Avid Juicy 3 Overhaul - Looks fun but have a question.

Criller

Hello,

I'm about to embark on an adventure and give my Avid Juicy 3 brakes an overall. One I'm not particularly looking forward to but if it saves me £50 but not having the LBS do it I'll give it a go.

After reading lots of useful posts on this site and watching the videos on YouTube I have one question.

Is it best to bleed the brakes with the new pads in using the Avid pad spacer or should I bleed with pads out using bleed block? It's not too clear which bleed block to use but I'm guessing out of the three provided only one will fit?

Thanks

PJ

nicklouse

blocks.

and read the manual.

CharlieH

Block! You WILL spill some fluid and if it gets on the new pads they will be useless

My blocks state which model and year on them and the year is marked on my callipers

And forget the manual, use the video on the SRAM website, it's slightly different order but seems to work better then the manual instructions

Anonymous

Blocks (enjoy trying to get the pistons back far enough for them to fit though, and might have to unbolt the calliper if the mount/forks/etc get in the way).

Only one will fit so easy to know which works.

Use the video.

Be very careful where you spill the fluid as it will eat through everything.

Need patience to get all the bubbles out, but don't pull the syringe too far as you let more air in and it's a nightmare then.

and...

Good luck!

In my experience Juicy 3s will never be the same as they were originally even with a damn good bleed. Terrible brakes. Eternally spongy levers, pads are annoying to fit and the spring clips will hit the discs often rubbing and pinging the things so have to take them out, try again, take them out, try again, repeat.

felix.london

jeez...they sound like a nightmare!

After doing my first bleed/full oil change on my Deore's I reckon I could do it again with my eyes closed!

A 10mm allen key, a bit of telephone cable outer, a plastic bag & an elastic band. Sorted

Criller

The pistons will not go back snug enough to avoid the new pads binidng on the rotor.

The bleed block went in okay but you can feel that the pistons and not snug with the caliper body. Still went ahead with the bleed hoping they were back enough! But to no avail.

I'll try to put a little oil on a cotton bud and clean around the piston just to see if I can get them back to be snug against caliper.Any other ideas?

Squarepants

Buy new brakes

Anonymous

I'd be interested to know myself. I've done the flat bladed screwdriver trick with old pads to force them back, but can never get them fully back.

Oh, tip though with the rotor. Couple of pieces of card, about business card width, between rotor and pads both sides before you first squeeze the brake lever. Pump the lever a bit, release and remove the card.

There's a better chance then that it'll leave a little gap between pad and rotor and not rub.

Squarepants wrote:

Buy new brakes

That would be my choice. Got X0s on my new rig. Not my choice, came with it, but they're fancy expensive brakes anyway so what the hell. At the moment seem to be much better brakes and I like the pad & clip design (well they're elixirs basically). Like the idea that apparently the pads can be replaced without removing the wheel!

MountainMonster

I had Juicy 3s, and after 4 bleeds I just threw the damn things away. Not worth the money IMO, and it's an excuse to buy some bling parts

Criller

Got there in the end!

Took the new pads out, put old ones back in, flat blade screw driver in between and twisted. A little more aggression this time. One piston went all the way in, the other almost but not quite. Did the above with caliper off bike.

Put new pads back in. Pushed in spacer which was still a little snug so unscrewed bleed screw which allowed me to push the spacers in a tad more.

Fitted caliper back to bike and did a second bleed with pads/spacer in.
Used two bits of card as suggested and adjusted the caliper on its bracket. No rubbing whatsoever now.

Just one question - when pushing the fluid from the caliper syringe to the lever syringe should it be difficult? The first time I had some resistance but eventually the fluid flowed through to the lever syringe. The second time it was very difficult. the fluid didn't appear to want to go anywhere.

Brake is fine now lever has a spongy feeling to it like deadkenny said.
I’ll probably look at replacing the brakes. I’ll create another post asking for recommendations.

That’s enough for this weekend I’ll do the front brake next weekend. Time for a beer!
Thanks for all you advice.