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I have a set of juicy 3's on my bike and for some time have had problems with them rubbing. I do have a slightly warped Rotor but would not imagine it was bad enough to cause the issues I have. I have ruled out a number of possibilities below and carried these all out both separately and all at the one time. Also finding the levers very spongy.
Replaced pads
Pushed pistons right back
Bled both brakes
Loosened off bolts and pressed brake (runs free when I do this) and then tighten up while keeping levers pressed.
Has anyone had similar problems. I have upgraded my forks to Talas and wondered if I maybe had to add some spacers between the mount and the fork?
Failing that I'll try a new rotor, but would rather not have to spend £40-£50 for a new 203mm rotor if that's not the problem.
Hope the STW collective can help. Thanks again!!
Why not spend about £15 on a new rotor?
If the levers are still spongy then they might still need bleeding properly.
Are the replacement pads original or aftermarket? If they are aftermarket, they probably have painted backing plates. If they do - take them out & scrape the paint off the perimeter edge of the pad.
I found the larger size of the pads (the layer of quite thick paint) caused them to bind & not retract properly as they should. 5 mins removing this made a massive difference.
If the disc is warped it should only catch in the warped position.
IA - Member
Why not spend about £15 on a new rotor?
203mm rotors are £ 40 not £15. If you know anywhere that does them for £15 would appreciate a point int he right direction.
Pads are aftermarket but happened with the Avid ones as well. I'll give the bleeding a try again. Wasn't 100% sure what I was doing so maybe need to try again. Will also try sanding the back of the pads a bit, although I think I might habe a problem that the pistons are not returning correctly. Do the maybe need a clean? Is there a way to do this?
Edit:
Just found these rotors for £25 plus p&p so might gives these a go.
Sounds like bleeding hasn't been done properly to me- if the rotor is turning freely until you're squeezing the brake to align the caliper, then probably a piston isn't retracting properly when you release the lever. Sponginess also indicates air in the system.
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Shimano 6-bolts are around £26-28ish
I could go on ..
Have a look at the pads/rotor as the wheel spins to see which side(s) its catching and try to work out what the issues are (if you haven't done this already). You should be able to see the gaps between
I've got 5s & 3s on my bikes but with 180/160 rotas.
Heres my twopen'th.
When you have got them bled work the pistons in and out a few times with some brake fluid on them(pads removed!). If one piston sticks block the other and work the stuck one till it is free.
Align the caliper by loosening the two bolts, a bit of lube on the top & bottom faces of the caliper where the bolts go through. Sqeeze lever GENTLY and tighten the caliper bolts a tiny bit at a time alternating between the two to ensure that no twist is put on the caliper.
Even if there is a bit of rubbing at this point use the bike.Then re-align the caliper again.
This has worked well for me two or three times, now - Good luck (especially with the bleeding!)
If it is catching at only one point, you can bend it back with your fingers if you're careful (you can use some kitchen roll or something to stop finger grease getting on the pads)
When I was aligning my calipers the other day (Avid Elixirs - small clearances) I found the best way was to turn the bike upsidedown and put a desk lamp on the floor shining up through the brakes, so you can see the gaps between either pad and rotor more easily.
when I mention rubbing down the paint from the pads - I don't mean the back, as in the opposite side to the pad material, but the thin edge of the pad all the way round - the thickness of the backing plate effectively.
Although rubbing the paint off the back would also help slightly.
My pistons don't retract equally, but I don't get any rub on Juicy 7's and I tried for ages pumping the pistons out, lubing/cleaning, retracting, repeating.
I also agree with the comment about nipping up the alignment bolts up evenly and a little at a time. If you just wrench one up, then the other you will probably pull it out of alignment.
Mine used to rub like mad and I ended up doing this:
- lube/clean pistons
- bleed brakes
- scrape excess paint from pads
- re-align caliper
which resulted in them working fine again. Avid brakes are excellent when they work, but can be a real pain when they start playing up. I'd probably not buy them again.