1. What is the point of the "retaining" clip (the metal X shaped clip)?
2. How are you supposed to take the pads out without a pair of pliers? Or put in a new set without taking the calliper off the frame, pressing the pistons all the way back in, and refitting (with all the hassle that comes with this)?
3. Why do they use that stupid "3D" adjust system? Did they really need to make the pad clearance tolerances so small?
Bike Forum
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Avid Brakes - wtf?
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Posted 1 year ago #
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I found it quite simple!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I changed my front pads, bled the brake (for the first time in 3 odd years prompted only by a thread on here) and had everything sorted in less than 15 minutes yesterday.
Did you read the manual?
If not - Read the manual.
Posted 1 year ago # -
1) same as for Hopes and others?
2) Clip comes off with finger nails. Pads can be replaced from the back (on elixirs anyway)
3) agreed - you don't need to use it as I found after one of the conical washers split mid-ridePosted 1 year ago # -
1. None (throw it away).
2. Old worn-out set of pads to protect the pistons. Thick screwdriver. Lever them apart.
3. Loosen bolts. Apply brake with one hand, tighten bolts with other. Perfect alignment
Posted 1 year ago # -
from the sounds of it you have juicys? never did like that way of retaining the pads. funny that when they revised the design for the elixir they went for a simple bolt that the pads slide on. Just like my 10 year old hope minis!
Posted 1 year ago # -
1. To stop the pads falling out when you take your wheel out / to stop a whole load of rattling ?
2. I use pliers, one pad at a time, grip the little tab & lift the pad forwads clear of the piston & they will pop out easily. Best to push pistons in when re-inserting. Might need to grip as above, to click each pad into place.
3. Its way better than messing about with shims.Posted 1 year ago # -
Thanks for the answers! The mystery of the x shaped clip has been resolved.
It just seems like a really fiddly way of doing things (Juicy 5s). I really don't want to take a large screwdriver and pliers on my rides, so was wondering if there is a better way of taking them out and pressing the pistons back. Is this the same for all systems?
Posted 1 year ago # -
I think taking the pads out is more fiddly with juicy than a lot of systems but at a push on the trail I have got them out with fingers. pushing the pistons in is pretty much the same in my experience as with other types. I found a nice flat metal tyre lever that I carry in my pack which is a good shape for pushing pistons in, saves carrying an extra tool
Posted 1 year ago # -
Avid went looking for an answer (tool free pad replacement) without asking the question first...
Now I am pretty handy and changing Juicy pads anywhere other than a warm 'tooled-up' garage is a pain - and anyone who says other-wise has never tried to do it on a frozen Peaks hillside!
I found that if you put in the X clip and one pad, get it seated and then with two slim (watchmaker type) screwdrivers you come in from the back and push back the X clip arms for the 2nd pad - then drop the 2nd pad in.
Sometimes though it helps to undo the bleed nipple...
Posted 1 year ago # -
People faff with their pads on a ride...?!
Posted 1 year ago # -
only when there is still a few miles to go and the pads are so worn down that I can see sparks!
Posted 1 year ago # -
People faff with their pads on a ride...?!
Do you not carry spare pads?
And at the top of the Roman Road and no brakes as they've been eaten in the previous 20 wet gritty miles.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Never carry spare pads, never needed them. I get thousands of miles of life out of them
Posted 1 year ago # -
To be fair to the OP he's identified the saem weak points in the Juicy brakes as many of us have.
Now I am pretty handy and changing Juicy pads anywhere other than a warm 'tooled-up' garage is a pain - and anyone who says other-wise has never tried to do it on a frozen Peaks hillside!
Agreed, I had to cut short a ride a few years ago as I was struggling to get the new pads in on a fairly exposed bit of hill.
1. What is the point of the "retaining" clip (the metal X shaped clip)?
IT stops the pads from rattling/falling out, especially when the wheel is removed. But agreed, it is fiddly and easily damaged.2. How are you supposed to take the pads out without a pair of pliers? Or put in a new set without taking the calliper off the frame, pressing the pistons all the way back in, and refitting (with all the hassle that comes with this)?
It can be done with the caliper on the frame/forks but it's not as easy. At home I will remove the caliper as the pads will need realigning anyway.3. Why do they use that stupid "3D" adjust system? Did they really need to make the pad clearance tolerances so small?
The 3d adjust doesn't always work, but ut beats shims. Agreed pad clearance is pretty poor, but in terms of leverage; more clearance= less power. Shimano's servo-wave attempts to get both.Posted 1 year ago # -
Had pads so worn on a ride that the rotor catches on the X shaped clip and mangles it. Have had to change juicy pads on a cold day trailside, it's a pain but not that bad if you have something to push the pads back with before removing them. I'm quite tempted by one of these as it takes me ages of waggling with a fat screwdriver to reset them.
