Disc Brake Problems

AndyPatio
AndyPatio Posts: 76
edited September 2014 in MTB workshop & tech
I'm having a lot of problems with my front disc/brake/QR, the brakes are Clarks SX hydraulic disc brakes. The bike is a 2011/2012 Carrera Vulcan.

Every time I remove the front wheel to transport the bike about when I put it back in the pads rub against the disc, I've tried absolutely everything suggested online. The only method that works is loosening the bolts, holding the leaver in while I tighten the bolts back up. I really shouldn't have to do that every ride. Also even if I've just re-seated the caliper and stopped the rubbing, I can take the wheel back out, put it back in and it will rub again and the bike hasn't even moved.

The skewer is fine, its fitted properly. I've tried aligning the caliper with my eye, still get the problem. From day one of buying the bike I noticed the front brake wasn't that good. If I pulled the lever hard it wouldn't lock the front wheel up and now when I ride if I pull the front lever in it rattles all the way up the folks and it looks like the front disc is wobbling, I've been told this is because the pads are contaminated but would this cause all the problems I'm having?

I took out the care plan with Halfords when I bought the bike because my knowledge of bikes is very little. So it will be returning sometime this week hopefully, I just wish I could sort it out so I'm not without my bike for majority of the week.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Comments

  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    You should insert a pad spacer.

    Some rubbing is par for the course sometimes.
  • AndyPatio
    AndyPatio Posts: 76
    Sorry, forgot to add that. While it's being transported in the car it does have a spacer.

    I'm just a bit puzzled to why it rubs after I fit it back into the drop outs and the bike hasn't even moved. The rubbing is really bad as well, it's not just a faint noise. The wheel doesn't spin freely.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Assuming cup and cone hubs, make sure they're adjusted properly. If loose you might get a little movement.
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  • AndyPatio
    AndyPatio Posts: 76
    That's probably the only thing I haven't checked. I'll go have a look now.
  • Mister_g
    Mister_g Posts: 55
    Bent wheel spindle?
  • AndyPatio
    AndyPatio Posts: 76
    Nope, I've never been able to take the wheel out from day 1. It's just got to the point now where I've had enough and just want it sorting.

    Looks like I'll just take it back and let them find the problem, I just didn't want to be without my bike for 3-5 days at least again.
  • *AJ*
    *AJ* Posts: 1,080
    One of the down sides of QR and open dropouts is that you can easily put the wheel back in slightly out of line.

    Happens a fair bit on my commuter with QR axle, often have to try the wheel in and out the drop outs a couple of times before i get no rubbing. Never happens on my Five with a thru axle.
  • penguin_of_death
    penguin_of_death Posts: 219
    A lot of the clarks brakes seem to come slightly overfilled from the factory and benefit from having a few drops of fluid removed when new otherwise they are a very snug fit on the disks - does the front lever have much travel when the wheel/caliper is placed correctly?
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Happened to me the wheel was a Mavic and the fork was a Rockshox Recon U-Turn. I had to put a mark on the hub end cap and align it with another mark on the fork to make sure I got it in exactly the same way each time or it rubbed. Swapped the fork to a Reba and no bother just slung the wheel in and no rubbing. Nothing is ever perfectly straight and sometimes a combination of wheel, forks and brakes just wont play nice together no matter how much tweaking you do.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • AndyPatio
    AndyPatio Posts: 76
    The lever comes in about half way when everything is seated properly and there is no rubbing. I've just spend all day trying different angles and finally got the wheel to stop rubbing. I've got to tilt the wheel ever so slightly to the right side when the bike is upside down on its seat and it stops the rubbing.
  • cookymonster
    cookymonster Posts: 107
    pistons on them calipers are rubbish !
    got 2 mates with same brakes on their bikes and they were having same problem with pads rubbing / binding on discs .
    I stripped their calipers and cleaned the piston seals and their seats used a little grease on seals and cleaned refitted pistons and not had problem since .
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    AndyPatio wrote:
    The lever comes in about half way when everything is seated properly and there is no rubbing. I've just spend all day trying different angles and finally got the wheel to stop rubbing. I've got to tilt the wheel ever so slightly to the right side when the bike is upside down on its seat and it stops the rubbing.
    If it's that consistent, the realigning the calliper should fix it.....
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • AndyPatio
    AndyPatio Posts: 76
    I took the caliper off and put the wheel in, made sure it was in the dropouts perfect and then put the caliper back on, lined it back up and it didn't rub. I took the wheel off and boom, back to square one!

    So now I'm just going to leave the caliper and just try and angle the wheel in the dropouts to stop the rubbing.

    EDIT: How hard would it be to clean the caliper, pistons etc to see if that stops the rubbing? Is there anywhere I could maybe get a guide from?

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