[DH Dad]

I've got an extremely grippy rear brake and it's aligned as best it can but it's acting like a motorcycle brake in that the pads are always in contact with the rotor on both sides. I've got 5 bikes with Hayes Hydros on them and this is the only one that does this. Do I need to open the bleed valve at the master cylinder (while bike is in a stand straight up of course) and push the pads back with the plastic spacers that come with new Hayes brakes? Is it that they were bled with the pads in contact with the rotor?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Of course this is my wife's bike and for some reason or another she always has noises/squeaks on her bike when I don't. She's threatening to fire her mechanic, Me!

 

[Tweek]

Remove the pads, then use the closed end of an 8mm wrench to push back the pistons on each side. Make sure you don't push back on the posts with the wrench. Install the pads, then put your wheel back in with the caliper bolts loose. Spin the wheel, apply the brake and tighten the bolts. If you still get drag (should be slight if any), remove the wheel again, put the Hayes wedge (plastic black piece) in, gently but firmly squeeze the lever. Then remove the wedge and put your wheel back. It should be good to go. Works for me at least.

 

[zane]

It sounds like there's too much fluid in the system, do what you said and open up the resiorvior, push the pads back into the caliper and let any excess fluid come out. Then close the resiorvior and set up the brakes as you normally would. I've had this work for me and many other people in the past.

 

[-BB-]

It sounds like there's too much fluid in the system, do what you said and open up the resiorvior, push the pads back into the caliper and let any excess fluid come out. Then close the resiorvior and set up the brakes as you normally would. I've had this work for me and many other people in the past.

When removing excess fluid, make sure you remove both the wheel AND the pads first.

 

[BRacing]

^^^ If the above procedure doesn't work, then back out the lever adjustment screw, and try to pry apart the pads. If that doesn't work, bleed the brakes. But make sure the pistons have pressure seperating them while you are bleeding the system. Also make sure the lever adjustment screw is back all the way out.

-B

 

[dma528]

another idea that is a little easier is to retract the pistons then get the rotor back into the caliper, from there use a thicker pice of paper like a sticker or a business card. put that on either side of the rotor between the pads and the rotor. squeze the lever a few times (like 5 to 10) remove the paper and hit the trails.

not promising that it will work but it doesn't involve having to mess with the DOT fluid.

Peace
AD

 

[mack]

by throwing them in the trash, then buy grimecas. :nuts: or by not squeezin the levers. I did this once, and i had to re blead, it sucks.

 

[binary visions]

another idea that is a little easier is to retract the pistons then get the rotor back into the caliper, from there use a thicker pice of paper like a sticker or a business card. put that on either side of the rotor between the pads and the rotor. squeze the lever a few times (like 5 to 10) remove the paper and hit the trails.

not promising that it will work but it doesn't involve having to mess with the DOT fluid.

Peace
AD

This doesn't make any sense to me and I've heard at least a dozen people suggest it.

Hayes are self-adjusting. So if you put the business cards in, squeeze the lever, and remove them, there will be no drag. Then, the first time you hit the brakes, the pads will adjust further in again.

 

[MikeD]

This doesn't make any sense to me and I've heard at least a dozen people suggest it.

Hayes are self-adjusting. So if you put the business cards in, squeeze the lever, and remove them, there will be no drag. Then, the first time you hit the brakes, the pads will adjust further in again.

Yep. Right with ya, BV. I've actually had people modify this piece of wisdom, claiming the 'real business card trick' is slightly more complicated...they say to do what Zane explained in his post, but with business cards on the rotor, thus lessening the amount of fluid in the system even more. But that still doesn't make any sense, because the pads will continue to self-adjust during use, even with a lesser fluid volume.

I don't get why people don't understand this. Most of them just say, "I don't care! It WORKS!" I guess it's one of Vonnegut's foma that keeps people happy...

MD

 

[binary visions]

I guess it's one of Vonnegut's foma that keeps people happy...

It would, at first glance, appear to be harmless, but think of all the poor business cards that have been ruined because of this "trick"...



FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, THINK OF THE BUSINESS CARDS.

 

[MikeD]

Just don't use DOT-9 fluid, or else we'll be in a world of crap...