Can this be used to centre callipers?

https://www.bikeware.co.uk/products/genuine-sram-avid-hydraulic-brake-bleed-block-rotor-tool-hrd-universal-1?srsltid=AfmBOopLOqUYGwbvbXOXbCYd-HgUQiqPjmNVT8R2ZmA93-nTArMEGZCg

Anyone know if this SRAM tool can be used to centre the calliper over the rotor? Looks like you can put it in the calliper with the pads out and slip that grove over the rotor to align it and then tighten the bolts up…

just pull the lever and tighten the bolts :S

This is what you want.

Disc brake spacers

Those options/tools are fine but actually with the pads installed it’s simpler to put a piece of white paper on the floor underneath the calliper and make the gap equal by eye.

However, if the pistons are not uniformly advanced when you adjust the calliper using the above suggestions then (with SRAM road anyway) there is a tendency for them to squeal a lot more. Particularly as you release the lever and the pads retract. Seemingly if the pistons are not uniformly advanced then they retract at a different rate and squealing occurs because one pad stays in contact with the rotor for longer and as there is no resistance on the other side, it causes a squeal.

So, the way to combat this I have found, is to make sure the callipers are exactly centered over the rotors before you put the pads in and then use SRAM’s pad gap reset/pad advancement process to ensure the pistons are correctly set and not “sticky”. Minimal squeal using this method.

The difficulty with aligning the calliper over the rotor with no pads in is that it’s quite hard by eye and a tool to do it would be very handy.

R3pro do one for MTB brakes I think but not for road.

R3pro do one for MTB brakes I think but not for road

I’m intrigued as to the difference and why a tool for MTB brakes won’t work for road brakes?

This is what you want.

Disc brake spacers

That shop owner must be a feline-owning STWer – check out the related product that’s sold out:

I’m intrigued as to the difference and why a tool for MTB brakes won’t work for road brakes?

It needs to fit exactly inside the calliper in the same way a bleed block does. They’re all slightly different internally I would imagine. I’m going to try one of the SRAM ones and see if it works…

Looks like you can put it in the calliper with the pads out and slip that grove over the rotor to align it and then tighten the bolts up…

It’s just a spacer to stop the pistons extending during bleeding. The slot is for straightening wonky rotors.

It’s just a spacer to stop the pistons extending during bleeding. The slot is for straightening wonky rotors.

Yes I know it doubles up as a bleed block – they’ve missed a trick if it doesn’t handily act as a tool for centering the calliper over the rotor as well as being a rotor unbender and bleed block too.

What @Scotroutes says.