Brake pad rubbing rotor

P1Fanatic

Ive got an '09 Spesh Rockhopper with Avid Juicy 3 SL's. Recently I can hear the front rotor rubbing the pads and sounds like roughly once per rotation.

Ive found the manual online which says to align the calipers, untighten the caliper screws, squeeze the lever 5 times, leave compressed then tighten the screws back up. This seems to work a little but once Ive had the wheel off for transportation and back on againt its back to square one.

Ive just noticed that when I mount the the wheel on the fork and dont close the quick release, if I rotate the wheel by hand its fine. There is a slight rub once per rotation but the wheel seems to rotate freely enough. If I then tighten the quick release to closed position the drag is worse and with the same force the wheel only rotates 4-5 times before coming to a stop. So its like the tightening of the quick release is pulling the rotor too near the left side pad. Ive tried not tightening it as much but no help.

Any tips? My fitness is bad enough without having to exert more effort with a less than free flowing front wheel.

Cheers
Simon

Bikehawk

You could try taking some of the slack up on the right before tightening the quick release. If it only seems to be rubbing once every rotation then there is a chance that the rotor may be very slightly warpped. Worth having a look at it whilst spinning the wheel.

nicklouse

you are not refitting the wheel correctly/the same way each time.

so you will find the rubbing coming and going.

kdawg74

Not a good idea to not do your QR up as tight, mucho pain when wheel falls out.
Best thing to do is do as you have done per the manual then when you have centered the caliper spin the wheel while looking down on the caliper from above, while slowly spinning the front wheel.
When the wheel is spinning you will see what part of the rotor the pads are touching, when found slightly loosen off the caliper bolts and move the caliper over a smidge, it wont take much then re tighten the bolts.
Spin the wheel to see if still rubbing, you might not get it first time.

P1Fanatic

I take as much slack as is possible up with the thumb screw on the right hand side of the hub. I cant tighten it any more with just finger power.

I thought maybe it was the way I was fitting it but how many ways can you actually do it.

supersonic

You turn the nut until you feel tesnion in the QR lever start to ramp up at just less than 90 degrees from closed. Then you shut it.

P1Fanatic

kdawg74 wrote:

When the wheel is spinning you will see what part of the rotor the pads are touching, when found slightly loosen off the caliper bolts and move the caliper over a smidge, it wont take much then re tighten the bolts.
Spin the wheel to see if still rubbing, you might not get it first time.

Just so Im clear. When you talk about loosening the caliber bolts you mean the ones with with arrows pointing on picture 6 of this manual:

http://www.bike-manual.com/brands/klein ... efijnp.pdf

Cheers
Simon

nicklouse

these ones



http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-hel ... th-changes

kdawg74

Yep as nick has pointed out.

iasgair

I have the Juicy five's which have the same setup and issues as yours. I ride in very mucky conditions in the north of scotland and have these setup issues.
These are the steps I follow to make sure proper alignment.

- clean out the drop outs in your forks (make sure no grit etc creating offsett)

- clean axles where they sit on drop outs

- install wheel with enough QR pressure to hold firm but not so much that you are (even slightly) changing spacing between drop outs. Finger pressure not whole hand.

- spin wheel slowly and watch the rotor, is it flat ? (if in doubt fit cable tie to fork rotate so tag end just touching rotor then respin, wobble will be more obvious) if bent either flatten or replace. remove cable tie!

- lossen caliper bolts as indicated above and apply brake.

- while still applying brake tighten caliper bolts in turn bit by bit. NOT just one side all the way in, then the other as this will almost certainly misalign the calipers.

- release pressure and spin wheel, hopefully solved!

if not then lossen caliper bolts insert stiff paper/thin card between rotors and pads both sides and repeat tightening procedure.

This has solved my alignment issues everytime.