Disc Brake Help

[jason1234]

Recently I've been having some problems with my disc brakes. While going down rock-it at Aliso Woods they went out. I used the front brakes for the time being.

I checked out the pads and they seemed pretty worn down so I bought a new pair of brake pads and installed them. I was having some trouble with the pads rubbing against the discs so I adjusted the inner pad via the removable cover on the twist knob. After a lot of adjusting they don't rub anymore but they don't stop fully anymore. The problem seems to be the outside pad wont come close enough to put full pressure on the disc against the other pad to stop it. I've been looking for a way to adjust that side so I can actually stop with it but I've come up empty. I've checked out the instructions for installation but didn't find anything. Is there anything I can do?

Hayes MX1 Brakes

Thanks!

[mottmcfly]

Originally Posted by jason1234

Recently I've been having some problems with my disc brakes. While going down rock-it at Aliso Woods they went out. I used the front brakes for the time being.

I checked out the pads and they seemed pretty worn down so I bought a new pair of brake pads and installed them. I was having some trouble with the pads rubbing against the discs so I adjusted the inner pad via the removable cover on the twist knob. After a lot of adjusting they don't rub anymore but they don't stop fully anymore. The problem seems to be the outside pad wont come close enough to put full pressure on the disc against the other pad to stop it. I've been looking for a way to adjust that side so I can actually stop with it but I've come up empty. I've checked out the instructions for installation but didn't find anything. Is there anything I can do?

Hayes MX1 Brakes

Thanks!

Have you bled them? you may have A) air in the system or B) not enough fluid.

thanks,

Mott

[jason1234]

Mott: Isn't that for hydrolic disc brakes, I have mechanical...

[2wheel_lee]

Originally Posted by mottmcfly

Have you bled them? you may have A) air in the system or B) not enough fluid.

thanks,

Mott

If I recall correctly, the MX1 is a cable-activated disc system.

When you pull on the brake lever, does it go all the way to the grip, or does it stop in the normal location? If the lever goes to the grip, turn out the adjusters on the levers, or pull more cable through at the caliper.

Your rotors may have become contaminated with some and oil or some kind of lubricant. Thoroughly wipe down the rotors with rubbing alcohol.

As I mentioned, I don't really know those brakes, so I don't know how to properly center them. You may need to unbolt the calipers and recenter them. With some cable-actuated systems, the inner pad doesn't actually move. The outer pad pushes against the rotor, which then pushes against the inner pad.

[el_d00der1n0]

I have the MX1s, but I've never used them. They are mechs just so you guys know.

[mottmcfly]

Originally Posted by jason1234

Mott: Isn't that for hydrolic disc brakes, I have mechanical...

My Bad. I didn't check the model number and made an incorrect assumption.

[Rockinthecasbah]

My mech adjustment on post mounts. Bring the static pad almost all the way out via adjustment. Loosen up the post mounts and move the caliper until the static pad hits the rotor then tighten the caliper in that spot. Back out the static pad until you dont hear it rubing anymore. Then adjust the moving pad via the cable adjust. This should get your moving pad more bite on the rotor. Thats how i adjust mx4's

[Rob]

Originally Posted by Rockinthecasbah

My mech adjustment on post mounts. Bring the static pad almost all the way out via adjustment. Loosen up the post mounts and move the caliper until the static pad hits the rotor then tighten the caliper in that spot. Back out the static pad until you dont hear it rubing anymore. Then adjust the moving pad via the cable adjust. This should get your moving pad more bite on the rotor. Thats how i adjust mx4's

That's the way I do it, except I'll loosen the caliper bolts just enough so the caliper can move back and forth. Then squeeze the lever so the pistons will clamp the rotor, then tighten each caliper bolt going back and forth from one bolt to the other. This will align the caliper with the rotor.

After you've tightened the calipers see if the static pad is rubbing, if so back it off with the manual adjust. If the rotor is bent find where it's bent, rotate it out of the way from the caliper and bent it slightly with your hand(or disc straightening tool preferably) the opposite way and repeat until straight.

Once you've done all that ajust the tension on the brake cable to where the moving piston is close to the rotor but not rubbing.

Also try to stretch out your brake cables by over tensioning them and squeezing the brake lever really hard. It's better to have them stretch now then on a big descent. Readjust tension afterwards.

[jason1234]

Thanks guys, I'm gonna give that a shot and see how it goes. I'll let you know if that takes car of it.

Thanks again,
Jason

[jason1234]

Fixed it! Thanks for all your help guys.