they are already a few years old....
Left bike for a week, was slightly more pull but was fine when moving. Maybe I'm lucking out, or the outliers are more vocal.
I'll keep those aluminum pistons in mind if they start to develop a leak.
Frankenbrakes and brake improvement discussion
- Thread starter Udi
- Start date
Left bike for a week, was slightly more pull but was fine when moving. Maybe I'm lucking out, or the outliers are more vocal.
I'll keep those aluminum pistons in mind if they start to develop a leak.
If anything, you at least get some warning when you start noticing the pad contamination, so at least there's that.
Cool, thanks. I guess my google-fu is not very strong... I can't find an exploded diagram of the caliper. From the pictures in the ad, you have to take the caliper apart. which means draining the fluid I imagine. but beyond that, is it fairly straightforward?
I haven't replaced pistons on a caliper since a pair of hayes mags in probably 2003-ish.
But yeah, drain it, split it, and I think there's a hole in the middle you can pull them out using an easy out/extractor bit.
Maybe someone else has done shimanos with some better info but that's what I'm planning on. You also might want to pump them out before draining the fluid and just grab the sides of the piston once you get the caliper split. But it's just a cylinder and a seal. Be really careful installing the new seal and do it 'wet'.
But yeah, drain it, split it, and I think there's a hole in the middle you can pull them out using an easy out/extractor bit.
Maybe someone else has done shimanos with some better info but that's what I'm planning on. You also might want to pump them out before draining the fluid and just grab the sides of the piston once you get the caliper split. But it's just a cylinder and a seal. Be really careful installing the new seal and do it 'wet'.
Running two and a half years on mine...
Twice as good as before, for Kidwoo:horse pucky
everyone knows you still stop with your feet.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/shimano-announces-4-piston-xt-brake-caliper.html
Already discussed here earlier, noob.Twice as good as before, for Kidwoo:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/shimano-announces-4-piston-xt-brake-caliper.html
Goddammit, that's what happens when I go ride for a few days...Already discussed here earlier, noob.
Anybody running Magura calipers have a solution for the leaky Banjos? Thinking it's about time to ditch the MT5 calipers unless I can get them to stop weeping from the banjo.
1) Are you sure you didn't loose the banjo seal?
2) If not, have you tried replacing the banjo seal?
Right at the junction of the caliper and banjo. I think the little sealing washers are the problem, but don't want to spend more on a replacement hose than I spent on the brakes just to try a new banjo. Seems to be a common problem, Magura doesn't seem to know what to do, hoping somebody has a solution.
They never suck air, just weep fluid, every 2 months or so the brakes pull to the bar due to lack of fluid.
I know when I did a porsche caliper swap on my old audi, the copper washers were reusable if you hit them with a blowtorch briefly (it got rid of creases in the copper). Are those washers copper on yours? Can you just buy a pair of new washers? Even off of mcmaster, you should be able to grab a new crush washer.
If there's one place to save 30c in copper washers its definitely the sealing interface on your brakes.
I'll pull it apart and check, but I'm pretty sure the fitting has washers only, no o-rings. I think the washers are Al, or they're plated because they're not copper colored, I'll swap some fresh ones on and see what happens. For some reason I remember somebody on here battling this issue and it being a really weird fix, not the obvious "replace the sealing bit" fix
My MT5s use the o-rings at the banjo bolt.
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My solution for leaking banjos (mine always leaked from the hose crimp) - buy almost new Magura calipers with the original house from frustrated OEM owners, $30 bucks a piece at eBay or PB. The only other solution is the Magura hose that is $60 online iirc.
Aftermarket kits don't work with MT brakes.
Aftermarket kits don't work with MT brakes.
I've successfully installed both the OEM lines and the Jagwire lines on MT5s without issue.
Together? Impressive.
if it's stupid, but it works, then it's not stupid. it wasn't a matter of saving money, just lack of replacements in a pinch
Guys, I may be an idiot.
Totally forgot that when I got the brakes the front line was way too short, so I swapped it with a spare line off a Louise FR, that's where the sealing washers came into play. Think I need to just use @StiHacka plan and buy another whole brake to rob the line from.
I'm guessing they quit machining the port to as fine a finish and used o-rings to make it work, where at the old calipers had a perfectly flat spot for the sealing washers to seal against.
Totally forgot that when I got the brakes the front line was way too short, so I swapped it with a spare line off a Louise FR, that's where the sealing washers came into play. Think I need to just use @StiHacka plan and buy another whole brake to rob the line from.
I'm guessing they quit machining the port to as fine a finish and used o-rings to make it work, where at the old calipers had a perfectly flat spot for the sealing washers to seal against.
Not the caliper that crapped out on vacation, but the 785 lever, seal blew and fluid in and around the lever. Fanatik Bike Co got me hooked up with a 7000 SLX, but no one had I spec II adapter to mate my 8000 shifter to it (I have them at home) so jerry rigged, but working. This, after buying those extra SLX calipers...naturally, right?
kinda begging for that one you were
Which pin and olive things did you end up using, the Shimano's or the Formula's?
Either works. On my trail bike that I did the mix first on, I did one one formula olive and one shimano
They're both still holding. The formula olives look just like sram ones, and probably are. You do have to use the cura hoses though because the caliper end has a quick connect fitting that needs to be crimped on there to connect to it.
Yeah on olives/barbs, I've mixed Shimano, Avid, Magura, Formula - no problems here either. If you wanted to be really picky you'd use the same brand as the lever for the lever end.
