A bit of forcing back of the pistons does seem to do the trick though.

FFS!! you need to push the pistons back first with every system! 🙄
is this what all the “OMG! Aaarrrrgggghhhhh! my Avids are a total PITA” crowd are forgetting? 😕

FFS!! you need to push the pistons back first with every system!

Calm down fella!

Some of us do have brakes from other manufacturers…Hopes are a breeze to reset the pistons and swap the pads and the Shimano systems I’ve tried aren’t a whole lot more difficult.

For some reason my Avids don’t want to co-operate…and my experiences aren’t unusual judging by the feedback.

I’m perfectly calm, er.. fella 😉

if your Avid pistons don’t want to go back it’s not for “some” reason. there’ll be a very good reason and I think you’ll find your Hope’s and Shimano’s can suffer from it in a similar way

GW, my post doesn’t say that I don’t need to push my pistons back in with Maguras/Shimanos/Hayes.

GW, the “Aaarrrrgggghhhhh” has nowt to do with forgetting to push pistons back. It has everything to do with f**king round in the garage and not riding and having to borrow a dremmel to align the alignment holes on pads! My hopes = 5 min bleed and pad change. Avids = not even close…. 😀

Sorry but Avids (3x bikes with em) = 5mins at the side of a trail for me.

Have other bikes with other makes of brake and it takes the same time.

having to borrow a dremmel to align the alignment holes on pads!

Eh? that doesn’t really make sense unless you had a defective set of pads, badly sized pad backing plate, alignment holes in the wrong place, damaged caliper or had you bent the posts on the pistons? Which was it?

put some clarks pads in my elixirs a few weeks ago. After an hour of struggling with the pistons I got the front set it, but they rubbed on the rotor. The rears not even close. Need to bleed out the system I think. The clarks backplate is definitely thicker than the avids, so you have less room manoeuvre so to speak.

So I switched the front partially worn ones into the back.

Off to the peaks I went with my rubbing front brake, within one decent it was no longer rubbing, 5 hours later it was metal on metal!!! My mistake for using organics!

GW – Member
Eh? that doesn’t really make sense unless you had a defective set of pads, badly sized pad backing plate, alignment holes in the wrong place, damaged caliper or had you bent the posts on the pistons? Which was it?

I had a similar problem with my pads a couple of weeks ago that nickewen is having with his pads.
I found mine to be that the square hole in the pad backing plate, didn’t quite line up with the round protrusion on the piston, and I mentioned having to get 0.5mm machined off the backing plate hole at work.

nickewen said in the same post you took his quote from that he has found he has the same problem on his pads that I did, with both sets of pads that he owns and on the same pad side (inboard). So, it would seem like some kind of batch/production problem, perhaps……

When replacing Juicy pads, I found that the calipers wouldn’t go back far enough to get them in properly. What works is to open the little bleed screw on the lever a quarter turn, and then push them back. Tighten up the screw, wipe off the wee dribble of fluid, and job done.

Dot fluid absorbing water was the explanation I was given – that you end up with more fluid in the system than you had at the beginning.

I find I often have to let a bit of fluid out of Avid brakes to allow me to get the pistons far enough out to put new pads in. I know that sounds daft, I always assumed it was to do with the Dot fluid absorbing water over time. Undo the bleed screw on the lever (make sure it’s horizontal), and push the pistons back – a little fluid will dribble out. Then replace the screw and stick the pads in. I’ve never had issues doing this.

Listen to that Superficial fella, he knows his stuff… 🙂

nick + stumpy – would it not have made more sense/been less hastle to simply go and get a refund for your faulty pads?
what brand were they?

GW – Member
nick + stumpy – would it not have made more sense/been less hastle to simply go and get a refund for your faulty pads?
what brand were they?

Superstar pads. First time I’ve had an issue with them in over 4 years, so wasn’t overly fussed about a refund, especially as they’ve been sat in a box for over a year.
Not really any bother to get them machined at work. We’ve got a workshop full of kit and a bloke who’s very handy at using said bits of kit.
Took him about 5 mins to clamp up & remove the offending material.
Meant I could fit them in time for a weekend ride the next day.

I think nick mentioned his pads were Clarks – which made me wonder if they are made in the same place as SS…..

I make sure i’ve got a pair of really worn avid pads to use to safely push the pistons back in when out riding if I have to. You can really apply some force with a screwdriver etc without damaging the pins.

Or, as I said, use the top loading system and your problems go away.

GW – bought the Clarks pads online pretty cheap so not worth sending back, I just wanted to get out riding. Needless to say I will not be purchasing anymore in the future. An alignment hole that does not align is not a useful feature….

Stumpy – thanks for clearing that up and proving I am not indeed mental!

When I had loads of pad replacement issues with my Juicy 5s a few years ago I solved them by fitting Hope pads. In Hope brakes. Avids sold on in discrace. Never had the same problem since.

Changed elixir pads on the mountain at afan last weekend so probs. Juicys a bit more trouble in the harage a week later.

TOP TIP on cracking the bleed screw, will make getting pistons back in a little bit easier. Cheers, er, fellas!

Help (juicy 5) I have done the screwdriver thing, taken pads out tried new ones and thay wont go in, so try and put old ones back in so I can do screwdriver bit again but they wont go in tried pushing on piston and the otherside comes out so what to try next
[honourablegeorge When replacing Juicy pads, I found that the calipers wouldn’t go back far enough to get them in properly. What works is to open the little bleed screw on the lever a quarter turn, and then push them back. Tighten up the screw, wipe off the wee dribble of fluid, and job done]
which is the bleed screw ? grub screw or hex bolt ? or just go to the shop tommorow and be a girl 😳