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rebuild or replace hayes

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,130
7,679
Transylvania 90210
the master cylinder on my hayes hfx mag blew on me. i am debating the repair vs. replace cost on this job. i have had the brake for almost three years and it has seen some crashes. i know it will be cheaper to go with the repair, but not by much as i see it. just wondering how others might see this.

it looks like the build kit will be about $50 for all the parts i need. i will have the LBS do the work, so they are gonna charge me some labor. i am not sure how long the fluid in the brake lines lasts, and i have not done anything with it in 3 years. time for a change? that's gonna cost me. i am also due for a new set of pads. another $20. I am guessing that the total repair package will be about $100.

i can get a new HFX Mag or HFX-9 for $150. Pre bled, pre cut, new stuff all the way around. this includes the new pads i need, and gives me a backup rotor to keep or sell/trade. will the new brakes need much setup? i have never bought a new pre-cut brake package, so i don't know how well they work out of the box.

to me the $50 difference is not a big deal (not that i have a ton of money, but i can afford it). i suppose i could also buy a super nice pimped out off the hook rig like an el camino or avids.

for the final piece of background, i need the new setup for my urban HT. i also have a bb7 that i could take an HFX-9, then put the new brake on the bb7. i swap wheelsets between the two bikes, so i want to make sure that there is compatibility with the rotors (i don't know if an avid rotor would cause problems with a hayes brake).

thoughts?
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
Buy the master cylinder, pads and a bleed kit and do it yourself. 3 years is LONG time to not even bleed them. Bleed both of them and you'll have great brakes again.

Save the money on labor and know you can get yourself out of a jam is what I'm saying ;)
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,130
7,679
Transylvania 90210
i am cool with all of the labor stuff except the master cylinder rebuild. i have never done anything like that. i have never bled brakes either, but it does not seem that hard (i am just lazy). what level of tech skills does it take for the cylinder out and replace it? any special tools?

by the way, how long is the fluid in the lines good for? does it need to be flushed, or just bled?
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
A screwdriver housing cutters, a small crescent wrench and some allens, its pretty easy.

Bleeding is pretty easy, its a practice thing ;)

Fluid is good for a year IMO, but can go a tad longer obviously ;)
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,130
7,679
Transylvania 90210
thanks a ton Zark. i would need to buy the cutters (assuming the wire cutter on a pair of pliers might not do the trick), and the small crescent. the tools and time cost might just have me going to the shop for the labor. time is tight right now. i would love the learning experience, but i don't know if i can fit in the classroom time.

anyone have input on how easy it is to take new brakes out of a box and slap them on the bike? i would guess that it should be plug-n-play. mabye a bit of bleed. real-life experiences would be appreciated.
 

profro

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2002
5,617
314
Walden Ridge
If you are at all mechanically inclined.... do it yourself. Hayes are pretty easy to fix. Bleeding them is a practice thing. You can also buy a new lever body and olive and just replace it as a complete unit. No need for a new caliper.
 

Spunger

Git yer dumb questions here
Feb 19, 2003
2,257
0
805
mandown said:
anyone have input on how easy it is to take new brakes out of a box and slap them on the bike? i would guess that it should be plug-n-play. mabye a bit of bleed. real-life experiences would be appreciated.
Well if the lines are the exact right length then it's pretty much bolt it on, Hayes rears are usually close, their fronts are pretty long (if you buy the pre-bled ones). Everything is pretty stright forward though.

I'd agree....just rebuild them yourself. Seriously if you sat down at a bench and did this it wouldn't take long at all. Plus it's cheaper than having a shop do it. I always look at things the same way you do though, repair or replace. You'll save $100 or so just doing the work yourself, BUT if you looked at what a shop charged to do the work plus parts it probably comes close to a new unit. It's your call, but I'd say fix it yourself for the experience and ease of getting to and such.
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,130
7,679
Transylvania 90210
thanks for the DIY tips and encouragement. maybe that is what i will do in the end. however, the thought of new gear is tempting. i have been searching and the prices on avid juicy 7's look tasty. however, i do need to flush/bleed my 3 other brakes (the non broken and the two on the dh bike). i'll make my buddy help me. he is good with tools. he has tools. he is stuck at home with his kid :)
 

Matt D

Monkey
Mar 19, 2002
996
0
charlottesville, va
I think you should either buy some take-offs for cheap (probably about $100) or buy an old used brake for the parts and do it yourself. A lot of times folks sell brakes that have good MC's but broken levers or torn lines, and just don't want to fix them.

