Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum and mtb world so go easy on me please 🙂
Few months ago I bought a bike from Halfords (never again) to go to work and back, but quickly realised i can do more 😈
Boardman MHT 8.6 is the bike and the fork I’m having problems is Suntour Raidon XC LO-R Air 120mm travel…
Every time I corner just a bit harder the bloody disk is rubbing in my break pads and it drives me mad!
I was told by the shop that is normal for this type of forks with quick release but I just can’t get over that noise.
I am looking to upgrade my fork to a better one with thru-axel but my knowledge is not enough to pick one myself so please help 🙂
Thanks for your time!
V

I had this with my QR forks (Rockshox XC 28) and fixed it by simply making sure the QR was done up tighter.
If it’s loose you’ll get this issue and also maybe also the wheel twisting when braking. It should be tight enough to have to push the lever somewhat, but not TOO hard.
Hard to describe :p

You may also want to try centering the pads, the usual way is:
1. Loosen the 2 bolts a bit on the brake caliper
2. Pull the brake lever to grip the disc
3. Tighten the bolts again

QR tightness is first – should leave a nice red mark on your palm after tightening.

To centre the caliper back off the bolts and align it visually looking down through the gaps, get the pads both parallel to the disk and evenly spaced. Also check the pistons are both coming out evenly while you are at it.

Doesn’t look a bad spec for the money to be fair. 32mm stanchions, even with a we shouldn’t be flexing that much on a 120mm fork. Definitely check the at is done up tight – if it’s not a Shimano branded one it’s worth picking one up to try – as they are generally the best we levers.

Again per other comments – visually align the caliper over the disc so it has an even gap both sides of it. Hopefully that solves your problem.

If you really want a new fork then don’t go mad on money for that bike – but if you could pick up something like a Rockshox recon with air spring that would be decent enough.

From what I remember, that fork has the 15mm through axle with qr lever. It’s a pretty good and stiff system so the brakes shouldn’t rub.
If there is movement allowing the wheel to move side to side, then the likelihood is that the axle isn’t in place properly. There is an expanding collet at the other end of the axle to the qr lever. If it hasn’t expanded, the qr will be tight but the wheel will wobble. If you look for You tube videos of the Suntour 15mm axle then you’ll see how it works.

The actual skewer that goes inside my axel is 5mm or 6mm and it’s twisting under my weight…
Just did all the above and rubbing is still there 😀

From what I remember, that fork has the 15mm through axle with qr lever.

You are right, at least in the specs on the website the front hub is “15x110mm boost”, so definitely through axle. The rear is “10x141mm boost Q/R”, so that might be an issue, if anything. The LBS should have spotted that, they are either incompetent or were taking the piss.

@velizark0: Can you please post a clear picture of the front hub/fork dropouts?

Get some Shimano QR’s like has been noted above. I know someone with discs on his road bike and QRs and under heavy braking, the wheel would move in the drop outs. Sent him a spare Shimano QR, and it’s fixed.

Even the cheap Shimano QR’s from the likes of the Deore level are good.

https://goo.gl/images/hquvTK

It is open on the bottom like on this picture…
Sorry for the link still new and hard to navigate from my phone 😀

Ok, so it looks like a QR fork, probably an older model than the one currently on the website. Your best bet would be a different QR skewer, either a Shimano or one with an allen bolt.

Swapping the fork will be expensive, compared to the cost of the bike; you will need at least new forks, new hub (I doubt the one you have is convertible to 15mm), new spokes, front wheel re-laced. If the fork steerer is straight, a new 120mm 27.5 fork will be even harder to find, so you’ll probably settle for a tapered steerer fork; then the frame might or might not take a bottom EC44/40 cup (more money) to allow you to use a tapered steerer.

When I took my skewer out today to show it to my co-worker all he said was:
“Omg change it or change the whole bike”
I am a heavy dude, so them 6mm holding my tire will bend every time i corner…
I need to look more deeply in to this matter and see if i can convert my hubs for thicker skewer, on quick look today i think there is some sort of a nut in the end of my hub… probably need some tools to put it apart and see how it goes

Do not underestimate a steel shimano skewer.

I have seen plenty of large guys ride on them over the years with no complaints.

@andyl I am looking at some shimano skewers but all 100mm..
I need 110mm 🙁

Are you talking actual length or hub size?

Normal old fashioned QR hubs are 100mm which would need a skewer at around 110mm for the thickness of the fork drop outs.

Or is there such a thing as a 110QR boost front hub?

Front Hub:6 bolt alloy, 15x110mm boost
This is as per website information for my model so I guess it is boost

Not aware of a 110mm boost qr size. I’d just pick up a 100mm Shimano QR for the front – it’ll be the right size. If that doesn’t fix your problem then it gets expensive!

Fork plus new hub minimum. But then as above do you then need new spokes / new headset etc. It doesn’t look like the frame has a tapered headtube so unless it’s a 44mm one you’d have a tricky time finding a straight steerer 27.5” fork.

Front Hub:6 bolt alloy, 15x110mm boost

That hub won’t fit the fork you pictured unless there are some adapters fitted. Your fork is a 9mm drop out. You may be lucky if it does have the adapters as then some new forks will mean no new wheel needed.

You could try some resin pads, wouldn’t stop any flexing, but you are less likely to hear it.

This is my hub…
I don’t see brand or any other information on it, very strange.
I think Halfords are not very good at what they do and need to look at my problem !

As I said, not a 15mm hub, but it is fairly standard by the looks of it which may help you out. If you get a long axle for it, the cones and ball bearings can be swapped over and you could put some traditional wheel nuts on it.
Sounds like your local Halfords isn’t great, take it to a proper bike shop, new axle will be cheap and not a big job so overall shouldn’t be too expensive.

I’m not sure I’d be trying to convert it from quick release to running an axle with nuts in it personally. I’d just measure the fork and check whether it’s 100mm or 110mm. The spec on the website is different to your hub – it’s not 15×110 for sure.

If 100 then get a decent Shimano QR to fit and hopefully that will cure your problem. If it doesn’t, the forks must be ridiculously flexible. The 98/99 Marzocchi Bomber z1’s and 2006 Rockshox Revelations that I’ve had on my hardtail until recently both didn’t have this problem. Neither had bigger stanchions than these – and the revs were run at 130mm travel – and both were standard quick release – just with Shimano skewers in (XT level I think).

I’ve spent the last 2 hours downstairs in the cold…
All covered in shit, but I think proper bike shop is what I need!
My pistons doesn’t work properly, one is getting stuck out and pressing the rotor which is slightly bend maybe because of my pistons and not because of QR skewer 😂😂😂😂
So every time I hit the breaks before cornering the bloody piston stays out pushing the pad against my rotor and there you have it that annoying for me sound 🤬🤬

Taking the pads out, if you force the sticking out piston to stay in with a tyre lever or flat spanner while you give the lever one squeeze, does the other start coming out? Give the protruding edges of both a quick clean up with a cotton bud with a bit of brake cleaner on it, push them both right back in, put the pads back in then re-centre the caliper by eye so the rotor is central.

Don’t do more than one or two squeezes with the pads and rotor out – if you pop the piston out, that’s a PITA!

I am watching some videos on how to sort it out 😉
Might need to get new rotor and pads as mine are worn out differently on each side but let’s try fixing it without spending money 😎

The rotor shouldn’t need replacing – just the uneven pad wear if it’s that bad. Rotors last ages!