Avid Elixir 3

markhusbands

Hi everyone this is my first post and was seeking some sound advice

I own a Trek MTB and they have the Avid elixir 3 on the bike, from a little research and browsing on here and I can see that these brakes have their issues. Here's what's happening with mine. The rear pads are binding the rotor,when I spin the wheel by hand its spins round twice if that, with the caliper removed the wheel spins perfectly. So far I've removed pads/exposed both pistons and lubricated/pushed pistons all the way back in and put everything back only to bind the rotor again?.I've read on some other forums that undoing the bleed screw on the lever would help or the bleed screw on the caliper as they maybe to much fluid pushing the pads, any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you, Mark.

The Rookie

Letting fluid out would only help if it was overfilled, if the wheel spins OK when you put it in having pushed the pistons back and refitted then it's not overfilled, it's either the pistons or pads sticking, may need more cleaning.

cooldad

And unless you added more fluid, they wouldn't suddenly become overfilled.

markhusbands

Hi guys thanks for your replys, no I haven't added anymore fluid. I'm just a bit baffled as I've taken the caliper off cleaned it twice and lubed the pistons twice, guess I could try cleaning it again and see what happens.

The Rookie

Hold one piston in and CAREFULLY push the other out a bit further than normal so you remove the/any debris as far back as possible, then repeat for the other one. Use brake fluid and leave a small amount as lube before cleaning up the excess, do NOT get it on the pads!

markhusbands

Hi Rookie, I did try that however I don't have any brake fluid at hand, I did use some fork juice as read that would be OK to use,I hope, also just a quick question when I did expose both pistons out to clean them they both came out at the same time smoothly, are they then memnt to retract into the caliper body on there own or is pushing them back into the caliper the only way? As I did notice when I pushed one piston back all the way in,the other piston came out a little bit, cheers

Chunkers1980

Yeah that's fine, the aim it to lube it and not rot the seals.

No not retact right back, you need to push the fluid bacl mechanically, they only retract enough on their own to bring the pads away from the disc.

rockmonkeysc

Are both pads dragging on the rotor or just one side?

markhusbands

Hi, its dragging on both pads againt the rotor.I've gone thru this procedure three times now which consists of the following... Pads out/both pistons exposed at the same time seem to come out smoothl/hold one piston in with a tyre lever/the more exposed pistons clean and lube, visa versa with other piston/put pads back in tighten up QR, and binding pads, may bleed see if that helps what do you think?

WindyG

When you refitted the caliper did you tighten it up with the QR undone?

markhusbands

I tried both QR undone and done up. I have been told it could be trapped air inside the hose soemwhere. Even though the brake lever isn't spongey, I might email avid and see what they have to say.

cooldad

If the lever isn't spongy, it's not air and they don't need bleeding.

abarth_1200

What rotors do you have, might be slightly thicker than avids rotors

markhusbands

**update** hi guys just thought I'd let you all know that I have seemed to of fixed this problem now, I undid the bleed screw at the lever end, and let a couple of drops of fluid out while squeezing the lever as too not let any air in, and it completely freed up my back wheel so is now spinning properly without zero binding, still very slight rotor rub, but to have my wheel spinning more then two times around is a enough for now, well chuffed, thanks for all your advice anyway, mark