Front brake issue

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Front brake issue
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flag lukemi
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 3:43 Quote
Hi!

On the bike which I share with my dad, there is a fairly annoying issue with the front brake. One of the pads has come out of alignment, meaning it's staying on the wheel. Using the brake handle only operates the other side. This is a major problem, as at times it doesn't affect the bike much (other than being like going up half a gear), but quite often it sticks more, and makes an annoying screeching noise, as well as being hard to ride. Does anyone have any ideas how to fix this, without actually spending any money on it?
flag Andy-M
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 3:44 Quote
lukemi wrote:
Hi!

On the bike which I share with my dad, there is a fairly annoying issue with the front brake. One of the pads has come out of alignment, meaning it's staying on the wheel. Using the brake handle only operates the other side. This is a major problem, as at times it doesn't affect the bike much (other than being like going up half a gear), but quite often it sticks more, and makes an annoying screeching noise, as well as being hard to ride. Does anyone have any ideas how to fix this, without actually spending any money on it?

What brake is it?
flag tom-towers
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 3:44 Quote
is it a mechanical disk brake or hydraulic ?
flag ajh4446
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 4:02 Quote
un do the bolts that hold the caliper to the forks, squeeze the brake then titen the bots back up whilst the brake is pulled, this will centre the caliper, and hopefully get rid of your problem
flag lukemi
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 7:22 Quote
Would that be for a pad brake or a disc brake?
flag Andy-M
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 7:23 Quote
lukemi wrote:
Would that be for a pad brake or a disc brake?

What type of brake do you have...

V-Brake (sits on the rim) or a disc brake (with a disc...)
flag lukemi
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 8:05 Quote
It's certainly not the latter: the pads sit next to the rim.
flag Andy-M
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 8:19 Quote
lukemi wrote:
It's certainly not the latter: the pads sit next to the rim.

Most v-brakes should just move left and right a bit. If it's constantly rubbing, try just moving the bit where the cable goes to the side where rubbing isn't happening.

Also undo the cable, let it slacken a bit and redo the bolt that holds the cable down if ^ doesn't work.
flag lukemi
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 9:44 Quote
The problem is that it is slanted on one side: the brake cable doesn't operate that side, nor does it keep it taut and upright (i.e. off the rim)...
flag dinkboy
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 10:12 Quote
Sounds like you already wore a lip on your pad because it went under the rim surface. so now you're into the condition of your pads? and you'll need to get more spring tension on that side so depending on what brakes you have.... this is all easy stuff. I'd go to the local bike shop and ask if you could watch them fix it and then you'll understand how easy all this can be and you won't let it get to this point again.
flag Andy-M
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 10:23 Quote
lukemi wrote:
The problem is that it is slanted on one side: the brake cable doesn't operate that side, nor does it keep it taut and upright (i.e. off the rim)...

Yeh go to your bike shop and ask for new springs or just to have a look at it. Sounds like you'll need to buy springs anyway so you might aswell ask your LBS.
flag PearlJamSoCal
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 10:26 Quote
You can fix that problem with one allen wrench. Look at the front of the barke arm on the side that is rubbing. The allen head bolt that hold the arm to the fork also goes through the spring that provides the tension for the brake. You can adjust the tension on that spring by simply loosing that allen bolt moving the arm in the direction you need and then re tightening the allen bolt. This is a very simple fix and when you take the allen bolt off you will see exactly what I am describing.

If your brake pad is making noise it is most likely because it is contacting the rim flat. Brake pads should contact the rim at the front edge of the pad first, this is called toe-ing the pad. You can toe the pad by using an adjustable wrench ( crescent wrench ) to slightly bend the brake arm to create the toe in you need.
flag lukemi
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 11:17 Quote
dinkboy wrote:
Sounds like you already wore a lip on your pad because it went under the rim surface. so now you're into the condition of your pads? and you'll need to get more spring tension on that side so depending on what brakes you have.... this is all easy stuff. I'd go to the local bike shop and ask if you could watch them fix it and then you'll understand how easy all this can be and you won't let it get to this point again.

It hasn't physically gone under the wheel, it's gone backwards and into the wheel.
flag dinkboy
Posted: May 29, 2009 at 11:33 Quote
It hasn't physically gone under the wheel, it's gone backwards and into the wheel.[/Quote]

The fix is easy..... trying to understand what it is exactly doing through posts is problematic... LBS.
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