After wrecking a pair of pads and wrestling the rotor between a tight set of new pads, I had a thought – there’s got to be a bike mechanic’s trick to this.

I have been parting the drums by levering the old pads with a screw driver so I think the drums are out as far as they can go. The issue is the tolerance is so small that the disc catches on the edge of the pad.

Would be grateful to anyone who can make it a little easier for me.

Thanks.

I use a plastic tyre lever on the piston itself.

Also budget disc pads are often thicker on the backing plate than original ones and this makes a difference. In this case sanding the paint off the back of the pad can make a difference if they are only a tiny bit too tight.

Avids?

Second druidh, if they are Avids you will need to bleed most probably.

if avids you should have the red pad spreader. use it, the fat end to push the pistons (wiggle it around a bit) then insert pads, then the thin end, then insert wheel, then pump lever.
i’ve never needed to bled them just to change pads. i have to change to thicker rotors, or thicker pads though (just let some fluid out).

Top Tip – Ikea plastic kids knives (i.e. from the resturant)are a good shape for forcing pads open.

cut a bevel into the bottom of the pad.

Second druidh, if they are Avids you will need to bleed most probably.

If they are anything like my old avids, if you just push the pistons back hard enough oil will piss out of the bleed ports and other bits until you have the right amount 🙂

Thanks very much. They are Formula RX and I’m using Superstar Kevlar pads…

We found lots of the 3rd party Formula pads to be thicker than the originals. You might have to sand them down a bit to get them in.

Cheers. I have hunted down a small red plastic fork branded with Formula. Is this the spreader? Is the idea to insert it into the top to spread the pads?

yes. best to use the spreader that came with your brake as 1) plastic won’t damage anything 2) should be about the right width.
if you can be bothered, clean around the pistons and apply some red rubber grease BEFORE pushing them back.

It’s the pads, you have to file a load if red powder coat off the back if SS kevlars to get them in Elixirs.

A2Z’s on the other hand slot straight in, no worries

Most common cause of this problem IIRC is topping up the reservoir whilst bleeding the brakes with part worn pads. This leaves too much fluid in the system so the pads wont go back far enough.

Hi steve_b77, can you tell m what A2Z’s are or where to get them. Just used my last set of Elixir pads and would rather not pay for originals if I can get some decent OEM’s

cheers

Tyre lever on the old pads before you take them out, and tyre lever on the piston too (carefully).

I have also been known to run one new pad and one old pad for a few weeks when new non-original pads have been quite chunky.