[Matt D]

I'm working on an older set of the Hayes that came on the Gary Fisher X-caliber, the ones that directly mounted to the chainstay and have a flat head screw for the lever reach adjustment.

The brake locks up the wheel, and pulling the lever without the wheel and brake pads in barely moves the pistons at all. The lever seems to do nothing until about 3/4 through the pull, then it gets almost stuck. Then you pull harder and it "breaks" through whatever it's cought up on, and the lever finally goes to the bar.

I took the lever body apart to inspect the master cylinder, and the cylinder still gets "stuck" without the lever attached and the reservoir bag off.

I'm pretty sure the master cylinder is fried, and needs to be replaced.

Can somebody verify this for me?

Thanks

 

[Matt D]

Nevermind, I talked with Hayes about it.

After pulling apart the master cylinder, it turned out the plastic piece that grabs onto the ball wasn't sliding with the lever. The older ones would swell up over time and get sticky.

$10 piece vs. $50 master cylinder for a little research. I wish auto mechanics would do work like this.

 

[BAC5.2]

For future reference, don't squeeze the lever without the wheel in the dropouts. You'll cause nothing but more problems.

 

[Matt D]

actually, it's okay as long as you can push the pistons back and don't break the pin the pads mount to.

I've been a mechanic for 3 years, I know what I'm doing

 

[sub6]

Originally posted by Matt D

$10 piece vs. $50 master cylinder for a little research. I wish auto mechanics would do work like this.

no ****ing kidding. It was going to cost me $510 for a new starter for my truck, but I did the research and found I could fix it with a $12 set of contacts in the starter solenoid. Did the job myself on Sunday and saved around 5 big ones...

 

[oldfart]

Every year in Canada this consumer TV show does a set up of car mechanics and shops. They take a used car of about 4 years age and go over it with a fine toothed come and make sure its in perfect order. Then they "create" a problem, usually something simple like disconacting a non vital vacuum line, then take it to shops and record the result. The also hide a camera under the hood.

The cheating is criminal. Very few shops do the right thing. They pretty well all conect up the diagnostic tools, find the problem but then that's where the procedure varies. Lots of shops will replace the dicconnected part and charge accordingly. A few even simply reconnected the tube but charged for 2 hours labour for a 10 minute job. A few shops do correctly diagnose the problem and simply reconnect the tube usually free. But its terrible how few shops do the right thing.

I think bike shops are a lot better. But I'm sure there are a few scammers out there.

 

[BAC5.2]

Originally posted by Matt D
actually, it's okay as long as you can push the pistons back and don't break the pin the pads mount to.

I've been a mechanic for 3 years, I know what I'm doing

oh, you've got the pads out? LOL. my bad : Thought you had the pads in.

 

[Matt D]

Originally posted by BAC5.2
oh, you've got the pads out? LOL. my bad : Thought you had the pads in.

It doesn't matter if the pads are in or out, it's still no big deal and doesn't harm anything.

 

[BAC5.2]

nah, but if the pad's are clamped together, it's a bitch to get them apart without takin a chunk out of the pad (unless you use a knife or something). Hence, why I tell people not to do it.

 

[SwisSlesS]

Originally posted by BAC5.2
nah, but if the pad's are clamped together, it's a bitch to get them apart without takin a chunk out of the pad (unless you use a knife or something). Hence, why I tell people not to do it.

...I'm sure he knows that part too.

 

[BAC5.2]

I know he does, i was just coverin my ass.