MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Realised tonight I have a sticky piston on my front Avid Elixir 5 brake. Tried cleaning up the piston, bit of brake cleaner etc and pushed the pistons back before putting the pads in, realigned the wheels. However, within 2 minutes into a test ride I was getting a bit of vibration and a binding noise which was progressively worse.
Solutions?
a) relube the brake piston?
b) Replace Brake Pistons? Cannot see any videos? How hard can this be?
c) Replace the Caliper?
Replace with shimano.
Free it up and lube it. The old ones were relatively easy to strip and change the seals on. So maybe look for videos on seal replacement and strip downs.
I've got some that I want to sell but the rear has a sticky piston and I have not got round to fettling.
After a fair bit of fettling with the Elixir 3's on my son's bike, the best fix came marked Deore!
As a long term Avid user, and after yet another bleeding/faffing session, I've found [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-slx-m675-disc-brake/rp-prod83173 ]this[/url] to be the best solution
There seems to be a theme with these threads.
Sticky?
I thought the usual Avid problems were related to crap lever design, not sticky pistons?
(To add to the theme, I solved my Avid issues with a set of Hope X2s)
I thought the usual Avid problems were related to [i]them being[/i] crap [s]lever design, not sticky pistons?[/s]
FTFY 😀
binners - MemberAs a long term Avid user, and after yet another bleeding/faffing session, I've found this to be the best solution
+1.
After years of putting up with Avid brakes - Juicy 7's, then Elixir CR on new bike, then replaced Juicy 7's with some Elixir 5's (to keep pad purchasing the same between bike, when I really should have gone for Shimano)....I have finally got myself some SLX for my Inbred.
Hoping they prove more reliable than the Avids....
If you did want to persevere though, perhaps a new caliper seal kit and service would get them working again? I am tempted to do the Elixirs that have just come off & either keep them as spares or stick them on eBay.
I wanted to swap the Elixir 5's that came standard as bleeding looked a nightmare. Decided to swap to SLX and really couldn't ask for more.
SLX for the win, shop around, they are not "unaffordable" by any means 😉
life is too short to faff about rebuilding Avid brakes...
I've never dabbled with Avid brakes, but years of experience with car stuff has taught me that once a caliper starts sticking you're best off replacing it. Faffing about trying to free it up is a waste of time as it'll just stick again anyway.
It can be done, but I would not recommend a consumer wastes their money as new pistons / seals with labour for rebuild and bleed will cost as much as buying a shimano brake on line. And then you find the diaphragm in the MC is shot, leaking and requires replacing... More cost.
Kinda ideal project for a bored bike mechanic with an Avid spares box to undertake during the quiet Winter months...for their own bike 😉
I have a set of Elixir 7 waiting in my spares box for this winter when our workshop is quiet. I have all the spares but still can't be bothered unless it gets really quiet!