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just trying to get my gryphon up and running again after a couple of years sat in the garage.....
i think ive finally got my tubeless woes sorted, went for a spin down the road and every time i turned right it sounded like i had one of those playing card flippers in my spokes :-/
initial thoughts were brake cable catching the spokes but no, cant see anything fouling. process of elimination, removed the brake caliper and did another test, no noise. so somehow the brake setup is crap and needs sorting.
ive read the manual (confusing) and watched a couple of youtube vids, so i sort of know how to do it, id just like to understand it a bit better so i actually know why im doing what im doing....
this 1/3rd 2/3rds thing with each side. why?
do you loosen the cable first, then set up, then re-tighten cable?
i think that this is what i should do, but why?
loosen cable
loosen positioning bolts
wind both red dials fully out
wind in inner dial 1 turn
wind in outer dial until it clamps on rotor and wheel wont turn
tighten positioning screws
wind out inner dial 2 or 3 clicks with T25 torx
wind out outer dial until no fouling on rotor
tighten cable
play about with adjustment at lever end to get correct cable length.
have i got that right? and if so how does this satisfy the 1/3rd 2/3rds spacing whatever that is?
thanks
Spunds about right.
I takeup the slack in the arm before i tighten the cable.
1/3 : 2/3 is because only the outside pad moves, so it can "compensate" for pad wear whilst the inner one's fixed. 2/3 gives it a bit more leeway before the pad's too worn to engage the rotor.
Like JV, before I tighten up the cable bolt I push the brake arm a couple of mm "on"
The positioning thing doesn't always work well - I use it as a guide and then do by eye
(can't see why cornering should make any difference at all - is everything tightened up properly on axle/rotoe etc)
- loosen cable
- loosen positioning bolts just enough to allow the adapter to slide sideways
- set the red dials so that the rotor is sitting pretty much in the middle of the gap in the caliper and it's clamped snugly by the pads
- tighten positioning screws
- wind both red dials out so that both pads are well clear of the rotor
- wind the inner dial in until it skims the rotor, then back off one click so it doesn't
- tighten the cable, pull back the actuator arm a little and anchor the cable
- make sure there's no play at the lever, ie there's a small amount of tension in the cable when at rest, otherwise repeat the previous step
- wind the outer dial in until you get your preferred bite point at the lever
Are you sure its not part of a cable going into the spokes?.
Also don't forget to hold the brakes on when you tighten the caliper bolds.
And finally make sure the braking surface is on the smooth bit, could be the holes in the disc are making the noise hitting the pads. Or the top of the disc. May need some washers.
I found they were pretty sensitive to pad wear, changing pads out for new often seemed to often solve noise issues like this - sometimes when there was still a reasonable looking amount of materiel on the pads left.
Have since upgraded to hydros and the calipers now sit in the spares box. They got me through 3000 miles with only a few scary moments - but, oh my, the continuous adjustments!
Get it straight by eye.
Dial the pads in/out using the adjusters either side on the caliper
Sorted
Top tip - use a stiff outer on the rear.
I have issues with my cable disc brakes. The easiest solution is to buy a new bike with full hydros and bolt thru hubs.
No need to thank me.
I found that the best way was to follow the instructions without thinking about it or trying to understand.
I think I used this: https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/avid-mechanical-disc-adjustment
Another thing to look out for is the pad-spreading spring getting bent and touching the rotor. This tends to happen when the pads get worn...
replying to myself from earlier - stiff gear outer - like this stuff
https://www.bikemonger.co.uk/gusset-xl-linear-brake-cable-6786-p.asp
What Bez said, plus I can confirm Jon Taylor's stiff gusset is just what you need. I have two lots of BB7s with a stiff gusset, and they work great.
It pleases everyone who's tried it.
No need to thank me
I don't think you'll have to worry tbh.
thanks all, much appreciated, ill have a bash this weekend.....
and that parktools link is just the ticket, explains the process very well.
Are you sure its not part of a cable going into the spokes?.
its definitely what it sounds like, but the cables nowhere near.
those gussets look good, but i think i bought compressionless outers when i set it up, jagwire maybe?
chipps, ill take the pads out and check that spring too.
(can’t see why cornering should make any difference at all – is everything tightened up properly on axle/rotoe etc)
it seems to be, i did check, although it was a man-check.
No need to thank me
I don’t think you’ll have to worry tbh.
oh, and thanks 😀
cheers
well, ive followed the instructions to the letter and it seems to have sorted it, thanks chaps!
i did notice a couple of things id like to run by you tho.....
firstly i thought id check the pads. the bumph says change below 3mm. i reckon im below 3mm so need new ones (no idea how that happened, cant remember riding that much 😀 )
i understand what you meant now chipps, about that spring and how it could catch when they got low. however, after putting everything back and setting up as per the instructions, all seems fine, no noise. the rotor is a little warped but no biggie.
main issue i had was a problem due to following the instructions to the letter.
'wind inner dial all the way out'. ok, T25, wind out. and out. and out. and then gahhh the red knobs fallen off, maybe thats too far. had to take them off the bike again to faff with it and realise that theres a position where the pad wont go any further, but you can still keep winding out.
thats also created a problem as now the red dials dropped off, it doesnt 'stick' back on, keeps falling off the hex as its loose.
i compared it to the rear and nothing seems to hold these dials on apart from an interference fit, is that right?
well, there doesnt seem to be an interference fit now, its too loose and itd just drop off when riding. am i missing something here? and also, it doesnt 'click', it just winds smoothly. have i knackered it by unwinding too far?
second thing i noticed, you dont really need to loosen the brake cable pinch bolt i dont think? that doesnt seem to bring anything to the party. loosen all bolts, clamp to rotor, tighten positioning bolts up, unwind dials a bit, why would you need to have unclamped and then clamped the cable?
anyways, theyre working for now, albeit with one red dial missing, but ive learnt a bit about them in the process.
thanks a lot
The red dial fell off mine as well but it doesn't seem to make much difference. To be honest the internal build quality is pretty poor/workmanlike and it all looks like it would function quite well without any external mud cover.
I also had trouble with the 1/3, 2/3 instruction so relied on the tried and tested method of fitting them parallel to the rotor and fiddling a bit until it felt OK.
...I should mention that this method has resulted in a brake that stops a tandem pretty well but is a bit spongy so I might try the compression-less outer solution.
Mine were a right ballache. Took them apart, cleaned and regressed, and it's heaps better.
Well, the front is. The rear sheared when I took it apart, so is now in the cannibalise for spares box.
second thing i noticed, you dont really need to loosen the brake cable pinch bolt i dont think? that doesnt seem to bring anything to the party. loosen all bolts, clamp to rotor, tighten positioning bolts up, unwind dials a bit, why would you need to have unclamped and then clamped the cable?
I suppose we all assumed you were going back & setting up from scratch
Took them apart, cleaned and regressed
For winter riding I think lots of gress (😉) in the workings keeps them smooth for longer (and I've never seen pad contamination)
