I’ve just got a new bike, this is my first ‘good’ bike. I’ve just cleaned it after my second ride out. I turned it upside down and took the front and rear wheels off to clean the bike. I finished and put the front wheen on, spun it and heard a slight rubbing noise off the brake disc against the brake pads. I tried slightly adjusting the way the front wheel sat in the frame with no joy. I removed the front wheel and checked the pads for any debris and they seemed fine. Problem is that I cannot get the front wheen back in now as the brake pads are now too close together, as if they are not going back to their ‘home’ position.

Can someone please advise the best method of recovering from this situation. I am wondering a few things.

1 – Is there a screw I can undo slighty to make the bads come further apart
2 – Will the brakes just ‘sort themselves out’ overnight
3 – Have I made the problem worse by pressing on the brake lever a few times while the bike is upside down
4 – Should I turn the bike the right way up overnight to help?

Any advice appreciated.

The brakes are Stroker Trail V7, hydraulic disc

Annoyingly I get brake rub after removing and refitting my front wheel (I’ve got Shimano LXs). I put it down to the fact that rotor/pad clearance in tight and the fact that you have to wind out the QR a fair bit to remove the wheel; I assume that slightly different QR tensions flex the fork leg slightly more/less so that there’s a difference in caliper/rotor alignment. It can be quickly sorted by re-aligning the caliper, although it is a pain. I don’t seem to have a problem with the rear.

You shouldn’t have made things worse by pressing the lever with the bike upsidedown unless you did it with the wheel removed as this will have pushed the pistons out (and then they’ll need pushing back in). It’s good practive to fit a spacer block in the caliper if you’re working on the bike with the wheel out.

You might also want to just ride the bike a bit an apply the brake. I occassionally get brake rub when I spin the a wheel which clears when ridden.

Are they post mount or IS mount? Ie is there a mounting bolt that is on the line from disc to rim or is the mounting from the side?

If it is post mount slackening the mounting bolts, pulling the lever then tightening them should help. If IS mount they don’t centre like that so easily. ( it can be done by shimming them but its a real faf} The other thing to do is try pushing the pads right back with the wheel off and then putting the wheel back in and trying the brake again – it will take a couple of pumps of the lever to move teh pads back out.

Some discs can be a real faff to stop a faint rub – if it doesnt slow the wheel at all when you spin it it can be ignored if you can stand the noise

Post mount

Park tools help

Put a screwdriver between the pads and prise them apart.

Re fit the wheel and pump the lever a few times and you should be good to go.

by pressing the lever a few times you’ve pumped the pistons out which have pushed the pads out, all you need to do is, if there is a gap still get something flat inbetween them like a small hex key and evenly push the pads and pistons back in. If there is no gap you’ll have to remove the pads and push the pistons back. With them back in the normal position re fit you’re wheel and all should be ok but if not you may have to adjust the calpier mounts

If you are careful then use a screwdriver between the pads, but its better to remove the pads, then use an 8mm ish ring spanner to push the pistons apart, then replace pads. Stick wheel in and pull lever a few times until the pads adjust, the first couple of pulls the lever will probably hit the bars.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/ is a very good source for help. He was a total nutjob but his bicycle knowledge is / was legendary.

Another thing to remember about pulling the lever when the bike is upside down, is any air that may normally sit harmlessly at the top if it’s in the reservoir, will be allowed into the pressurised part of the system and cause a spongey feeling lever and poor braking power.Probably best avoided then.

I’ve followed the advice on here and wedged the pads apart with some really small screw drivers I have and now the wheel is back in place.

Thanks

The slight rubbing is still there and I can tell that when I rotate the wheel that the rubbing is slowing the wheel down. I’ll try wedging the pads apart another mill or two and then see how I get on. Perhaps the slight rub will go away after a ride.

Peter

Now centre the caliper as suggested above – the caliper is mounted to the fork with two hex bolts, usually with a plastic adapter. Loosen the bolts (you might get a “crack” if their loctited – don’t worry). This allows the caliper to slide from side to side a bit. With the wheel in place, grab the brake lever to engage the pads/rotor. While grabbing, tighten the bolts. That should have centred the rotor between the pads/caliper.

This may happen whenever you refit your wheel. It might still rub after centring as rotors are not totally flat – live with it I’m afraid.

I’ll give the caliper thing a go. Thanks everyone for your help.

I think next time I clean the bike I’ll leave the bloody wheels on.

Had the same problem, gently eased pads apart……apparently its the worse thing I could have done as bent the pin the pads sit on so pads will not sit straight/flush. Luckily a new bike going for first free service….under warranty and got it sorted but lbs gave me that knowing look when they said it could only bend if pads were eased back!! Too much force used maybe? Pushed too far back?

Always take the pads out, then use a plastic tyre lever to push the pistons back – bigger surface area so less pressure required and plastic so wont damage pistons.