help no brakes:-( & clueless!

ruralbob
ruralbob Posts: 4
edited July 2013 in MTB workshop & tech
hi,

Got my first bike last year and it had these Hayes Nine brakes. The little reservoir that holds the brake fluid had a slight leak and the chap I bought it off said they needed the seals replacing and bleeding. Anyway used bike and brakes fine, until I bloody fiddled earlier!!!!

I am new to all this so patience needed, i have googled and don't know the names for all the little bits i.e. caliper.

I didn't know the name of the seal to buy ?????? - HELP!, so opened the reservoir to see what it was! Now neither of my brakes work! lol. I have had the front wheel off but done nothing to the rear wheel bar open these reservoirs. Is this what buggered them????

Is it all hard and difficult to do, or if order a bleeding kit and fluid is it easy to do????

We all gotta learn one day so all help really appreciated!

cheers

Jim x

Comments

  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,121
    Hydraulic brakes work by pushing the fluid down the hoses to the pistons. The fluid is a liquid and doesn't compress.

    I'm guessing when you took the cap off the reservoir, you've let a load of air into the top. Air is compressible so it squashes before it pushes the fluid along the hose.

    You'll need to get the air out, which is what bleeding does. I'm not familiar with Hayes brakes so I don't know exactly how to do it. Usually if you search on Google you will find instructions and videos on Youtube as well as information on what kit you need for it.

    I would be surprised if the seal on the reservoir is bust. I would expect the seals on the pistons to need replacing first.
  • maringirl
    maringirl Posts: 195
    The guy who sold it probably meant it needed caliper piston seals - the caliper is the bit at the business end - that does the braking on the rotor. The bit at the lever is the master Cylinder (or reservoir). You have removed the cap so you have got air in to the system. No offence intended, but if you are that clueless then it would be best to take them to your LBS for sorting out - if you are nice to them and take cake they may explain it all to you - maybe not?? :).
  • ruralbob
    ruralbob Posts: 4
    Thanks. I am going to order the fluid and kit and my biker pal going to come round show me what to do.

    Is the reservoir on the brake lever leaking a little fluid not the other end. Is it best to get a new lever or can you buy the reservoirs separate???

    Guy whos coming to help me is proper into the downhill mountain biking and will go through stel by step. He has the kit too.

    I right in thinking just order a bleed kit (his wont fit) and some dot 4 fluid??? Or can I buy a seal for lever reservoir? ???

    THANKS x
  • ruralbob
    ruralbob Posts: 4
    Also as the bikes a few years old I am going to order some new brake pads so he can show me how to fit these. The brakes just say Hayes nine.on them. Is there differing models of Hayes nine or do I just google and order pads fir Hayes Hayes nines? ??


    Thanks ever so and as I said its all fairly new to me so want to learn what I can
    X
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Have a look on Chain Reaction - they have loads of random brake spares.
    You can't buy a resevoir as it's part of the lever assembly. You might find seals. You can probably find pistons and seals on CRC.
    Epic are good for bleed kits, and cheap.

    But depending on what is actually wrong, and I would find out before you start blowing money, you could probably get some nice new brakes for not much more than you seem to be planning on spending on bits.
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