What am I doing wrong? (Disc brakes)

redddraggon

So I got my first proper MTB last week, threw it in the car with the wheels off to go visit my parents. Any didn't have time to go riding in the end, so I get back home and try to put the wheels back on - proper ballache.

Finally get the wheels in. But the brakes are rubbing. Been through all the youtube videos on how to do it, but they are still rubbing - loosened off the callipers, held the brake down, fastened up the callipers - still rubbing.

TBH if it's like this everytime I take the wheels off I'm not going to get any riding done!

What am I doing wrong?

cooldad

The brakes are?

But probably just ride it and they'll come right.
And don't pull the levers with the wheels out, or use spacers.

redddraggon

Shimano BR-M447

cooldad

Just make sure that callipers are centred and ride them.

philcubed

I did the same when I first got my bike with hydraulic brakes, except the brakes had pretty much closed together as, when putting the bike in the car, the brake lever had got pressed. Took me ages to get the pads apart enough to get the wheel back in! You need to take the wheel off again, take the pads out and with something flat and smooth (so you don't damage the pistons), push the pistons back home into their housing. Put the pads back in, wheel in and pump the brakes a few times to set them back to normal. Like cooldad says, next time put a spacer between the pads if putting the bike in the car with the wheels off.

supersonic

Also do the quick release up at the same force.

redddraggon

What do you use a spacer? A bit of sheet metal about 2mm thick?

jimothy78

redddraggon wrote:

What do you use a spacer? A bit of sheet metal about 2mm thick?

That will do - anything about that size, held in place with a rubber band.

However, the brakes should have come with clip-in plastic spacers when new - if you bought the bike in a shop, go back and ask for them.