|   Hope Mini Help | cyclerant
Jan 11, 2002 4:09 AM | | New to disc brakes so I'm lost. Not sure if this matters but here is the set up. Front is a 185mm rotor rear is 165mm. Both are new and have new pads installed (one 15 mile ride on them) Caliper are centered over rotors. Front brake feel is great with enough to lock the front wheel on pavement a little over 1/2 lever pull. No problems with the front.The rear is mush. I cannot seem to get the same feel on the rear brake. I have bled the system over and over. Checked for leaks and still the lever pulls almost to the bar before I have 75% of the front's power. One note is that I can pump the brake a bit and get the same power with a bit less pull but not much better than before. What to do now? |
| re: Hope Mini Help | brettsta
Jan 11, 2002 7:49 AM | | Some of these suggestions might seem obvious but give em a go.
1. Clean your rotors with some non residue leaving alcohol. i.e. isopropanol
if still no better and if no blatant contamination of your pads can be seen
2. Swap your pads from the front calliper in to the rear, and re try your brakes. if still no brakes then at least you know its not contaminated pads that are the problem.
Can you visibly see a larger gap between pads and rotor on the back in comparison to the front??
3. remove your pads from the rear and re set your pistons in the back calliper with a plastic tyre lever or something (dont use screw driver it scratches pistons) once re-assembled pull your lever a few times then try your brakes.
4. Adjust your lever position so it is further away from the handlebar therefore giving more leverage. (LBS informed me that mini are notorious for having long travel b4 brakes pads engage)
5. If none of these suggestions help, try giving HOPE a call (Very helpful chaps) they may send you some new pads. they sent me some when i complained about the squeel my brakes were making.
6. You could also check that your pistons are moving the same amount each side. remove pads and gently and not too far pull the lever and check piston travel. you will need to re set them after this.
PS Some people might disagree with some of the suggestions but i had a similar problem to you and now my brakes work a treat.
cheers |
| I'm not sure if this applies to the Minis, but... | SS_MB-7
Jan 11, 2002 10:06 AM | | I've just installed a demo pair of Minis on my bike, but have yet to try them since the weather has turned nasty. At any rate, this technique worked on my rear Formula B4 (also an open system), so you might want to give it a try with your rear Mini.
Remove the rear wheel and lighty apply the rear brake. This will slightly extend the pistons. Don't grab too much lever, otherwise, the pads will be too close and you will not be able to insert the rotor. If you grab too much lever, or the pads have moved too close, insert a plastic tire lever or screw-driver in between the pads and gently pry the pads back into the caliper. Now re-try. You should be able to reset the starting position of the pads/pistons, thereby, setting them closer to the rotor. This will in turn, firm-up the lever feel.
Ride Hard,
Mike B. |
| I'm not sure if this applies to the Minis, but... | brettsta
Jan 12, 2002 1:24 PM | | Mike
Top tip m8
Coincedentally, my front brake has just started playing up. b4 trying my 'own' suggestions, i gave your method a try. Works a treat, nice one!!
happy ridin'
cheers, brettsta |
| check your rear pads and | CoyoteBoy MCM756
Jan 11, 2002 11:13 AM | | tell me if they have 4 holes drilled in the back plate with some friction material coming through. I have spoken to hope cos mine were the same as yours (well, my rear was, got an enduro front) and they sent me new pads - ones from a different manufacturer, these dont have holes in the metal backplate. I havent tried them but Hope say it should sort all problems.
They must be sending them out with the shit old pads on to get rid of them before using the new manufacturer - I know mine were ordered straight from hope and so weren't old stock.
JB |
| Thanks for the help | cyclerant
Jan 13, 2002 4:17 AM | | Pads are good. No contamination on pads or discs. Tried the pull rear wheel method and even pulling the lever to the bar the pads returned to their original position. Is that a clue to something else wrong?
The only thing that seemed to work is to move the lever further from the bar. This ofcourse sucks as I have a longer reach to the rear brake, but ok until I can figure this out.
The feel is sort of like the diff between V's front and rear. Like I am getting some sort of housing compression at the rear. Braking power is on par with the front so I know the set up works. The pads do ride a good deal out from the rotor. Further than the front. I might swap the calipers as they are both the same and see if that does anything. One last thing. if there was a leak even the smallest leak I would find some fluid correct? Last 4 bleeds not one air bubble though so I do not think that is even at issue, but it sure feels like it.
Any other ideas welcome. Thanks again. |
| |
