Spongy brake levers xt

lock1981

Hi, I have a problem with my xt brakes , since changing the hoses to jagwire hydro hoses the levers feel spongy and don't bite, I can pull the lever all the way to the bar on the rear. The front isn't as bad to be honest. Bleed the rear brake twice and still no difference. Can't see any leaks! Oils always full when removing resoviour. Only thing I can thinks the hose is swelling under pressure...

Any thoughts?

cooldad

Not bled properly

nicklouse

cooldad wrote:

Not bled properly

+1

lock1981

Done again today no air bubbles..... Are you saying there is no other option it can be?

nicklouse

from what you say it is air.

Presuming that you have done everything you should have done. aligned the caliper and reset the pistons.

lock1981

Yeah removed the pads and put the bleed pad in . Removed the caliper and the brake line dangling bled brakes attached back to bike aligned caliper. Still the same!! Bites bit you can still pull the brake all the way to the grips

nicklouse

so the pads are to far away or you have air in the system.

lock1981

just followed the instructions i got with the brakes!! i thought the xt brakes adjusted the pads themselves?

so how do i rectify the pads being to far away then?

will bleeding the brakes still attached to the bike sort it then?

nicklouse

lock1981 wrote:

just followed the instructions i got with the brakes!! i thought the xt brakes adjusted the pads themselves?

so how do i rectify the pads being to far away then?

will bleeding the brakes still attached to the bike sort it then?

yes they do but you still have to reset them or they have to move a lot.

no.

So are the pistons moving a lot?

cooldad

Squeeze the brakes with the wheels off and then prise them apart just enough to fit the disc in.
If that doesn't work, bleed them properly.

lock1981

No the pistons aren't moving loads. The brakes bite but after the lever will still pull all the way to bar the pistons touch when the lever is pulled a quarter in.


If that makes sense



Il try reseting the pistons as stated above tomorrow. I have the red spacer that came with them

cooldad

Then they need bleeding.

CraigXXL

Need bleeding properly

nicklouse

cooldad wrote:

Then they need bleeding.

+1

back to to the start.

lock1981

I'll take it to the lbs then..... FFS I can't see how there's still any bubbles in there been bled three times no bubbles game out last two times. Been reversed bled too FFS

Gwaredd

Does the lever become harder if you pump it several times ( :oops: )

Immediately after you've bled it, leaving the bleed block in, is the lever hard when you squeeze it, or does it still go to the bar?

When you're reverse bleeding it (from the calliper up into the reservoir) are you rotating & tapping the calliper whilst pushing fluid in? Don't forget to draw some back into the syringe & top up the reservoir whilst doing so.

Good instructional vid here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFuwoEYvt_w

If it's still bad after all that, re-fit the old lines & see if it cures it. If it does, then it's your new hoses at fault.

MattJWL

Gwaredd wrote:

Does the lever become harder if you pump it several times ( :oops: )

I love it when you talk dirty...

dunker

might just need the giving lever reach screws a tweak, clears up similar probs on my older LX brakes. if not can the XT's be "back bled"? that is flushing fluid through the caliper and draining through the lever.

cloudynights

sounds like air in line, drain oil out and refill from the caliper end keep pulling on lever and tap brake hose, go and have a brew chat to the wife whatever then come back and pump lever and tap hose again if this fails open caliper bleed nipple and pull on brake lever keep topping up lever res, watch for air pockets coming out in the bleed tube, keep doing this till you get hard lol brake levers

lock1981

I done all this lads.... Its slightly better.... But only slighty

When the bleed block in the levers are hard with no sponge just when I put the pads back in.

Can feel the cable swelling in my fingers when the sponge happens.

I'm still thinking cable swell

nicklouse

lock1981 wrote:

I done all this lads.... Its slightly better.... But only slighty

When the bleed block in the levers are hard with no sponge just when I put the pads back in.

Can feel the cable swelling in my fingers when the sponge happens.

I'm still thinking cable swell

sorry IMPOSSIBLE if the hose was swelling it would not mater if the pads were in or the bleed block, you "can" apply the same pressure so you "could" cause it to swell in either case.

let them bed in. and pistons settle down.

Gwaredd

What Nick said RE the hoses. If it was hose swell, the lever would be spongy regardless.

Here's an idea. Slip some old worn pads in & bleed in situ, then remove the old pads, clean the rotor of oil & then slide the pistons back just far enough to fit your new pads in. Finally, refit the reservoir cap.

This way you'll have the maximum amount of fluid in.