Deuce
Well-Known Member
Here is finally a write up on how to install a set of YFZ 450 front calipers on a Warrior. This has been previously done on Banshee's and documented on other forums, but I figured I'd share this with everyone to show that it also works on the Warrior as well
Tools needed are as follows:
Ratchet
14mm Socket
22mm Socket or Wrench
12mm Socket or Wrench
8mm Wrench (socket optional)
Metal snips
Optional: Good music and Beer of choice
1) Lift the front of the quad and remove the wheels by taking off the lug nuts with your 14mm socket.
2) If you still have the brush guards on, you will need to remove the front hub nut with your 22mm socket or wrench and remove the hub from the spindle so you will be able to remove the caliper, with the hub. Remove the caliper by unbolting the 2 12mm bolts that bolt the caliper bracket to the spindle knuckle. I have previously removed the brush guards and do not run them so it made life tons easier for me as I was able to leave my hub and rotor on.
You can see in the photo that the calipers are different as well as the brackets. Don't be alarmed, you can use the bracket on the YFZ calipers with no modifications at all to the bracket, and the bolt pattern and spacing is exactly the same. You may notice that there are little tabs on the YFZ bracket, which I have circled one of them in red (gotta love my ms paint skill). Do not worry about these, they keep the pads in line as they wear down. They do rest a little close to the rotor, but have plenty of clearance, and will cause no issues.
3) Bolt YFZ calipers to the knuckle. If you had to remove the hub, it will have to be installed at the same time just in the reverse of what it was removed, but instead with YFZ calipers and not the Warrior calipers. Make sure that the brake bleeder is facing up so that they can be properly bled later (push the air up). Re-use the bolts that were used to for the Warrior bracket. The YFZ bolts, if your calipers came with them, will be too long and will hit the rotor.
Note: if you have the brush guards and are deciding to continue to use them, you will now need to use the metal/tin snips and trim them around the caliper so that the calipers will fit.
4) Remove brake line and banjo bolt from Warrior calipers using your 12mm socket or wrench again. I save this step until now so that I would minimize my mess and the time I would have to spend working in it. Also remember to put something on the ground to catch the brake fluid (I didn't do this initially) because otherwise you will make a mess.
5) (Now this part was trial and error until I found what I felt was the best way to route the brake hose). Remove the banjo bolt and copper washers from the brake line and put them through the opposite direction. Now twist the line until it resembles the routing I am using. You may want to remove the hose from the A-Arm as well to give yourself more slack. The hose should pass down in its normal routing but create an S to the rear and go under the castle nut that bolts the upper a arm ball joint to the knuckle.
6) Bolt the brake line to the caliper. For this routing to work best, hold the line so that it comes in almost horizontally (do not let the line go up and rest against what looks like the line stop/retention piece). You will see that there is plenty of clearance in the area. And if you removed the brake line from the A-Arm as well you will have plenty of play to work with.
7) Re-attach brake line to A-arm and adjust hose play. I personally left more play on the knuckle side so that the S the line has to make is not as stressed, and more smooth
8) Repeat everything on the other side
9) Bleed your brakes (this helps to have an additional person). This is where you need the 8mm wrench or ratchet for the bleeder screws. I prefer to break them free and finish tighten them with a ratchet, but use a wrench while doing the bleeding. Now personally I feel you should bleed the caliper furthest away from the master cylinder first, so this would be the side that has the clutch lever on the handle bars. I was able to get the YFZ calipers to gravity bleed so that made getting most of the air out simpler, but still you should always bleed them properly to ensure that all of the air is out.
10) Double check to make sure everything is tight (you don't want the brakes to fall off).
11) Re install your wheels, and go out for a spin. If you have been drinking a lot you may want to hold off on taking the quad out until you sober up.
I have found that I had to adjust my front brake lever play so that it was at full adjustment for max pressure. After doing this, it works very well... a lot more feel than the single piston setup. The wheels will lock up, but you have much more front brake feel so that braking is even more controlled and a lot better. I didn't go out for a long ride because I wanted to type this up, but I did make sure to give it some hard braking and didn't seem to notice any deterioration in braking ability.
