Brake pad pin rounded off

Where are my stabilisers?

I've somehow managed to round off the pin which holds the pads in place on my Avid Elixir brakes.

Anyone got any tips on how I can unscrew it? I need to change the pads asap.

Cheers!

edwarj123

You could try and use a hack saw to put a slit across the top of it so you could use a small flat head screwdriver to undo it.

The same thing happened to mine but I mananged to squirt a little wd40 on it and get it off using a pair of pliers and holding the allen key at a slight angle.

Where are my stabilisers?

Glad you said that - I had the same idea this morning! Now I have some confidence in the fact that it'll work

Already tried pliers and GT85 yesterday, but no go. Hack saw and flat head will do it - Cheers for the help!

paulbox

Stick a pair of mole grips on it.

Where are my stabilisers?

Oh sh!t, this isn't working :shock:

I now have a rather mangled looking screw and lots of iffy paintwork - nothing is working! I can't get a grip on the thing with anything - it's so bloody small and in an awkward place! I've tried several different hack saws to cut a flat head slit, but it's just made a mess of it. I've tired mole grips, but the ones I've got are too big and wont grip the poxy thing :evil:

Is this poxy little 50p screw really gonna cost me the price of a new brake? :shock:

Deputy Dawg

There a a couple of tricks that might work depending on how mangled the head now is. Ultimately you really would've wanted to try them before getting the hacksaw out.

1: tap in a similar size torx bit into the bolt head & undo.
2: screw an 'easy out' into the bolt head (I've had success just using the rounded allen key hole before but you may need to carefully drill a pilot hole & use a smaller one. their more prone to breaking them though & your fubared if they do)
3: If all else fails I find a cutting disc on a rotary tool (dremmel) easier to cut a slot with than a hacksaw.

cee

avid pad retaining bolts are made of cheese.

cutting it is a pest because of the small oval recess it sits in.

i have had success with a torx bit....bang (gently...actually tap is the right word) into the hex and unscrew it.

you will need another pad retaining pin too.

time to phone around the bike shops locally to see who has them (good luck, take chocolate hobnobs.)......