(Besides new pads) My brakes don't start stopping until the lever is pressing up against my shift trigger, so I can no longer brake with one finger. is there any way to make the brakes engage quicker? they're hfx-9s BTW
Any way to make your brakes engage quicker?
- Thread starter freeridekid
- Start date
Re-bleed them.
Shmoe said:
exactly
They're hayes, they come and go. 
but yea, rebleed them.
but yea, rebleed them.
While most people wil tell you to re-bleed hayes brakes to adjust the pads, try this: take off your front wheel and squeeze the lever once. Replace the wheel and if it's still too far to pull until the pads engage, do it again. If you go too far in, take the wheel out and push the pads back by placing a large screwdriver between the pads and twisting it until the pads are back far enough.freeridekid said:
Thanks. I'll try mtbike mike's thing, then rebleed them if necessary
do what MtnbikeMike, said that always works for me
plus adjust the lever throw (i think its called), us ing the little grub
screw, ie how far back the lever moves back
plus adjust the lever throw (i think its called), us ing the little grub
screw, ie how far back the lever moves back
Try the screw first. It's not really a good Idea to go squeezing the lever with out a stop point for the pads. This is especially true if you have thin worn down brake pads. You CAN extend one or both of the pistons too far. Re-bleeding them allows for a chance for more fluid to be introduced into the system and therefore what gets displaced in the line.
Tighten the srew first. This will put the lever farther out at engagement. If it looks goofy at rest and is hanging way out away from the lever, I'd try rebleeding them before squeezing them with out the rotor in. That's just me though.
Tighten the srew first. This will put the lever farther out at engagement. If it looks goofy at rest and is hanging way out away from the lever, I'd try rebleeding them before squeezing them with out the rotor in. That's just me though.
Toss them in the trash and get some Hopesfreeridekid said:
Sorry had to do that.
well, i dont konw what the hell is up with my hayes mags, about two months ago I ripped out the rear brake hose....rebled it, it's been fine,
BUT,
My front one is acting wierd now. There's only 3 months on the brakes total, and the front one is now engaging pretty far in, far enough that I have to adjust it back. I guess this is pad wear? If it is I am pretty dissapointed by these pads...if it is something else then WTF? I haven't even broken that line for trimming, it fit right up at the correct length.
As I said before, they just aren't as consistant as hopes. They are "adaquate" but they aint much more.
BUT,
My front one is acting wierd now. There's only 3 months on the brakes total, and the front one is now engaging pretty far in, far enough that I have to adjust it back. I guess this is pad wear? If it is I am pretty dissapointed by these pads...if it is something else then WTF? I haven't even broken that line for trimming, it fit right up at the correct length.
As I said before, they just aren't as consistant as hopes. They are "adaquate" but they aint much more.
Just pull the pads and look at them, then you can determine if it's pad wear or not.Jm_ said:
I completely burned through a pair of pads on my XT discs in 3 months.
I found that my lever reach screw would gradually vibrate itself loose, so that the lever would move closer to the bar. Just took the lever blade off, ran a bit of loctite around the thread, put it back on, fixed.Jm_ said:
And hayes aren't as consistent as Hopes? I'll believe that the day I ride a set of Hopes all day without the lever feel/engagement point changing, the power coming and going, AND the noise.
I have the same problem with my Hope M4s. They feel really good, and work excellently - I don't want to rebleed them since they'd probably end up worse 
It doesn't pull all the way to the bar, but does pull a little further than I'd like it to. I liked the way on the old closed brakes you could adjust both finger reach and lever movement, on open brakes you only ever get finger reach adjustment.
So should I try this pulling the lever without the wheel in place thing?
It doesn't pull all the way to the bar, but does pull a little further than I'd like it to. I liked the way on the old closed brakes you could adjust both finger reach and lever movement, on open brakes you only ever get finger reach adjustment.
So should I try this pulling the lever without the wheel in place thing?
Yeah, everything you just said. When I put some bonz levers on my dh bike the lever reach screw would move too. Brake performance never changed.thaflyinfatman said:I found that my lever reach screw would gradually vibrate itself loose, so that the lever would move closer to the bar. Just took the lever blade off, ran a bit of loctite around the thread, put it back on, fixed.
And hayes aren't as consistent as Hopes? I'll believe that the day I ride a set of Hopes all day without the lever feel/engagement point changing, the power coming and going, AND the noise.