another elixir problem...

bennett_346

I was changing the pads on my elixir R's this afternoon and whilst the front pads went in fine, the rear pads will simply not go in with enough clearance to fit a rotor in between. I pushed the pistons back as far as they would go, but they still stick out 2mm or so, where the front pushed in all the way flush with the rest of the caliper (so lets say 0mm). I cannot physically push them any further back, so i can't fit the new pads in.

There's also nothing wrong with the pads that are going in as i compared them against the old ones to see if the backing plates were thicker or something..

I also noticed that on both brakes the piston on the hose side of the caliper comes out much much more than the other side piston when the lever is pulled, is this a characteristic of the brake or are the non hose side pistons stuck? That could explain the difficulty pushing the rear one back in maybe?

Either way during my hammer fisted approach the rear hose side piston fell out while i was observing the difference in protusion when the lever was pulled so i just popped it back in. Have i caused a problem doing that or will they now need bled? (I'm guessing there's a seal behind them...).

Thanks for any help.

ricardo_smooth

yes they now need a bleed. all you had to do was undo the bleed screw at the lever end and push the piston back. Avid are notorious for overfilling the system on first bleed.

nicklouse

Too much fluid in the system after a poor bleed. Let some fluid out.

And it is not an elixir problem it is a brake problem with people not reading the instructions.

Oh and I guess they will now need a clean and a bleed.

bennett_346

I've never bled the brake, they're OEM and 5 months old. There is also noticeable travel in the levers since the day i got them before any braking comes through, whereas on my mates 1mm movement in the lever before it initiates braking (same brakes). Which should be correct?

I can accept they may have a poor factory bleed.

ricardo_smooth

Your mates have been bled better

bennett_346

That's what i thought. I think they're just tempermental brakes. His needed some fluid released before the pads would fit... Stupid things.

ricardo_smooth

One of the reasons I got rid of my avids. Completely as you describe from the get go. Both sets of shimanos I have got are no trouble at all.

bennett_346

I'd get rid of them like a shot if money wasn't part of the equation. Unfortunately being a student i use what's there and available

Anyway thanks for your help pal.

ricardo_smooth

No worries. If you can manage it when your loan next drops, even the new deore brakes are good :-)

bennett_346

Tempting but unfortunately all my next loan drop is going towards a car