Clark’s rim brake shoes/pads

[raleighnut]

Someone once posted that any small Allen key with a 'Ball end' on the short arm should be ground down until it is just square, anything over about 5mm is OK but smaller ones should not have them.

 

[C R]

Got them from Merlin. They are on now and will be ok for a long time hopefully. Just hope they don’t need further tightening or are mullered that be bad to get them off in the future.

Are you sure it isn't your tool that is out of spec? As others have said, clarkes are decent quality. I would still send them back, it isn't unheard of for reputable shops to end up with knock offs in their stock through no fault of their own.

 

[Fifelad]

Do you have spare bolts ?

I do, so have now swapped them around. Far better quality, which would suggest it’s the bolts rather than any worn hex key tool. Perhaps I was unlucky with a duff batch, but I did see a review mentioning soft bolts.

 

[wafter]

Someone once posted that any small Allen key with a 'Ball end' on the short arm should be ground down until it is just square, anything over about 5mm is OK but smaller ones should not have them.

Absolutely... ball ends should only be used to spin loose fasteners up where angle of tool entry is less-than-straight. Significant torque should only be applied with the full hex since this has a much greater contact area.

This is why typically you only find the ball end on the long shank of Allen keys; finding it anywhere else suggests the manufacturer has a fundamental lack of understanding...

 

[roley poley]

for what its worth i have had no problem with clarkes pads and use the red type on the v-brakes i have ..many overpriced other brands on the market that will do the same job