Brakes hitting back wheel

[yecanneken]

Hi Everyone,

Bit of a novice at all of this, just bought a second hand road bike and need to fix a couple of things up on it. Unfortunately, I've used up my patience on something and really need advice.

Presently the rear brake is rubbing against the back wheel. The wheel is fine, it seems to be a problem with the rubber pad on one side not retracting properly after the brakes are engaged. They are dual-pivot side-pull caliper brakes. I've tried playing around with the brake cable's tension and also tightened the bolt that holds the caliper to the frame but no luck.

Appreciate any help....
Andy

 

[Landslide]

There may well be a little grub screw on the top of the arch of the brake. Screwing it in or out will adjust the balance of the spring tension.

 

[longers]

Hi Andy, Is the cable sticking?

Try and get some oil into it as it is. Depending on its condition you might need a new cable and outer.

What's the bike like?

 

[ColinJ]

Andy - I had that problem when I did the Red Rose Ride with goodspeed a few weeks back. I must have knocked the brake when I put my bike in the back of his car to go to the event HQ. It was a bit of a bummer riding 125 miles with your brake stuck on, I can tell you; I didn't realise until after we'd finished!

It took a bit of fiddling with to straighten it back out afterwards. I loosened the bolt holding the rear brake on, realligned the calipers and then tightened it back up again. I got it right on about the third attempt and it has stayed in position since then.

PS

Where's my manners - welcome to CycleChat Andy!

 

[fossyant]

Better than the grub screw, use a cone spanner (if you have one) - it's a thin spanner and you insert it between frame and calliper on the knurled or slotted spacer, then give it a little tweek....

If it's sticking, WD40 it.

 

[yecanneken]

Cheers for your advice all, I'll give it a shot once I've reclaimed my patience.

Looks like a great bike... can't wait to get it out on the road.

 

[swee'pea99]

Ok, there's plenty round here know more than me about this kind of thing, but...

The pads are pulled back off the rim by a spring. It clips behind a wee lug, on each side.

Using a screwdriver, work it off the lug (on the side that's not retracting properly) until it pings free.

Using a pair of (thin nose ideally) pliers, bend the free end a bit more (in the direction it pulls) - this increases the pull it exerts.

Then (and this is the tricky bit...but doable) tuck it back where it came from.

You should find that now it pulls the pad back. If you've increased the pull too much, you may find the problem has now transferred to the other pad - you may need to do some fine-tuning.

But the basic principle is to distort the spring so that it exerts equal pressure on both sides. 'Least, that's how I've always done it.

 

[aran20]

Along with above, but try these:

- Remove inner cable from outer cable. Apply a thin layer of grease to the inner cable and replace cable back into outer cable then work backwards and forwards until friction free. Remove cable again and wipe off the grease and aply a fresh clean layer of grease then replace cable set.

- If friction persists, buy a new cableset.

- Remove rear brake caliper completely. If possible, dismantle and thoroughly clean all parts, reassemble and replace. If you're not confident in dismantling, get a can of teflon spry oil and thoroughly coat the caliper whilst it is off the bike, then with your hands work the brake a couple of dozen time to get rid off any grit etc that maybe causing the brake to stick.

Good luck.