My next brake is a Hope 225mm rotor for the front of the DH bike:
If anyone is interested in rotor weights:
221g: Hope 225mm
192g: Shimano 203mm standard
168g: Shimano 203mm ice-tech
159g: Formula 203mm standard
143g: Formula 203mm alloy carrier (2015)
If you read between the lines and do a few calculations, you can find out that running a lightweight / better optimised brake with a larger rotor can net equal or greater braking force with less lever throw (and more consistent throw) than some of the more common "powerful" options. You can also potentially end up with a lighter brake for a given amount of power.
The other bonus to this solution is that you get much better heat management, which means less fade, and less deterioration of pad bite with use - which is a big issue over a lift season in my experience.
Anyway, just sharing something I'm trying this summer.
My next brake is a Hope 225mm rotor for the front of the DH bike:
If anyone is interested in rotor weights:
221g: Hope 225mm
192g: Shimano 203mm standard
168g: Shimano 203mm ice-tech
159g: Formula 203mm standard
143g: Formula 203mm alloy carrier (2015)
If you read between the lines and do a few calculations, you can find out that running a lightweight / better optimised brake with a larger rotor can net equal or greater braking force with less lever throw (and more consistent throw) than some of the more common "powerful" options. You can also potentially end up with a lighter brake for a given amount of power.
The other bonus to this solution is that you get much better heat management, which means less fade, and less deterioration of pad bite with use - which is a big issue over a lift season in my experience.
Anyway, just sharing something I'm trying this summer.
OK, I am finally over the Shimano XT brakes. I did a race this weekend (enduro, but don't tell kidwoo) and that XT, which I have on the rear, is just too weak and robs confidence. I gave it a good bleed the night before and it still just doesn't have the power as my old 2009 Formula The One which I have on the front. I found a Jagwire tubing kit for another old 2009 The One which I will use for the rear brake as I am going to pull the XT and regulate it to DJ bike duty. The darn thing is leaking in the MC somewhere as I now see fluid build up. Ugh.
Has anyone used the Jagwire tubing kit with older brakes? Any tips I need to know before I route this thing through the frame?
Has anyone used the Jagwire tubing kit with older brakes? Any tips I need to know before I route this thing through the frame?
You get better heat management with lighter rotors? I've noticed the exact opposite, I have some real lightweight rotors on one of my bikes that are quickly overcome by steep long descents. Good brakes otherwise, but less metal=less heat dissipation.Yeah on olives/barbs, I've mixed Shimano, Avid, Magura, Formula - no problems here either. If you wanted to be really picky you'd use the same brand as the lever for the lever end.
My next brake is a Hope 225mm rotor for the front of the DH bike:
If anyone is interested in rotor weights:
221g: Hope 225mm
192g: Shimano 203mm standard
168g: Shimano 203mm ice-tech
159g: Formula 203mm standard
143g: Formula 203mm alloy carrier (2015)
If you read between the lines and do a few calculations, you can find out that running a lightweight / better optimised brake with a larger rotor can net equal or greater braking force with less lever throw (and more consistent throw) than some of the more common "powerful" options. You can also potentially end up with a lighter brake for a given amount of power.
The other bonus to this solution is that you get much better heat management, which means less fade, and less deterioration of pad bite with use - which is a big issue over a lift season in my experience.
Anyway, just sharing something I'm trying this summer.
I've also noticed less bite on light rotors. I wish somebody published actual tests to put real numbers on this sort of thing. Does a 225mm rotor make up for it's lack of heat dissipation by being big, would a smaller hole-less rotor that weighed the same perform better or worse? It would be nice to have something other than seat of the pants feel to go off of.
Todays brake-fuckery thought of the day. What are the odds of the seals in these new Hope road calipers being the same as all their other brakes? http://www.hopetech.com/product/rx4-caliper/
Unless I'm missing something, since they work with Sram and Shimano, that means they work with DOT and Mineral oil, so assuming you didn't get any fluid cross contamination, that means Hopes are now mix and match friendly with everything, right?
Todays brake-fuckery thought of the day. What are the odds of the seals in these new Hope road calipers being the same as all their other brakes? http://www.hopetech.com/product/rx4-caliper/
Unless I'm missing something, since they work with Sram and Shimano, that means they work with DOT and Mineral oil, so assuming you didn't get any fluid cross contamination, that means Hopes are now mix and match friendly with everything, right?
Thanks for the olive info @kidwoo and @Udi .
That's exaclty what I was plannung for, running the Cura on 200/180 disc combo instead of the 180/160 with the XT's right now. Sometimes it pays off to be on the lower side of the weight spectrum.
Btw, found some reliable info on Cura sizing, 24 mm slave piston diameter same like T1. But the source, an official Formula rep, says that R0 oval has 25.8 mm. My guess is that's the largest part of the oval piston. Where did you take the numbers from in your sheet @Udi ?
In the same thread a Trickstuff rep confirms your 9 mm master piston diameter for the Direttissima.
That's exaclty what I was plannung for, running the Cura on 200/180 disc combo instead of the 180/160 with the XT's right now. Sometimes it pays off to be on the lower side of the weight spectrum.
Btw, found some reliable info on Cura sizing, 24 mm slave piston diameter same like T1. But the source, an official Formula rep, says that R0 oval has 25.8 mm. My guess is that's the largest part of the oval piston. Where did you take the numbers from in your sheet @Udi ?
In the same thread a Trickstuff rep confirms your 9 mm master piston diameter for the Direttissima.
They just mean that they have Shimano and Sram compatible versions. They're not the same caliper, and have different part numbers.
So what makes a caliper "drop bar compatible"?