HELP - Avid Elixir CR Bleed Problems? Possible Leak

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HELP - Avid Elixir CR Bleed Problems? Possible Leak
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flag jimbojrt
Posted: Jul 21, 2012 at 9:57 Quote
Hi Guys,

I've got a pair of Avid Elixir CR brakes and I'm havin a real tough time with them.

I'm (usually) pretty good at bike maintenance but this time I'm stumped.

The rear brake feels very spongey at the lever and it will pull right to the bar. It doesn't seem to get a good grip on the disc at the calliper end and if I try hard, I can rotate the rear wheel with the lever fully pressed in so I'm not getting the power I need out of them.

Now I have bled and rebled the the back brake too many times. I first bleed the hose with the lever out, pushing fluid from the calliper end and all OK. I then bleed the calliper with the lever strapped to the bar, again, seem to get all the bubbles out and all seems OK. Then I slowly release the lever whilst pushing the calliper syringe as instructed. Then take off the calliper syringe and close it up.

Now, when I come to bleed at the lever end, it seems to want to draw and endless amount of bubbles up when I give it negative pressure. I can also hear a squeak near the lever pivot when I do this.

So, I'm pretty sure the lever is the problem and I'm pretty sure there's a leak at the lever end with the squeak of air going into the system. I also noticed that when I went to put the bleed port screw back in at the calliper end before I bled the lever, the fluid kept dripping out of the port. Correct me if I'm wrong but that surely means there's a leak in the system somewhere?

I think my next move is to get a new lever kit. I took the lever apart using the avid instructions and had a look at it all but it looks fine to me. I am assuming that one of the seals has gone.

Has anybody else had this problem or knows what's going on?? I'd like to think I know what I'm doing with bikes usually but this one has me frustrated. Help Please!!!

Thanks, JT
flag johnsamsung10
Posted: Jul 22, 2012 at 2:26 Quote
sounds like you have a blown seal in the lever somewhere that is letting air into the system.
flag jimbojrt
Posted: Jul 22, 2012 at 3:37 Quote
Thanks for the pointer mate. You reckon I'm best just getting the lever kit, installing the new assembly and trying the bleed again?? Any other ideas about what it might be?

Thanks, JT
flag johnsamsung10
Posted: Jul 22, 2012 at 4:54 Quote
also have u checked your bleed kit? i have a syringe that lost an o-ring so i stuck a random one on. I put it at the lever so when u bleed the hose it holds okay but after i have done the caliper i use the other syringe as its seal is the correct one. also is your pad contact all the way out? i think a lever rebuild kit should do the job.
flag jimbojrt
Posted: Jul 22, 2012 at 5:00 Quote
Ai, I've checked the bleed kit, you can tell the bubbles are coming from the lever rather than leakage. Pad contact is all the way out too.

Think I'm at the stage where a new kit is needed, should be relatively easy (!!).

Wanted to see if anyone had the same problem as well as other ideas on solutions.

Thanks for the advice john, appreciate the help.

JT
flag johnsamsung10
Posted: Jul 22, 2012 at 5:09 Quote
this is the bleed kit i use insted of the avid one which costs £30 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Epic-Avid-Juicy-3-4-5-7-Elixir-1-3-5-7-9-R-CR-X0-XX-Code-Brake-Bleed-Kit-/170871515686?pt=UK_Spots_Leisure_Cycling_Tools_RepairKits&hash=item27c8bc6a26

not the best but it works well.
flag jimbojrt
Posted: Sep 10, 2012 at 8:54 Quote
Hi Guys, Just thought I'd update anyone who's interested.

After waiting for Avids importers to get their sh1t together, I got the internals kit for the lever. Dead easy to take the old internals out and replace with the new ones.

Bled the brakes (badly) and they're back working again, good as new and the lever has a better feel because of the new spring in the internals.

It took some time but finally got there and happy with the results.

One thing to note that you can read everywhere is don;t pull too hard on the lever syringe when bleeding, it'll suck air through the connections.

Otherwise, I'm well chuffed I fixed this myself and for £25 for the lever internals kit, not bad.

Thanks to anyone who helped me along the way.

James :-)
flag Ploutre
Posted: Sep 10, 2012 at 11:10 Quote
Cool Smile

Just for anybody's information aswell, I've just bought the "Pro" Avid bleed kit (I previously had the "regular"), and it's just MILES better than the stock one. I had quite some problems bleeding my old Elixir CR (and actual Elixir 7), but it just took me like 15min each brake (including setting up and degassing the DOT), and it's perfect now.

So if someone's planning onto buying a bleed kit, get the "pro" version. Better quality seringes (and the point where the flexible and the adaptors meet is really well made, with some sort of blow-off valve that prevents you from pulling too much on the seringe), set of spare orings and seals (for the seringe I believe).

Might even think putting the Elixir 7 back on a bike, to test them (coz they're on the side, I'm riding XTs now Smile )
flag ripdogg1
O+ FL
Posted: Sep 17, 2012 at 11:46 Quote
So, I've experienced the same problems lots of other people seem to have with these brakes. I had them replaced twice and now on the third set a similar and all too familiar problem has occurred. After what seemed like a successful bleed I noticed air bubbles coming out near the pad contact adjuster. After some adjustments I tried to re-bleed lever and after applying a small amount of pressure on the syringe a bunch of fluid just poured out the opposite side to the "pad contact adjuster". My LBS took apart the brake and found the bladder was destroyed and some of the seals were torn apart as well.
Sram is sending out a rebuild kit for free but I'm wondering what kind of results people have seen after a rebuild? Is there a flaw inherent in the design or could all the problems be due to mistakes made during manufacturing?
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