i’ve have bit of prob with my avid elixir 5’s….They have been fine for 1.5 years, but just come to put a new set of pads in and I can not get the friken pistons to sit far enough back to get my new pads in.

Have had pads out and pumped some lubricant at the pistons while i squeezed them out. Have had old pads in and used phat flat bladed screw driver trying to push the pistons back in. But they just will not sit in far enough for the new pads…..pads go in, I can only just get the disc in, but it is tight as and the wheels hardly turn!
Dear Singletrack forum please help me!

What pads are you fitting, some brands have been noted to be a bit thicker than standard Avid ones.

dare I say it…superstar…kevlar ones
if they are thicker then that will explain it. i’ll get the wheels on and make them wear down a bit I suppose?

If all else fails you could open a bleed screw and force the pistons back expelling some fluid. But then you’ll have to bleed the system.

I had a similar thing with my CR’s, ended up using one old/new pad in each caliper until the new one wore down a little the replaced the old one.

Avids do seem to be much easier with Avid pads. When i had this problem I have sadly had to just wear them out with a ‘training’ ride.

Funnily enough i’m out for a ‘training ride’ for the Bontrager 24/12 tomorrow night, so it’ll just have to be a little tougher!

clarks pads are also thicker. goodridge sintered pads are exellent pads in elixirs. worth the extra money in my opinion.
cheaper pads have an habit of de-laminating in my experince. this has happen to me with superstar kevlar and clarks sintered.

But then you’ll have to bleed the system

i did this and i didnt need to
as long as your quick and careful.just pump the lever back and forth afterwards

Same here, done it countless times….

Open bleed screw a tiny amount and squeeze pistons all the way back into the caliper, if you are careful you shouldn’t need to bleed them afterwards.

I wish I’d known this before I had a full scale “mantrum” in a quiet village carpark in Dartmoor.

I found clarks pads vary in size. I bought 2 sets I couldn’t get the first set in and the second set fitted perfectly. Originals always fit first time. The price of going cheap