I always assumed the x clip was used to push the pads back off the rotor, but thinking about it for half a second makes me realise that's a pretty stupid assumption
i may not bother with it in future.
Posted 1 year ago # -
TandemJeremy - Member
Never carry spare pads, never needed them. I get thousands of miles of life out of them
FFS how many **** times do you trot this out!! What happens when the "many thousands of miles" happens to be mid ride then smart arse?
Posted 1 year ago # -
mr blobby - what about a tyre lever??
Posted 1 year ago # -
Superstar pads seem to be thicker and are a right pain to fit in my J3s (last for ages tho')
Posted 1 year ago # -
what about a tyre lever??
Not usually flat enough. Also don't have any metal ones. If you have one that works well then let me know.
Also find that I sometimes need to reset the pistons when not changing pads and a screwdriver looks to be making a right mess of the pads.
Superstar pads seem to be thicker and are a right pain to fit in my J3s (last for ages tho')
Been using the Ashima SOS ones here, they're thicker too and a right pain to get in. Seem to work really well though.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Im with TJ on this.
How the hell do you wear out pads on one ride?
I typically get a year + out of pads riding all weathers a couple of times a week.
For the record I change pads like this ( I removed the retaining clip ages ago as you dont need it)
Take wheel out
Put in red plastic pad spacer tool that you get with Avid brakes.
Pull out pads one at a time.
Make a sandwich out of new pads and x spring
Put new pads in.
Put in wheel
Ride up road fast and brake hard
Ride back and brake hard.Done.
Posted 1 year ago # -
How the hell do you wear out pads on one ride?
Muddy welsh grinding paste! I've got through a set of pads on a weekend riding in south wales in winter. Put organic pads on which was a bit stupid but that's all I had in the shed.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Take wheel out
Fanny about for ages with a screwdriver pushing the pads apart sufficiently to Put in red plastic pad spacer tool that you get with Avid brakes.
Remove spacer.
Pull out pads one at a time.
Make a sandwich out of new pads and x spring
Put new pads in... find they don't fit. Put old pads back in. More pushing apart with a screwdriver. Repeat this process about a dozen times.
Put in wheel
Ride up road fast and brake hard
Ride back and brake hard.
Fixed that for you.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Still don't get it I did the W2 in the wet then went to Cwymcarn the next day and was still using the same pads until yesterday . That was several months ago.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Its not just the areas folk ride in as not everyone who rides there gets the fast wear. Myself I am convinced its to do with the heat in the brakes
As for what do I do if they wear out on a ride? I check them beforehand and it has never happened. if it did I would continue on one brake
Posted 1 year ago # -
Still don't get it I did the W2 in the wet then went to cwymcarn the next day and was still using the same pads. That was several months ago.
Sometimes it's been fine. Seems to be some combination of wet and muddy that does it. Some pads seem to fare worse than others, Avid's own organic pad seems to suffer badly.
Posted 1 year ago # -
The spacer tool is wedged and much better than a screwdriver for spacing the pads as that what it is for.
Like I said I changed pads and bled the brakes in around 15 mins and I am no spanner monkey. A pad change is a dead easy job.
If you use this it even holds your pad sandwich
Posted 1 year ago # -
Yeah, it can be a nice quick job, especially using avid pads. Some other manufacturers pads can be a lot thicker and be much harder work to get in. Don't think it's ever taken more than 30 mins, but that would consist of a good 20 mins of waggling with a big screwdriver and much foul language.
Spacer works well for my Elixir's. Don't have one for the juicy though, know if they do one?
Elixirs tend to be much easier than juicys in my experience, and most of my comments apply to the juicy 7's.
Posted 1 year ago # -
They do do one for the 7s but it's slightly different to that one.
Sounds like your 7s have a sticky piston as mine are really dead easy to push back onto the caliper.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Hmm, will have a look for that spacer. I got a few with the bleed kit, the one I've used is more of a thick block designed to be used once the pads are out. It's more effective than a tyre lever or screwdriver, but for me impossible to use (on the rear at least) without taking the calliper off the frame.
fadda - Member
People faff with their pads on a ride...?!So far not, and currently I'd rather eat my saddle before doing so, but it's going to happen at some point soon, given that both my two regular riding companions and I have avid brakes, and the other two are even more mechanically inept than I am.
Yeah, it can be a nice quick job, especially using avid pads...Don't think it's ever taken more than 30 mins, but that would consist of a good 20 mins of waggling with a big screwdriver and much foul language.
Erm, that doesn't sound like a nice quick job to me. Though haven't yet found a bike maintenance task that doesn't sound similar...
Posted 1 year ago # -
Sounds like your 7s have a sticky piston as mine are really dead easy to push back onto the caliper.
Thought it might be something like that so had them properly serviced but it didn't make much difference. Bleeding them at the same time as replacing pads does seem to help. They work just fine too.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Very possible to wear a set of pads out in one ride in the peak district!
Posted 1 year ago #
Topic Closed
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