|   HMX-1 installation question | Ian Schmitz
Mar 25, 2003 9:13 PM | | i recently got hmx1's and when i was installing everything fit on and what not, when i went to put the cable in and adjust it seems to work fine but when i would push my shocks down the slightest i lost all braking power. is it the way i set it up? or is there something i should know about?
Thanks for any help |
| Huh, good question... | Ryan C.
Mar 26, 2003 11:21 AM | | If your only losing braking power when the fork is compressed, then the only thing I can think of is the way your cable housing is routed. Sharp bends in cable housing increase the friction on the cable and partially engage the brakes (because the cable is essentially "pulled" a little farther because the effective length of the housing is slightly shorter). Also, the housing is more easily compressible, so the brakes can feel more mushy. I would re-check your set-up to make sure everything is right, though. Make sure that the disc is centered in the caliper and the fixed inboard pad is as close as possible to the rotor without actually touching it. This is one of the most easily overseen details of mechanical brake installation that can rob much of the power out of the brakes. The inboard pad must be as close as possible to the rotor for the brakes to work properly or the rotor will flex too much for that pad to engage (that's where most of the lost power goes, into flexing the rotor that extra distance). Also, give your pads and rotors a good cleaning with isopropyl alcohol and a rag if you haven't already and avoiding touching either with your bare hands (skin oils as with any oil, can degrade brake pad stopping power).
A separate problem that is a little less common (atleast to the extent that it greatly affects braking power) is the possibility that your IS mounts on your frame and/or fork are not aligned properly. Check for this only after trying the above steps. Frames and forks don't come out perfect and sometimes the IS tabs that your brakes bolt to aren't aligned within tolerance. They need to be faced, which you can do one of two ways: using a file and approximating, or finding an LBS with a Gnanno-mat or Hope's facing tool (which I can't remember the name of) to get them perfectly (well, almost) aligned. Again, try fixing your set-up before resorting to this. In the past I've just used a file to correct any misalignments. When the brakes are properly set-up and bolted down, you will be able to see the pads sitting in a slight diagnol plane to the rotor if you have this problem. Hope that helps, a little hard to diagnose without actually getting my hands on the brakes. The Hayes mechs are decent brakes. Not quite as good as Avids I'll admit, but on par with stopping power when set-up properly. Good luck.
-Ryan |
| re: HMX-1 installation question | Schtoo
Mar 28, 2003 1:38 AM | | This sounds stranger than anything!
What might have happened is that you have set everything up, then when the shock has moved, the cable end has seated itself into the cable stop properly, allowing extra cable to come through and vastly changing the setup you had.
Do what Ryan said, make sure everything is set up right (and I highly recommend getting the tabs squared up, as in I also highly recommend breathing on occasion) but also make sure everything is seated properly. That means a few good solid brake lever pulls and a good wiggle of cable/housing while you do it. This will make sure evrything is where it should be and you wont get any surprises like the one you just got. My HMX does this with alarming regularity, but it's just something I keep a check on now.
If it's not that, it's nothing I ever even dreamed about before. Good luck! |
| |
