"V" brakes - pads and adjusting

acr

Hi Folks.

My hybrid bike has Vuelta V brakes. The pads have bolts that are bang in the middle of the pads ie. same amount of pad fore and aft, however many pads seem to have 1/3rd of the pad ahead of the bolt and 2/3rds behind. The replacement pads I have are the latter style. If I'm replacing one type with the other does it make a blind bit of difference ?

Also, any guides out there for adjusting 'em ? When pulling the lever one calliper (?)hardly moves and doesn't want to spring back either, the other is fine. I've had a play with the adjusting screw and can't make any difference. I've stripped 'em, lubed and re-greased, all looks well. Can it be the cable tension ?

Ade

stu8975

Na wont make any difference, should work better. Did you lube the brake pipe aswell? As far as adjusting them (spring tension), try backing off the screw on the opposite side to the one thats not springing, if that doesnt fix it, take the caliper off and put it the high (top hole) tension setting on the brake boss (there should be 3 holes - prob be on the middle as default)

lordhelmet

if your caliper won't spring back, just unclip the spring and bend it slightly so it has more tension

dave_s

Make sure the pads are 'toed in' so that the front is a couple of millimetres closer to the rim than the back of the pad.

It's common to have to bend the spring on V-brakes to tension them.
A bit of WD40 on the brake bosses before you put the cantis on helps too along with plugging the tail end of the spring into the lowest hole in the brake boss to provide more spring tension helps.

Never really had probs adjusting V-brakes if I followed those rules.

acr

Cool thanks all, good advice. Wasn't aware that it was common practice to bend springs to tension 'em. Will have a play tonight.


Ade

mtb.boy

What does "toeing in" the brake pads do?

dave_s

Toeing in the pads stops them squealing
Pity you can't do it on hydros