Changing Juicy 3 pads

stanfree
stanfree Posts: 58
edited June 2010 in MTB beginners
Thought it was about time I changed my pads as had my well used Gt since August . Quick question what exactly does it mean when people say watch the pistons dont close before you put the new pads in. I understand about not pulling the levers with no wheel in place . But can anyone give me any guidance or step by step on what to look for .

Many Thanks.

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    push the pistons home before removing the old pads.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • stanfree
    stanfree Posts: 58
    Thanks Nicklouise thing is Im not really sure are the pistons located directly behind the pad?.
    Trying to find a decent online guide .
  • fredy
    fredy Posts: 308
    pistons are directly behind the pad. get a flat head or a knife or something, and with the wheel removed and the old pads still in, use the knife to push the pads back into the caliper walls. This will in turn puah the pistons back.
    THen just wiggle the old pads out and the spring.
    Make a pad sandwhich with the new pads and spring and slot them into the caliper. WIggle them around one by one until the click into place. This could take a while if its your first time, i find it best to pull down on one of the corners of a pad to try and get it in. Then you just put everything back together again and align the caliper.
  • fredy
    fredy Posts: 308
    oh, and you need to bed in the pads or they just wont do anything (in my limited experience).
  • merlie
    merlie Posts: 276
    fredy wrote:
    oh, and you need to bed in the pads or they just wont do anything (in my limited experience).

    I've read somewhere on here that to do this this you need to get the brakes fairly warm and then throw some cold water on the them....
    09 Rockhopper Comp
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  • chedabob
    chedabob Posts: 1,133
    merlie wrote:
    fredy wrote:
    oh, and you need to bed in the pads or they just wont do anything (in my limited experience).

    I've read somewhere on here that to do this this you need to get the brakes fairly warm and then throw some cold water on the them....

    Just perform a few hard stops. Make sure you aren't going so fast as to throw yourself over the bars or skid the back wheel :P
  • Sah1990
    Sah1990 Posts: 49
    Sorry to hijacking your thread, but why is it so bad to pull the lever with no wheel in place? I done this on my bike before a read on here it's not a good idea and was just wondering how it will effect my brakes and is there anything I can do to fix it?
    The front brake seems ok but then I wouldn't know what to accept as I haven't had the bike long.
    Cheers
    GT Avalanche 1.0 2009
  • Sah1990
    Sah1990 Posts: 49
    Sorry to hijacking your thread, but why is it so bad to pull the lever with no wheel in place? I done this on my bike before a read on here it's not a good idea and was just wondering how it will effect my brakes and is there anything I can do to fix it?
    The front brake seems ok but then I wouldn't know what to accept as I haven't had the bike long.
    Cheers
    GT Avalanche 1.0 2009
  • angry_bird
    angry_bird Posts: 3,786
    Sah1990 wrote:
    Sorry to hijacking your thread, but why is it so bad to pull the lever with no wheel in place? I done this on my bike before a read on here it's not a good idea and was just wondering how it will effect my brakes and is there anything I can do to fix it?
    The front brake seems ok but then I wouldn't know what to accept as I haven't had the bike long.
    Cheers

    You'll end up pushing the pads and pistons too far, then they may not return far enough, or, although this has never happened to me, you could push the pistons far enough inwards that brake fluid could leak out.
    Angry Bird's offroad bikes
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    If in doubt, blame Wiggle.
  • GHill
    GHill Posts: 2,402
    Sah1990 wrote:
    Sorry to hijacking your thread, but why is it so bad to pull the lever with no wheel in place? I done this on my bike before a read on here it's not a good idea and was just wondering how it will effect my brakes and is there anything I can do to fix it?

    The pistons will come out and can result in the brake pads touching each other - you won't be able to get the wheel back in. Can be fixed with a screwdriver or similar.
  • NormalD
    NormalD Posts: 145
    GHill wrote:
    Sah1990 wrote:
    Sorry to hijacking your thread, but why is it so bad to pull the lever with no wheel in place? I done this on my bike before a read on here it's not a good idea and was just wondering how it will effect my brakes and is there anything I can do to fix it?

    The pistons will come out and can result in the brake pads touching each other - you won't be able to get the wheel back in. Can be fixed with a screwdriver or similar.


    And if you do it with no wheel and no pads the pistons will pop out of the calliper. Probably resulting in the need to seek professional help or new brakes.

    OP. I use pipe grips wrapped in tape to press the pads home.

    Ps. Superstar Pads are v,good and v.cheep.
    Normal Disk 2009

    Genesis Equilibrium Tiagra 2011

    FCN 10 (only cycle in once a week though)

    Alfa 156 SW

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