Shinamo Tiagra - Stuck brake callipers

tarquin_foxglove

I've ridden in twice on the commuter this week and the salt is already causing the callipers to stick after applying the brakes.

I gave the calipers & the exposed bits of cable a liberal spraying with GT85 last night and although better this morning, they are still not returning to their normal position.

Is there a quick way to free them up, without removing from the bike & stripping them down etc?

I'd like to ride in tomorrow and I don't want to spend ages in the garage or bring the bike into the kitchen.

UndercoverElephant

Although removing them, stripping them and cleaning properly is the best way, I have had some success with mine when taking the wheel out, squeezing them quite tight and spraying WD40 in the exposed innards. A good wipe of the gunk later and you have a (temporarily) working brake.

craker

I gave up on my rear one after trying to strip it, once the spring was in the wrong place I couldn't reassemble it.

When my front calipers went the same way I loosened them up by tweaking (undoing) the bolt that's hidden behind the front caliper. You have to get the brake off the frame to get access though.

pst88

I had a similar problem last week and cleaned a load of gunk out of my rear calliper by sliding a baby wipe in the gap between the two moving parts. Worked like a charm, didn't have to remove it from the bike. Obviously it depends on how much dirt you've got in there and where it's positioned but if it's only 2 rides worth it might be worth a go?

benno68

I get the same problem with Tiagra calipers, I had to remove them and give them a good clean on the weekend. I haven't found a quick way that does the job.

Is it just Tiagra calipers does the same problem occur with 105's, Ultegra etc?

redvee

I've found most callipers will grind to a halt over time. I just put a pair of Tektros on the project bike and greased the pivots etc before fitting them to the bike.

HadronCyclist

+1 for remove the wheel, squeeze them by hand as tight as you can, then flush all moving parts with a light degreaser and then lubricant. This is fine as a quick fix, but really, stripping them off the frame and giving them a clean takes about 30 min and leaves them shiny like new!

weapons

I found pouring boiling water over the pivots to dissolve the salt caked in the pivot worked when my 105 caliper seized.

desweller

I'd probably:

a) take the wheel out and the pads off to avoid getting oil on them
b) pour some warm water over the brakes and squeeze and release them a few times
c) dose thoroughly with WD40 and squeeze and release them a few times
d) squirt some engine oil in there and squeeze...well you get the idea
e) refit pads and wheel

should stop them getting seized up again for a long time.

tarquin_foxglove

Thanks for the tips.

Baby wipe & WD40 got me through friday and I was able to give them a thorough clean on Saturday and they worked well today.

Next purchase will be 700x23 tyres so I can fit crudcatchers to keep the road grime off them.

I must be getting old.

kr1s

mudgaurds are a must, they look awful but pay dividends when it comes to keeping all the winter grime and salt below the wheel line and off your clothes too - my tiagra cantilevers havent missed a beat, even through the coldest december on record