[crkt]

well my brakes are running pretty awful right now, any of you that have ever run low end bmx brakes know that they are not the fastest stopping brakes in the world.

I heard boiling the pads for around fifteen minutes softens up the plastic and helps, tried it and it didnt work.

anybody out there know any simple modifications i can do to help with stopping power?
sand my rims?
sand my pads?
roofing tar?
4 leafed clover?

 

[crkt]

ahhhh my bad I just realized rm has a mech section, if a mod feels like this is out of place and has to move it. my apologies

 

[Stoked]

try sanding pads or new pads
simple green rim sidewall
space pads closer to the rim

 

[sittingduck]

What Stoked said....
Also, quality cable housing can make a big difference.

 

[WestCoastHucker]

koolstop brake pads..
black pads for chrome rims
salmon pads for the others

 

[A Grove]

before tar... sand your rim with a pretty light grit paper.. IE 100-150ish... pads as well. If that doesnt work, still don't turn to tar. instead, take some coke (coca-cola, or any soda), and using a rag rub it on your rim. Give it a few "coats" while letting each dry. Old trials trick (as is tar... tar is just SUPER hard to clean 100% and is quite discusting to deal with). Might squeek, but they'll stop all-right

EDIT:: Obviously, I would try other things as to not coat your rims in anything, but if nothing else works, I can almost promiss that will. Make sure you clean your rim/pads good with rubbing alc after sanding too.

 

[davemo7]

Start with sanding the pads and maybe the rim. If that doesn't work get new pads, cable, and housing in that order. if that still doesn't work A Grove has some good ideas

Edit: Try siping (spelling?) the pads, that works but you go through pads faster

 

[pnj]

chrome rims, good cables that are teflon lined, good lube like Tri-Flow, grease on the brake mounts, pads angled to hit the rim correctly and rim/pads cleaned well with a good cleaner.

if you don't have chrome rims... I can't help. I've set up the cheapest brakes WITH a gyro and they CAN work very well. You want as much friction as possible on the pads/rim and as little as possble everywhere else (lube!).

 

[jerseydirt]

dump gatorade on your rim and let it dry

 

[wadly_1001]

You could try to use trails v-brake pads, like heatsink.

 

[millerdakiller]

spend some money and get a better set of brakes.

also take into consideration that most bmx wheels are not made with braking performance in mind.

something else that might help would be a chrome rear rim. but its probly not worth money or effort involved with buying or lacing a new wheel

 

[grom-dom]

clear pads. or go light, and rub on a little bit of packet heinz

 

[crkt]

these all sound sick il let you guys know if it works once this damn rain stops