Front Disc Brake Rubbing

Ritchez

Bought a Giant Talon 4 a few weeks back and there seems to be an issue with the front disc brake. The rubbing first started when I pressed down on the brake by mistake when my wheel was off.

I looked online and the problem was easy enough to fix..,

- Loosen the caliper
- Suppress the front brake.
- Tighten the caliper.

This always fixes the problem, which is great.

However, every time I remove and re-attach the front wheel (so that the bike can fit in my car), the problem keeps coming back and I need to follow the above steps every time I re-attach the wheel.

As I said, I know how to fix the rubbing, but I'm getting sick of having to loosen and tighten the calipers each time I take the wheel on and off. This means I always have to carry a 5mm Hex Key with me for each journey.

I've tried putting a piece of cardboard or a £2 coin in between the pads as soon as I take the wheel off, but this doesn't seem to fix the problem and again I have to follow the above steps to fix the problem.

Any ideas how to fix this? Just frustrating having to do this every time I need to make a journey via car. I guess I could invest in a bike-rack but surely there is an easier option?

CitizenLee

Buy a new rotor?

photonic69

I had this on my 29er. It was a very slightly out of true axle or the face of the hub nut lock nuts was slightly out. I scribed some marks on the flat of the hubnut lock nut and then set the caliper so it didn't rub. If I replace the wheel and axle always in the same orientation to the drop out then the caliper won't rub.

It works for me but as they say YMMV.

The Rookie

"Suppress the brakes"? What did you do, shout at them or put them in an arm lock?

Sounds like user error, there is no way the brakes can be doing that by themselves, if it comes out not rubbing, then put back in the same place it won't rub, making sure it's in the dropout correctly and that the qr is the same tension are two obvious things.

Ritchez

The Rookie wrote:

"Suppress the brakes"? What did you do, shout at them or put them in an arm lock?

Sounds like user error, there is no way the brakes can be doing that by themselves, if it comes out not rubbing, then put back in the same place it won't rub, making sure it's in the dropout correctly and that the qr is the same tension are two obvious things.

What do you mean by QR is the same tension?

Chunkers1980

Exactly that I'd imagine. When done up keep doing it up to the same tension.

Ritchez

Think I understand, so when tightening up the QR it should be the same tension as what I had it set to before I removed the wheel?

AndyPatio

I had the exact same problem. I thought there was something definitely wrong. It turns out it was just how I was putting the wheel it. Just make sure the disc is lined up in the middle of the calliper and just tighten it up bit by bit with the quick release and then take note of how many turns of the QR lever you did for when you take the wheel off and put it back on.

markhusbands

Yes over tightening the qr can cause rubbing. Disc brakes to rub tho,you get use to it after a bit and then don't notice as much. I have avids so I've heard it all!

kajjal

Make sure you have both the springs on the QR properly as they help live the wheel up properly.

The Rookie

Not sure how as they don't touch the forks at all.....

kajjal

The Rookie wrote:

Not sure how as they don't touch the forks at all.....

The ones on the axel either side. I once lost one and it was harder to get the wheel in straight with no rub.

Chunkers1980

Well you were doing something different wrong then. Those springs just push the QR out either side to help get it on easier - nothing else.

kajjal

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Well you were doing something different wrong then. Those springs just push the QR out either side to help get it on easier - nothing else.

That's what I would have thought until I was having problems lining the wheel up so the disc didn't rub with only one spring in. With both springs in no problems at all.

swod1

Is the disc rotor slightly bent?

As you will see it rub the pad on a certain part of the disc when the wheel spins.

The Rookie

Kajjal wrote:

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Well you were doing something different wrong then. Those springs just push the QR out either side to help get it on easier - nothing else.

That's what I would have thought until I was having problems lining the wheel up so the disc didn't rub with only one spring in. With both springs in no problems at all.

User error, the springs can't in any way effect it. All the springs do is centering the QR so you have the same clearance each side for fitting, I take them out the rear as they aren't really any benefit but leave them in the front for clearing the 'lawyers lips'.