Bribe a friend to help you do the bleed.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
mandown said:
thanks a ton Zark. i would need to buy the cutters (assuming the wire cutter on a pair of pliers might not do the trick), and the small crescent. the tools and time cost might just have me going to the shop for the labor. time is tight right now. i would love the learning experience, but i don't know if i can fit in the classroom time.

anyone have input on how easy it is to take new brakes out of a box and slap them on the bike? i would guess that it should be plug-n-play. mabye a bit of bleed. real-life experiences would be appreciated.
Buy the tools and learn how its done. It will save you money and ensure its done right. Relying on others for something as important as YOUR stopping ability in the mountain is risky.

I understand time being tight, but this is a good opportunity to learn some good stuff man :thumb: Remember you've got us monkeys to help out if you have questions and there is tons of Hayes bleeding info if you search the site.

z
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,130
7,679
Transylvania 90210
Zark said:
Relying on others for something as important as YOUR stopping ability in the mountain is risky.

good advice, considering those guys never tighten the pinch bolts on my shiver's axle, only the main bolt :eek:
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
mandown said:
good advice, considering those guys never tighten the pinch bolts on my shiver's axle, only the main bolt :eek:
Ummm wow....thats bad man, really bad. I'd be :mumble:
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,130
7,679
Transylvania 90210
yeah, they did it to me TWICE!!!

after the 1st time, i thought - oh well, forgive them.
after the 2nd time, i thought - i should check their work, but i did not (my bad), then after the ride, i found the pinch bolts almost falling out. grrrr.

on the plus side, i give them enough work and buy enough parts that i get some good discounts. other than that slip up, i have been happy with the work they do on my bikes.
 

Nagaredama

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2004
1,596
2
Manhattan Beach, CA USA
mandown said:
yeah, they did it to me TWICE!!!

after the 1st time, i thought - oh well, forgive them.
after the 2nd time, i thought - i should check their work, but i did not (my bad), then after the ride, i found the pinch bolts almost falling out. grrrr.

on the plus side, i give them enough work and buy enough parts that i get some good discounts. other than that slip up, i have been happy with the work they do on my bikes.
What shop in LA are you going to?

I broke some stuff on my HFX-Mags over the weekend and need to get them fixed.
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,130
7,679
Transylvania 90210
i am going to the wheel world in culver city. i show up enough and buy stuff (instead of just browsing) that they know me.

i love that avatar pic of you at the whoops on the wall ride. i have a pic just like that. i started building that wall ride after my trip to whistler in august of 2004. i got hooked on wall rides on that trip. i saw the line, and hacked it in a bit, then kurt and the other locals cleaned it up and made it something nice.
 

Nagaredama

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2004
1,596
2
Manhattan Beach, CA USA
mandown said:
i am going to the wheel world in culver city. i show up enough and buy stuff (instead of just browsing) that they know me.

i love that avatar pic of you at the whoops on the wall ride. i have a pic just like that. i started building that wall ride after my trip to whistler in august of 2004. i got hooked on wall rides on that trip. i saw the line, and hacked it in a bit, then kurt and the other locals cleaned it up and made it something nice.
I've bought two bikes from Wheel World.

Let me know how the HFX Mag rebuild goes. The front line broke and the rear lever flops all the way forward. Watch out for the bushes on Mt. Wilson. They eat brakes!

In the pic is my old KHS FR-2000 (bought at Wheel World in CC). I now have an all black Kona Roast and a gravel/green Yeti AS-X.

What's your name and what bike do you ride at the Whoops?

Name is Scott and I'm probably the tallest guy up there.
 

mandown

Poopdeck Repost
Jun 1, 2004
20,130
7,679
Transylvania 90210
if i have them do the rebuild, i will let you know.

my name is adam and i am up there about once a month (a little less than that lately) on a white bb7. i am probably the biggest pu$$y up there.

i'll say hi if i see ya.
 

zmtber

Turbo Monkey
Aug 13, 2005
2,435
0
Listen To Everyone Hayes Are Awsom I Have Used Mine For 5 Years And Done Nothing But Got New Pads And The Still Work Like New