hub motor. The rotor does not look bent.

I have tried installing the wheel with the bike upside down, and right-side-up. Tried applying pressure to ensure proper fit of the wheel in both scenarios as well.
Should the brake be adjusted? It seems odd to have to do that when it worked well from the start.

Will be bringing it to the shop (riding it 4 miles..), but wanted to get some thoughts from more knowledgable people.

 

[fooferdoggie]

it just sounds like you dont have the wheel centered. try it with the bike upright loosen the nuts and make sure its fully seated.

 

[indianajo]

A difference in the washer stack could have moved the wheel slightly.
I have no fear of adjusting the caliper in or out to center the pads on the rotor. Bike upside down allows me to see the pads clearly. Different motors have the rotor at different positions, so I have had to compensate as I have worn out 3 motors. Sometimes the caliper needs to be mounted on washers to move it in more. Sometimes the block of the caliper needs to be filed down to move it out more.

 

[AvalancheRun]

it just sounds like you dont have the wheel centered. try it with the bike upright loosen the nuts and make sure its fully seated.

Yes, my thought exactly. I tried reinstalling the wheel 4 times now. It looks fully seated on both dropouts. Still no luck.

The rubbing is in one part of the rotor only. Really odd.

 

[fooferdoggie]

are they mechanical or hydraulic ?

 

[AvalancheRun]

are they mechanical or hydraulic ?

Hydraulic

 

[Ben J]

The calipers are adjustable to avoid rubbing if it's just a minor amount. Probably easier to watch a video than get a text description, but it's pretty easy.

 

[AvalancheRun]

The calipers are adjustable to avoid rubbing if it's just a minor amount. Probably easier to watch a video than get a text description, but it's pretty easy.

Yep, I‘m oddly afraid I broke some thing though. Getting the wheel on and off was a bear.

 

[indianajo]

Yep, I‘m oddly afraid I broke some thing though. Getting the wheel on and off was a bear.

Fold any stand up. Let the air out of the tire. Back off the caliper adjustment one click if it is cable pull and the brake is binding. That is a allen socket on the side of the caliper opposite the side it is installed on.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Hydraulic

ok the easy thing to do is take the wheel off and push the pistons back in with a tire lever. then puttee wheel on and squeeze the lever till the brake is working again and see how it goes.

 

[Gionnirocket]

Yep, I‘m oddly afraid I broke some thing though. Getting the wheel on and off was a bear.

You may have just bumped the caliper when working with the wheel.
Do a basic caliper realignment by loosening the bolts, gently squeezing the lever just enough to have contact. While maintaining the gentle contact spin the wheel once around and then tighten the bolts back up.
You should be perfectly centered now

 

[BikerG]

Agree, I would just do a simple caliper realignment by loosening the caliper mounting bolts. Generally, an easy, one minute adjustment.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Agree, I would just do a simple caliper realignment by loosening the caliper mounting bolts. Generally, an easy, one minute adjustment.

Precisely, AR, you are to loosen the caliper bolts with the bike standing on its wheels, depress the brake lever all the way up and tighten the caliper bolts with the brake lever still depressed.

(Of course, never depress the brake lever with the wheel off as you would need to push the brake pads/pistons with the tyre lever back to the initial position with the wheel removed...)