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Elixer Brakes
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
G'day
Can someone tell me how to open up the brake pads on my Elixer 7 Brakes? The gap has closed up and the pads are rubbing on the disc while I am riding.
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Sounds like one or two of your pistons are sticky. Remove the wheel, remove the pads, spray some sort of spray lubricant all over the pistons. Use some sort of wedge, like a big screwdriver, to force the pistons back in. Squeeze the brake lever to force the piston out a bit. Repeat several times. Be very careful not to pump the brake lever too often or else a piston will come completely out and you'll have to go through the brake bleeding process. Clean all oily stuff off before putting the pads back in. Wash your hands before touching the pads to put them back in. The slightest bit of oil on the pads can wreck the pads.
Take wheel off, take pads out, insert plastic wedge that should come with bike, if not got them go to LBS and get some for your brakes. Insert them between caliper pistons to push pistons back, replace pads, (on some you may need to reinsert wedges so they push pads and pistons wide). replace wheel. squeeze brakes to adjust - if still rubbing:-
BUT if they are rubbing it may be that your wheel is not centred properly (common with QR hubs) OR you have a warped disc OR your calipers need re-centering.
Check warped disc. Spin wheel, is the rubbing constant or intermittent (may hear it)OR can you see disc running out? get pencil or similar, spin wheel hold pencil and move it towards disc, if warped one point will touch before the rest. If warped straighten disc. (check web for how to;))
Centre caliper: Place white paper under caliper on floor. Look at calipers from above and see if there is an equal gap between pads on both side of disc. Spin wheel recheck (also can use to check for warped disc) If not equal gap, recentre calipers. Again heaps on how to on web.
You may want to consider cleaning calipers/pistons depending on how old, last service, and if pistons sticking.
FWIW - HTH.
Take the pads out, get a large flat screwdriver or a flat butter knife and rock the pistons back. This opens the gap. Another trick, wind out the pad in if it has, this releases the pressure of the fluid in the system. Not too far or it comes off, result fluids everywhere and then you will need to bleed the brake! Good luck.........took me ages and several trials and a brake bleed (which is easy) to figure out what was going on.
My experience with the avid brakes is they need to be bled a few times before they start behaving. Make sure at the end of the bleeding process you force the callipers back to get the right amount of fluid in the system.
it took me a couple of years to get the avids right on my sons bike, and by then he had grown out of it. But now I know the secret - just bleed them until they are right.
One more little thing to consider:
This applies to my Shimano XT but the issue can also occur with Avids. If it's the rear, I've found that a very fine layer of trail crud can accumulate and stick to the sides of the piston, and the extra friction can stop the piston from retracting properly.
So now I periodically (once a year or so, or before a major race), carefully push one piston out and clean the piston wall with brake cleaner and a cotton bud (you know, those things on a plastic stalk you use to clean your ears), then push it back and do the other side.
Stops that annoying brake rub. You know the one: "Ee-ee-ee-ee-ee ..." ad infinitum, every time your wheel rotates.
when i had a qr front......when i had a bike the front was never in the exact same place twice. anyway a good way to centre these brakes is to loosen them until there is movement, spin the wheel grab the brake and then kepp the brake help on hard while you do it up.
i had sticky pistons as well - like the advice above pump them out and give them a hit with brake cleaner. i used the red wedge to push them back again. do the realignment after pushing them back out.
i got some good enough brake cleaner from an auto shop for 9 bucks instead of 30 buck stuff with bicycle written on it.