Front pads rubbing

rumbataz
rumbataz Posts: 796
edited September 2016 in MTB workshop & tech
What's the best way to adjust my brake pads so that they don't rub? I removed the calliper today as I had to drop the front fork and I out everything back together. As I tightened the calliper bolts I was squeezing the brake lever. However, the wheel doesn't spin completely freely at the moment.

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Make sure the caliper is centred and just ride - brakes self adjust. Assuming they're hydraulic.
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  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Best to do it by eye, loosen off the bolts a little, look down the pads at the gap, adjust until even and then slowly tighten up again making sure gap stays even. They ride fast and brake hard a few times. May need to do it again.
  • rumbataz
    rumbataz Posts: 796
    Yeah, I'll have another go this evening. I've done it before to perfection but just couldn't get it right last night. One other thing I'm going to try is to push back the pistons.
  • swod1
    swod1 Posts: 1,639
    The undoing the caliper bolts and holding the brake to centre up them is for disc rotors that are 100% true I have found.

    I've had a couple of discs that bought new have had a very slight warp in it but perfectly usable but needed to centre the caliper by eye to avoid any rubbing.
  • rumbataz
    rumbataz Posts: 796
    All sorted now. I unmounted the calliper, removed the pads and reset the pistons. I haven't got a 'proper' piston press (like the ridiculously priced Park Tools piston press) but I read somewhere else that you can use the round end of a combination spanner as a lever to push the pistons back (12mm to 15mm worked best for me).

    Inserted the pads back and loosely tightened the calliper back onto the mount. Spun the wheel several times and braked hard. Did this for a minute or two as I tightened the calliper up a bit more. When the rotor was finally clear of the pads I torqued up the calliper whilst squeezing the brake lever.

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