Rear brake caliper advice..

gary.hounsome
gary.hounsome Posts: 296
edited February 2014 in Workshop
My sora brake calipers are 4 yrs old now, and the rear one doesn't seem right.

Usually when you flick the 'lever' 'up it pulls the pads nicely away from the rim. At the moment the pads hardly move at all. If I tighten the nut behind the drivers side mech it's too tight and if I loosen it then the pads do move out a little but not enough, then the mech for the right side pad is loose.

Not sure what is going on in there, front caliper seems fine, braking doesn't seem effected but I'm concerned it may end up failing, any ideas?

Comments

  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    When did you last change the cable outers (in terms of miles, not months/years!)? If you detach the cable from the brake, does the caliper behave normally or does it still stick?
    Faster than a tent.......
  • gary.hounsome
    gary.hounsome Posts: 296
    cables an outers in last few hundred miles, so all should be good there, always maintained
  • Semantik
    Semantik Posts: 537
    edited February 2014
    caliper central pivot bolt crudded up. bike ridden without full 'guards?
  • taon24
    taon24 Posts: 185
    Start with the brake set up as normal.
    You then use the cam lever which usually separates the pads, but in this case doesn't
    If you then apply pressure to where the brake pads attach to the callipers in order to widen the callipers do they come further apart and stay apart?
    If not then I suggest that the set up of the cabling is off.

    If they do then the spring in the calliper is unable to overcome the friction in the pivots under current conditions.
    Presumably Road gunk/rust/oxidation has gotten into the pivots of the brake.
    Assuming the spring is in reasonable shape (It usually will be) then the pivots have too much friction, meaning the brake doesn't spring open. The solution is cleaning the callipers, lubricating the pivots, and considering replacement if unsuccessful

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