Good luck and enjoy!
Tools needed are as follows:
Ratchet
14mm Socket
22mm Socket or Wrench
12mm Socket or Wrench
8mm Wrench (socket optional)
Metal snips
Optional: Good music and Beer of choice
1) Lift the front of the quad and remove the wheels by taking off the lug nuts with your 14mm socket.
2) If you still have the brush guards on, you will need to remove the front hub nut with your 22mm socket or wrench and remove the hub from the spindle so you will be able to remove the caliper, with the hub. Remove the caliper by unbolting the 2 12mm bolts that bolt the caliper bracket to the spindle knuckle. I have previously removed the brush guards and do not run them so it made life tons easier for me as I was able to leave my hub and rotor on.
You can see in the photo that the calipers are different as well as the brackets. Don't be alarmed, you can use the bracket on the YFZ calipers with no modifications at all to the bracket, and the bolt pattern and spacing is exactly the same. You may notice that there are little tabs on the YFZ bracket, which I have circled one of them in red (gotta love my ms paint skill). Do not worry about these, they keep the pads in line as they wear down. They do rest a little close to the rotor, but have plenty of clearance, and will cause no issues.
3) Bolt YFZ calipers to the knuckle. If you had to remove the hub, it will have to be installed at the same time just in the reverse of what it was removed, but instead with YFZ calipers and not the Warrior calipers. Make sure that the brake bleeder is facing up so that they can be properly bled later (push the air up). Re-use the bolts that were used to for the Warrior bracket. The YFZ bolts, if your calipers came with them, will be too long and will hit the rotor.
Note: if you have the brush guards and are deciding to continue to use them, you will now need to use the metal/tin snips and trim them around the caliper so that the calipers will fit.
4) Remove brake line and banjo bolt from Warrior calipers using your 12mm socket or wrench again. I save this step until now so that I would minimize my mess and the time I would have to spend working in it. Also remember to put something on the ground to catch the brake fluid (I didn't do this initially) because otherwise you will make a mess.
5) (Now this part was trial and error until I found what I felt was the best way to route the brake hose). Remove the banjo bolt and copper washers from the brake line and put them through the opposite direction. Now twist the line until it resembles the routing I am using. You may want to remove the hose from the A-Arm as well to give yourself more slack. The hose should pass down in its normal routing but create an S to the rear and go under the castle nut that bolts the upper a arm ball joint to the knuckle.
6) Bolt the brake line to the caliper. For this routing to work best, hold the line so that it comes in almost horizontally (do not let the line go up and rest against what looks like the line stop/retention piece). You will see that there is plenty of clearance in the area. And if you removed the brake line from the A-Arm as well you will have plenty of play to work with.
7) Re-attach brake line to A-arm and adjust hose play. I personally left more play on the knuckle side so that the S the line has to make is not as stressed, and more smooth
8) Repeat everything on the other side
9) Bleed your brakes (this helps to have an additional person). This is where you need the 8mm wrench or ratchet for the bleeder screws. I prefer to break them free and finish tighten them with a ratchet, but use a wrench while doing the bleeding. Now personally I feel you should bleed the caliper furthest away from the master cylinder first, so this would be the side that has the clutch lever on the handle bars. I was able to get the YFZ calipers to gravity bleed so that made getting most of the air out simpler, but still you should always bleed them properly to ensure that all of the air is out.
10) Double check to make sure everything is tight (you don't want the brakes to fall off).
11) Re install your wheels, and go out for a spin. If you have been drinking a lot you may want to hold off on taking the quad out until you sober up.
I have found that I had to adjust my front brake lever play so that it was at full adjustment for max pressure. After doing this, it works very well... a lot more feel than the single piston setup. The wheels will lock up, but you have much more front brake feel so that braking is even more controlled and a lot better. I didn't go out for a long ride because I wanted to type this up, but I did make sure to give it some hard braking and didn't seem to notice any deterioration in braking ability.
Good luck and enjoy!
