Centering Weinmann 605 sidepull brakes | Fettle failure

[Andrew_Culture]

The rear sidepull brake caliper on my old Claude Butler Dalesman has been needing a tighten for sometime - after hard braking the pads rub on one side and I have to reach through my legs to centre the caliper mechanism.

Tonight I tightened the mech at the point it is attached to the frame and it appears to have made matters worse.

Here's what I've tried so far,
- walloping the spring from all angles with a very broad screwdriver and a hammer
- dousing everything in GT80
- loosening the point at which the mechanical is attached to the frame

The black cap on the rear facing part of the mech turns but doesn't appear to do anything. It is encasing a male hex protrusion that I don't have a tool for.

I googled the problem and most folk suggest that the Weinmann 605 breaks suck and should be replaced, but financially that is the last resort.

The first pull on the brakes now jams the pad against the rim so I need to cycle to work on my BSO MTB tomorrow, which is going to hurt

 

[biggs682]

i think if you remove black cap there is a normal nut , which you can undo or slacken a bit just in case it has tightened up over time and its now causing caliper to stick .

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Thanks, I shall carefully lever it off tomorrow.

 

[mickle]

The black cap shrouds the hexagonal end of the brake's centre bolt. What you need is a 'Weinnmann brake centering tool' to hold the caliper in the right spot as you tighten the back bolt. Every bike shop used to have one - now i suspect few would know what one looked like.

It is possible to remove the black plastic cover to access the hex directly.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I had brakes like that many years ago, it used to be part of my routine to centre them once a week, all I used to do is grab hold of the brake each side where the pads are and just pull the brake central.

 

[mickle]

If my memory serves me - it might also be possible to use a 13mm cone spanner behind the spring.

 

[HovR]

No special tools necessary. I have 2 Weinmann side pull's on my Dawes (a 500 and 700 series, forgot which exact models).

Get the appropriate sized socket/spanner for the rear nut (the one without the black plastic). Tighten the nut. You will notice the calipers move, bringing one pad away from the rim and the other closer. To move the caliper the other way, turn the bolt to loosen it. The caliper should move enough to centre it before the nut actually starts to undo/loosen.

A bit of "Manual persuasion" (gripping the caliper and turning it the way you want) also sometimes helps.

Edit.. Upon re-reading your post you may have over tightened the rear nut (one without the black plastic), jamming one caliper arm against the rim. Try loosening it a bit, and it may centre out.

Although as Mickle has said there are tools for the job to make it a bit easier, they are not necessary and I've gotten along without them.

Regarding the "Weinmann Brakes Suck" statement.. Lots of people say this, but I find mine to be more than adequate in the dry. They do require a good strong grip on the lever though.

 

[sidevalve]

HoveR is quite right and yes they do work quite well with a good pull. The only thing I would add is now might be a good time to strip the calipers down completely, clean and polish all the rubbing surfaces and carefully reassemble using a little grease on the pivots.
PS make SURE the cables are free too.

 

[mickle]

Sorry but - it stands to reason that if they need centering every week they aint set up right.

 

[mickle]

Oh and they get a whole lot better with 'modern' synthetic pads in Place of those nasty rubber ones.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I bought this bike as a reconditioned number and have no idea how old these pads are, what I do know is they seem to crap black crap all over the place.

 

[mickle]

They could be anything up to thirty years old. But its not their age so much as their type. Rubber brake blocks were replaced by synthetic blocks such as Aztecs in the early eighties. You really should upgrade.

 

[HovR]

Sorry but - it stands to reason that if they need centering every week they aint set up right.

I'm not sure if that was aimed at my method or the poster above mine, but I centred my brakes once (using the method I wrote about above) a few months ago after taking them off for a service, and they haven't needed touching since.

 

[mickle]

I'm not sure if that was aimed at my method or the poster above mine, but I centred my brakes once (using the method I wrote about above) a few months ago after taking them off for a service, and they haven't needed touching since.

So..... not aimed at you then obviously.

 

[mickle]

Can we see a full size picture of this machine please? A Claude Butler Dalesman (in 'Londoner' spec. from the London Bicycle Company in Covent Gdn) was my first shop-bought decent bike.

You'd make an old man very happy....