Stiff front wheel

roverthehill

Hi,
Bought a 2nd hand boardman team 2012 fs and it all seams sound except the front wheel is very stiff. I took out the pads and the pistons are fairly flush - one maybe out just a little. When I popped the pads back in, it was pretty tight to get the disc back in. Took it for a 60 min spin hoping it would loosen up but no better if not a little worse.

Any suggestions?

dantheman1979

Loosen the bleed bolt on the brake caliper and let a little fluid trickle out until you can get the piston completely flush. I had the same problem after fitting new pads to my avid elixirs and letting a bit of fluid out sorted it.

Chunkers1980

I really would not do that. Push harder first.

cooldad

This^^^^^^^^^^^.
But is the wheel tight (bearings) or the brake binding?

roverthehill

how would I check the wheel bearings? With no pads in, the wheel in completely free. When I insert the pads, there is only a small gap and it's a real squeaze to get the disc in. Consequently, the pads rub like heck to the disc and hence the stiff one (I think anyway). It only takes a slight touch to the brake lever to lock the wheel completely so letting a touch of fluid out sounds plausible and like I said, one of the pistons sits a couple of mm out. better to do this at the brake caliper or levers?

cooldad

As chunkers said, push them back properly first.

roverthehill

cheers. what's the best tool - spanner?

cooldad

I leave the pads in, use a big screwdriver and turn it like a key.

roverthehill

tried the screwdriver and that seemed to help. Still very little clearance though and a lot of rub. Not just as bad but not great...

chez_m356

roverthehill wrote:

tried the screwdriver and that seemed to help. Still very little clearance though and a lot of rub. Not just as bad but not great...

so a boardman team fs, assuming they are elixir 3's, have you realigned the calliper ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt3XRYiFsqg

roverthehill

yeah, that's the technique I have been using thanks. I let out a tiny bit of brake fluid and tried to reset the pistons. One piston seems a little stiffer than the other - is that typical? I let it out a few mm and lubed it with brake fluid so I think it's a bit better. Still doesn't go back quite flush though and still get bad rubbing when I pop the disc back in and reallign caliper. Even if i have the calipier loose and pistons back as far as i can get them, the disc won't run free completely.
The wheel is more free so rideable, maybe just take it out a few times to wear the discs a bit? Alternatively it looks like removing a touch more fluid and trying harder to reset that piston?

craig t

I'd say you've got a siezed piston. Get a new set of brake pads and use the old ones to push the pistons all the back in, use a bigger screwdriver if you need then pull lever to bring pistons back out and repeat a few times,use a bit of oil or similar to lube the sides of the pistons.I'd take the brake off the bike and use a vice to hold the caliper and have the lever higher than the caliper when pulling it. Both pistons should have the same amount of movement. Hth

bennett_346

Every time i change the pads on my elixirs i have this issue. For the last 2 years at least. Still haven't come up with a solution other than manhandling.

Oh by the way if the pistons are seized you'll not free them for any length of time. It's a chronic design flaw, they just keep seizing between pad changes.

roverthehill

Just want to say thanks to everyone above for their help. Think i tried a bit of everything, but I think lubing the piston with break fluid and use a bit of brute force to get it back in did the trick. Front wheel free as a bird and rides a beaut. About 4 hours of frustration to fix it but worth it. Thanks again guys.