Rear brake is sticking

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Matthew_T

"Young and Ex-whippet"
I have a problem with my rear brake where it doesnt spring back into its normal position straight away. The front one works fine.
It causes a problem when I set off from coming to a stop as the rear wheel is stiff. It causes the brake pads to rub the rim unnecessarily.

It there any way I can fix this? Bit of lube? New brake?

The brake is visible in this picture:
25022012145.jpg
 

Rickshaw Phil

Overconfidentii Vulgaris
Moderator
I'd suggest taking the brake off and cleaning & regreasing the pivots to start with. That will most likely cure it.
 

accountantpete

Brexiteer
+1

Looks like a basic single pivot - it should be easy to take apart if you want to do a proper job.

You will probably find that either the locknut has shifted through use (it has tightened up everything) and just needs a bit of adjustment or the washers have corroded in which case a clean and re-grease is in order.
 

HovR

Über Member
Location
Plymouth
Really gummed up/sticky brake cables can also make the brake return slower. I'd take the cable off and run some GT85 through it. If it's really bad just change the cable.
 
OP
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Matthew_T

Matthew_T

"Young and Ex-whippet"
The cable is recently new and the front brake is the primary I use when gradually slowing down. I use the rear when I am going downhill or might need to stop more suddenly.

I will do as advised and give the pivots and springs a clean tomorrow (college in the morning). The problem isnt so bad that it is causing problems when riding, it just takes a long time to spring back into its normal position. The brakes themselves work fine.
 
OP
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Matthew_T

Matthew_T

"Young and Ex-whippet"
Have you moved the outer at all to accommodate the extra bits you have hanging off your bike? If the simple fixes don't work you can try unhooking the spring and bending it more open.
I think it is more of a cleaning fix really (or loosen the main nut).
I havent need to take the brake apart before as the mudguards I use are attached via zipties. Both brakes are the original 5 year old ones and I suspect that I might just need new ones.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Clean and lube cables, pivot points and return springs. I'd suggest do it insitu first (brakes still on, etc) and leave it over night. If its still sticking a more thorough clean and cable replacement may be needed.
+1 new inners sometimes do not cure this , i had a similar problem in winter where the gunk in the outers froze and stopped the brake working and a new inner+ outer cured it.
 

Rickshaw Phil

Overconfidentii Vulgaris
Moderator
Both brakes are the original 5 year old ones and I suspect that I might just need new ones.
I wouldn't expect so unless they have been damaged. My main bike is still using the original 14 year old brakes (apart from the blocks) which are working very nicely and I'm sure others on here are happily using older equipment still.

Being exposed to road dirt they have got sticky occasionally but cleaning and regreasing has restored them to work like new every time thus far (reminds me, I need to regrease the ones on the knockabout bike).
 

HovR

Über Member
Location
Plymouth
I wouldn't expect so unless they have been damaged. My main bike is still using the original 14 year old brakes (apart from the blocks) which are working very nicely and I'm sure others on here are happily using older equipment still.

My brakes are from '78. :smile:

After bringing the bike out of hibernation (had been stored for 20 years) I just took the brakes apart, cleaned off the gunk, and reassembled with grease. Work perfectly. Unless the spring is broke (which it doesn't sound like it is) then I doubt the brakes will need replacing.
 
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Matthew_T

Matthew_T

"Young and Ex-whippet"
Well I have taken the brake apart and put it bake together. When I was putting the last bolt back on, I realised why it was sticking. There are two nuts at the end, a locknut and an adjustment nut. The adjustment nut must have been too tight to begin with. I loosened it and now the brake springs back fine. I compared it to the front one to confirm what I had done.
The brake is not sorted and didnt need any lubing (but I did clean all of the parts).
 
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