repair a caliper brake ?

[cyberknight]

Got a rear brake as part of a mini groupset on ebay but the spring has come out of the arm slot so it is spread out and i cant see an easy way to get it back to the slot , doesnt help that one of the brake shoes is tight in and looks like it blocking the arm movement as i try to get straight .
Bin it and move on or is their an easy way to sort it ?

 

[Illaveago]

Got a rear brake as part of a mini groupset on ebay but the spring has come out of the arm slot so it is spread out and i cant see an easy way to get it back to the slot , doesnt help that one of the brake shoes is tight in and looks like it blocking the arm movement as i try to get straight .
Bin it and move on or is their an easy way to sort it ?

Have you got a picture for us to mull over ?

 

[cyberknight]

 

[Illaveago]

I take it that the loop in the spring sits over the centre spindle / brake mounting bolt ?
The arms of the brakes should move freely without the spring attached . The spring should act on the brake levers to expand them, so when at their furthest point try to fit one side of the spring into it's position and then you will need some means to compress the other side .
You will have to be careful that things don't fly around .

 

[raleighnut]

I take it that the loop in the spring sits over the centre spindle / brake mounting bolt ?
The arms of the brakes should move freely without the spring attached . The spring should act on the brake levers to expand them, so when at their furthest point try to fit one side of the spring into it's position and then you will need some means to compress the other side .
You will have to be careful that things don't fly around .

Nah the loop sits to one side as it is, it looks to have just come off the little tang on the other arm.

 

[Sharky]

Wonder what caused the spring to release itself? Is there an underlying fault on the caliper that might cause it to happen again?
I would probably bin it?

 

[Illaveago]

If you can clamp one side of the brake into something like a vice it will allow you to push against the spring to compress it .
I made up a simple tool by cutting a notch into the end of a wooden hammer handle to compress some mousetrap valve springs on my motorcycle . You could do a similar thing with a stick .

 

[cyberknight]

decided to bin it, came as is as part of a deal with some shifters off ebay , cant get the brake pad off as the head to the bolt is farked. No great loss as i made a cheeky offer as it was close to the end of the auction,
pair of claris shifters
front and rear mech
brake calipers
£30

 

[Nigelnightmare]

Easy fix!
Cut brake block off with Dremel.
Take caliper apart and reassemble properly.
Fit new brake blocks.
Job done.

 

[cyberknight]

Easy fix!
Cut brake block off with Dremel.
Take caliper apart and reassemble properly.
Fit new brake blocks.
Job done.

involves buying a dremmel

 

[raleighnut]

involves buying a dremmel

There is another method,

View: https://youtu.be/yqdSl2jFjlE


I'd have at least had a go at getting the pad off but then stripped the usable components off and kept them*.

*Actually I'd have kept the lot and kept it with the bunch of crap I've accumulated rest of the spares

 

[si_c]

I've fixed a dislocated spring on a caliper before, it's not easy and took me an hour or more and I nearly took my eye out more than once. The springs are surprisingly strong and the tang hard to locate against.

I had to use a vise and a set of pliers to get enough control to get it into place - not something I'd wish to repeat tbh.

 

[Nigelnightmare]

involves buying a dremmel

Other alternatives include:

Disc cutter or Angle grinder (A bit OTT).
Cutoff tool (air or electric powered).
Junior hacksaw.
Hacksaw blade with tape wrapped around for a handle.
Knife edge needle file (to cut a slot for a screwdriver).
(YES! You have to buy those as well).
Or if you're feeling lucky, Steal them! Not that I'd advise that you do.

Another alternative,
Get a "Torx" bit slightly bigger than the damaged "Allen" bolt head and Whack it in with a hammer, then undo a per normal.
These ^^ have to be bought as well.