Knackered seal on my Avid Juicy 3

chedabob

I've managed to damage the secondary seal on my front brake. The seal is now bulging outwards, and there's a tiny bit of grease that leaked out. Brake still works fine. Should I try and fix it, or would I be better off just getting a new front brake? It's looking like it'll cost at least £10 for a new seal, £30 for a bleed kit, and possibly more if there's more damage than just that seal.

JonnyN

CRC are doing brand new Juicy 3's for £50 for the 2009 model.....

nicklouse

secondary seal?

which one is that? the rubber gaiter where the push rod enters the lever? or the second seal in the master cylinder, the O ring?

chedabob

It's below the snap-ring.

This is the broken one:

http://imgur.com/XF6HN.jpg

It's the thing that surrounds where the grease is leaking from.

For reference this is the non-broken one:

http://i.imgur.com/mQT3j.jpg

nicklouse

Mmm

Ok under the C clip is a mettal wash that holds the pushrod in place. In contact with a plastic body that has two rubber seals on it.

there is very likely to be grease on the bed of the body that touches the push rod.

the piston body looks a bit like.



but without the snap feature.

better pic in a moment.

nicklouse

there you go.

chedabob

Ok, so do I just need to replace the snap ring and the washer?

nicklouse

why? you say the brakes work fine.

or is this the case where you had a crash an pulled the lever forward?

if so why not but be aware that things may jump out at you when you remove the C clip and a bleed kit will be needed.

chedabob

Yeah this is from the crash. I'm not sure if the levers were pulled forward (they bent down towards the floor), but I guess the front one must have been if it's bent the washer.

I just don't want to ignore it and have problems in the future, but if it's just the washer, I'll be alright?

nicklouse

personally i would leave it