Tioz Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 (edited) There's no way and I say NO WAY I can get these darn brakes to work New disk, new caliper, new pads and new lever (speed dial 7), I mount everything according to manual but the stupid thing just doesn't work! The caliper is centered on the rotor, the cable slack is taken out but there's NO WAY the pads move enough to actually bite the rotor..all the adjustments are pulled to the maximum and I even tried pulling the brake arm backwards so that the moving pad is a few millimetres to the rotor (according to the manual the brake arm should start at rest position) like this i get ok lever feel..the lever still moves quite alot even if the pad has to move about 1 millimeter I really can't understand why..the old brake was like this too... Could it just be the cable? If the cable was flexing so much I would think it was made of rubber not metal.. Edited May 19, 2011 by Tioz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlperkins Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 hmm.. didnt buy the caliper from ebay from hong kong did you? basically you should be able to bolt the caliper on the forks/frame. run the cable from the lever to the caliper, pull the 'turny thing' till the pad is touching the caliper, let it back a little bit and then do up the bolt so the cable is being held in position, then adjust the red know if you want the pads closer. it sounds to me like you've just attatched the cable to the lever, then attatched it to the caliper without pre-tensioning it. if im wrong and you have pre-tentioned it.. its most likely a very shite cable. its hard to say without looking at the brake to be honest. hope this helps though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tioz Posted May 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 hmm.. didnt buy the caliper from ebay from hong kong did you? basically you should be able to bolt the caliper on the forks/frame. run the cable from the lever to the caliper, pull the 'turny thing' till the pad is touching the caliper, let it back a little bit and then do up the bolt so the cable is being held in position, then adjust the red know if you want the pads closer. it sounds to me like you've just attatched the cable to the lever, then attatched it to the caliper without pre-tensioning it. if im wrong and you have pre-tentioned it.. its most likely a very shite cable. its hard to say without looking at the brake to be honest. hope this helps though. It's pretensioned..with the tektro lever it works ok..even if not how it should because I've had to pull the actuating lever on the caliper quite back at rest I threw the speed dial 7 lever on the back and it works wonders..one finger braking with shite black pads The front cable is a bit stripped but its an odyssey slic..I wound't have thought it's that, but it's the only component left.. I'll just try a bike shop for this time and see if they can fix it properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlperkins Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 hmm tough one. must be the cable then? let me know how you get on though, interested. normally bb5s and bb7s are pretty solid and just work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tioz Posted May 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 hmm tough one. must be the cable then? let me know how you get on though, interested. normally bb5s and bb7s are pretty solid and just work. I've had two bb5 and same problem with both...it's like the lever had to pull to much cable so it never gets to bite the disc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlperkins Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 have you bedded in the pads yet? cos when i got new pads my brakes were shit, had 2 weeks worth of jump bike sesh's, re adjust and they nearly threw me over the bars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tioz Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) have you bedded in the pads yet? cos when i got new pads my brakes were shit, had 2 weeks worth of jump bike sesh's, re adjust and they nearly threw me over the bars. It's not the pads' fault..it more like the lever/cable assembly can't manage to pull them far enough as to make good contact with the rotor I've tried two different calipers and two levers and the problem is always the same..if I setup according to manual: so with the caliper centered on the rotor and the actuating arm at rest position it just can't manage to pull the pads far enough I've had to pull both adjusting barrels to the maximum and make the actuating arm start from a pulled position but even though the pad now has to move about 1mm the lever comes nearly half way back The cable is a bit stripped but it's still an odyssey slic I think..and I can't see why the cable would cause this problem: as I said you could imagine it as the lever not having enough space to pull the cable enough for the pads to bite onto the rotor I'll do some photos and a video this evening.. Edited May 19, 2011 by Tioz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlperkins Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 yeah cool. dunno what else it could be mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 If you're starting with the actuating arm part-pulled then you're not pulling as much cable as you need to move the pads. Sounds most like you're either doing something wrong setting it up or you need new pads. Wind the red adjuster right in. Moving it by hand with no rotor in between do the pads get close enough together that they'd be hitting the rim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Are you using a new inner cable, if i'm installing a new brake set up i'll use a new inner, only a few quid. If so it must be your set up, adjust the speed dial adjustment on the lever right out to give the most solid lever feel. Set the calliper so the fixed pad is as close to the rotor with out hit rubbing excessively/ at all (ensuring the rotor and pad are parallel. Set the cable up as you have been, the calliper arm full extended with the cable tight. Using the pad adjuster on the calliper set the moving pad as close to the disc as is possible without it rubbing. Once set any fine adjustments can be made at the lever using the barrel adjuster and set the speed dial on the lever to suit. If it's still not working then i'm not sure what could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tioz Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Are you using a new inner cable, if i'm installing a new brake set up i'll use a new inner, only a few quid. If so it must be your set up, adjust the speed dial adjustment on the lever right out to give the most solid lever feel. Set the calliper so the fixed pad is as close to the rotor with out hit rubbing excessively/ at all (ensuring the rotor and pad are parallel. Set the cable up as you have been, the calliper arm full extended with the cable tight. Using the pad adjuster on the calliper set the moving pad as close to the disc as is possible without it rubbing. Once set any fine adjustments can be made at the lever using the barrel adjuster and set the speed dial on the lever to suit. If it's still not working then i'm not sure what could be wrong. unfortunately it's a bb5 so I haven't got tha moving pad adjuster..I can just do it with a barrell on the caliper So you both recon the arm should start from rest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 You are using the pad adjuster to move the other pad in though, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 unfortunately it's a bb5 so I haven't got tha moving pad adjuster..I can just do it with a barrell on the caliper So you both recon the arm should start from rest? Sorry forgot it was on the inboard pad that you have an adjuster. If you're getting excessive lever travel then either the cable is stretching like a rubber band or the pads aren't set close enough to the rotor. Should really have the arm at rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tioz Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) You are using the pad adjuster to move the other pad in though, right? Yes of course I consulted with carlperkins up there and we both arrived at the same conclusion that there's no way to get them working leaving the arm at rest All I'll do is keep the arm so the pad is just nearly touching the rotor like it is now..setting up like it says on the manual just doesn't work or perhaps would work if I had a BB7 and could adjust the pad clearance on both sides Edited May 19, 2011 by Tioz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 There is you move the calliper so the disc is nice and close to the rotor without rubbing on the moving pad (outboard) side, then wind the fixed pad closer to the rotor to match. Sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tioz Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 There is you move the calliper so the disc is nice and close to the rotor without rubbing on the moving pad (outboard) side, then wind the fixed pad closer to the rotor to match. Sorted. I'll tweak with that this evening..any suggestions on getting one finger braking? I'm using the stock tektro lever on this now..would another speed dial 7 do the trick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 I'll tweak with that this evening..any suggestions on getting one finger braking? I'm using the stock tektro lever on this now..would another speed dial 7 do the trick? You should be able to get one finger braking with the Tektro lever, but there is certainly no harm in getting a SD7; i find them a nicer shape then most levers and the SD adjustment is handy for dialing in lever feel/ power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tioz Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 You should be able to get one finger braking with the Tektro lever, but there is certainly no harm in getting a SD7; i find them a nicer shape then most levers and the SD adjustment is handy for dialing in lever feel/ power. No way I'm getting one finger with the tektro..I can just lighten up the rear but it won't block I think the pads or the disc are a bit contaminated though..at the beginning they wouldn't brake and just slipped Is white spirit ok for cleaning them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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