Fitting new Kool-stop brake shoes

BeaconRuth

Right, not sure if I'm going to make sense here but I'm going to try:

Trying to fit new Kool-stop brake shoes on some Shimano 105 calipers. The design/length of the screw is such that as you try to tighten it, the inner bolt comes out through the nut you're trying to tighten, so that you loose purchase with your allen key and can't tighten the nut. I've just about made it work by pinching spare washers off a different bike to pad out the caliper thickness so that I can just about tighten the nut enough, but it's not right at all.

So what's wrong? Are the caliper arms of other makes of brake calipers thicker? Are these brake shoes extremely badly designed? Or am I doing something wrong? (Can't imagine what!)

If nothing else can anyone please reassure me that they've had the same problem?

Ruth

The Mechanic

Ot sounds to me that you have the wrong type of blocks for your brakes. I have koolstops on both my Ultegra equipped bikes and don't have that problem.

BeaconRuth

How would I know if I've got the right or wrong brake shoes? I'm looking at the packet and there's nothing obvious on it such as "fits Campag brake calipers" or "for brake calipers of xx thickness". It does say they were made in the USA - is that a clue to why they don't fit?

Ruth

nicklouse

pics would help so we can see what you have or have not got/have missing.

crankycrank

The package should say Dura Road Holder or Dura Type for your 105's. Pics here. http://www.koolstop.com/brakes/index.ph ... lmon-57343. If not then you have the wrong pads.

Butterd2

Do you not have the existing shoes from your 105's? Mine already have shoes so I just slip the worn pad out and replace that.

canamdad

I had the same problem with these. The threaded post is too long for the width of the brake and, consequently, the end of the post sticks through the allen key nut before the holder is tight.. I was able to find some shims in my kit (possibly chainring spacers) that filled up the space. Send or take them back to where you bought them. There must have been some mistake in manufacturing is all I can think of.

BeaconRuth

@crankycrank - The full description on the packaging is "Road Pad Holder and Pad Set", which doesn't exactly match any description on your link. No mention of 'Dura' anywhere on the packaging. But looking through your link they most closely resemble the 'Dura Road Holder.'

@Butterd2 - I used to have the kind of brake pads which are integral with the shoe - so you can't just change the pad, you have to have a whole new brake block in its entirety. However, when I've tried to get replacement all-in-one brake blocks all the shops say you can't get them any more.

@canamdad - Thank you! That was the kind of reassurance I was looking for - someone else with the same problem. I'll probably manage with extra washers but I guess I just wanted reassurance it wasn't just me. Maybe these are some kind of cheap imitation brake shoes but I can't recall where I got them from (some time ago now) so I don't have the option of taking them back.

crankycrank

Maybe best to email Koolstop at this point. It could be, defective, missing washers from the package, or requires re-using the existing washers from the old holders. It's worth a try as they may offer to correct the problem for you free of charge.