|   HELP! Avid Mechanical Disc Outboard Knob not doing anything! | Bobby_Digital
Apr 24, 2003 9:17 PM | | Hi again guys, I just got my Avid Mechs in the mail yesterday, and decided to go through the instructions and see what I needed to do (if anything) to prep the brakes. It said to turn the inboard and outboard knob to loosen them, and so I did--I turned the outboard knob all the way clockwise, and the pad did what it was supposed to--all the way to the inboard pad. THEN, I tried to back the outboard pad back out, but IT DIDNT DO ANYTHING! The knob turns all the way, then stops at the extreme counter-clockwise point, but the pad doesn't move anywhere! I even tried nudging the pad holder with my finger, but it is still stuck against the inboard pad...is this normal? I tried fiddling with the inboard knob, but that didn't do anything (surprise). I thought maybe my front caliper was screwed up, so I tried it again with the rear caliper...same deal! What do I do? EEK! |
| Woops, that's solved, but now new problem | Bobby_Digital
Apr 24, 2003 9:31 PM | | Ok, turns out I just needed to actuate the caliper arm to bring the pad back. But now, I cant get the proper 1/3 - 2/3 outboard-inboard ratio. Seems that I turn the inboard all the way in, but when the outboard is all the way out, it drags on the rotor. And it still seems 50/50. Is this normal? Should I just turn both pads all the way out (which still allows for a slight raking of the rotor--is THIS normal?) or is the 66/33% ratio necessary? If anyone has an Avid setup FAQ, that'd be great, I'm too stupid to read the manual:( |
| Great reason to use your LBS. | Damion
Apr 24, 2003 10:27 PM | | |
| Yeah, I'm sure that advice helps him...jackass. | Johnny No Manners
Apr 24, 2003 11:02 PM | | Hey bobby, email me at MikeSSP220(at)hotmail.com
I can send you a good manual with FAQ's and setup/break-in tips I and my friends have amassed.
The brakes may not be Swiss craftsmanship like my Sig P220, but they're a hell of a lot more useful on the trail (unless you run into a wild animal hehe). Hope I myself, or someone else on this board can actually help you, and not just make a$$hole comments :cough: :cough:
[JNM] |
| Good one ... | Philber
Apr 25, 2003 7:21 AM | | I like my LBS alot, and I use them for ... well not very much ... but I sure wouldn't use them for fine tuning anything. Where I think LBS's are great is for the big work - reaming, facing, chasing, threading, cutting, replacing. Where I think they stink is for fine tuning and adjusting. They just don't have the time to do it properly. For example, properly adjusting a front derailer, in my experience, takes between 20 and 30 minutes. No way can a LBS justify that kind of time spent on a $20 part. Same goes for disc brakes and finicky little stuff like that. Plus, you just gotta know how to do that stuff yourself, so when your CPS bolts come loose on the trail, you're not walking home. IMO. |
| The ratio is not critical. I use 50-50. | Tscheezy
Apr 24, 2003 11:38 PM | | I loosten the CPS mounting bolts and turn the inboard pad in almost half-way into the rotor slot, then I turn the outboard adjuster in until the rotor is squeezed between the pads. This will center the caliper on the rotor. Then I just snug down the CPS mounting bolts and back the pads out until they don't rub and the brake lever throw is where I like it. Easy. If you have rub make sure the rotor is true, and do the setup again. Ask this on Brake Time and read the FAQ. They are very helpful.
Don't get mad a Damion. He works at a bike shop and deals with this all the time. BTW- the Avid setup sheet is a pdf at Avidbike.com.
tscheezy |
| I use 80-20 ... | Philber
Apr 25, 2003 7:09 AM | | The Avid system involves only a single moving pad (on the outboard side), unlike some systems which use two moving pads (outboard and inboard). With the Avids, the one moving pad actually bends the rotor so that it contacts, and presses against, the non-moving pad. Accordingly, there is no benefit to having the rotor farther away from the non-moving pad - it only means the moving pad has to travel farther and move the rotor farther to achieve the resistance that will result in braking.
So my suggestion is to loosen your CPS bolts, then dial in the inboard pad about half way, then dial in the outboard pad until it holds the rotor firm between the pads - this will necessarily mean that the rotor is parallel to the pads. Now, tighten your CPS bolts. Then back the outboard dial off all the way, then back the inboard dial off just until the pad is not touching the rotor, it's even okay if it just very lightly rubs the rotor. Then, adjust the outboard dial for desired lever throw.
This method will get you the most efficient single-pad braking action possible, because there's nothing to be gained from bending the rotor more than absolutely necessary. And it doesn't affect lever throw at all, because you can set that whereever you like by moving the outboard pad away from the rotor as far as you want. |
| Follow Philber's setup... | fonseca
Apr 25, 2003 11:39 AM | | I don't use the 2/3 setup myself, it's nt that important to have the exact ratio.
You can also search the avid forum--I mean brake forum--for plenty of great setup info. |
| Just make sure the rotor's not too close to the inboard... | Smytty
Apr 25, 2003 11:41 AM | | side of the caliper.
I just fixed my avids yesterday. I was starting to hear this horrible scraping noise when I applied the rear brake. It turns out that the inboard (fixed) pad was pretty well worn away, and when the brake was applied, it pushed the rotor against the caliper body. (Nasty noise)
I guess I didn't have it set up correctly the first time, but it wasn't an issue until the pad wore away. Granted, the pad was completely finished, so I replaced them, realigned the caliper, and as long as they're not wet, they're quiet and good as new. |
| Definitely what Tscheezy said...CPS bolts | GISSPEC
Apr 25, 2003 5:26 AM | | I just mounted my Avids a month ago and had some of the same experience that you have. Definitely adjust the CPS mounting bolts so that they align the pads as parallel as you can get to the rotor. This takes some time and patience, the latter of which I have little, but it is worth the time and effort. My best advice is to stand behind or in front of the bike, depending on which brake you are adjusting, with the bike in the stand and up off the ground, CPS bolts loose enough to adjust, and line the pads up visually by adjusting the caliper by hand until they are as parallel as possible with the rotor. I still have to play with them to get them set up perfectly but the best thing about Avids are that they are so adjustable. You have to ride them and keep tweaking them until you get them just right. I still haven't got mine perfect but they are definitely sweet and I will get them dialed if and when we get some consistent weather around here. |
| Awesome, thanks for the info everyone! NM :) | Bobby_Digital
Apr 25, 2003 7:15 AM | | |
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