Adjusting Brake Distance for New Wheels

[doyler78]

Bought new wheels as my old ones were going out of true on the rear after a few rides. Anyway new wheels seem to have wider rim as the front one I can get on but it is solid against the break pads at both sides and the rear was so tight that in my struggle to force it between the pads I have ripped the bottom end of the brake pad from it groves.

Two questions then:

1) How do I adjust the space between the brake pads to give enough clearance for the new rims

2) How do get my break pad back onto it housing (there's a pin which gets in the way. Do I just whip that out. and then slide the pad along the grooves and then replace the pin. I don't want to damage the pads trying if this is the wrong way to go about it as I don't have any replacements.

If you know any sites with step by step guidelines and pics or even better video then please include that as this will make it easier for me to visualise.

Thanks

 

[Tim Bennet.]

I'm assuming it's a regular road bike side pull? If not, there's other pages on the Park Tool site.

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=20

 

[doyler78]

Thank Tim great site. Got the pads sorted. Apparently I have linear pull brakes - its a flat bar with road setup (Sirrus Comp). Will take a little more reading to make sure I understand what I am about to do. Guess its easiest to work on the front wheel as you don't have the cassette getting in the road.

 

[doyler78]

OK,

Have the front a rear wheel with enough clearance for the wheel now. No probs on the back however the front wheel has more clearance on one side than the other and I get brake pad rub once I have pressed the brakes for first time. Don't have a clue how to get the brakes centres now if that makes sense.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=21

Just before the final topic. They call it 'centering the brakes'.

However, one caveat: The little spring tension screws don't always work that well on cheaper V-brakes. An alternative tweak is to remove the long arm of the springs from behind the little post on the back of each brake arm, (useful when you're working on the pads as well!) and then bend each of the springs out an equal ditance (80 degrees or so). This ensures there is equal 'umph' in each spring.

One thing to always check before any of this is that the wheel is properly in the drop outs and the rim is equally spaced from either fork leg (or chain stay at the back). It's always best to do up the axle quick release with the tyres on the ground and some weight on the bike. It just makes sure everythig is seated properly.

 

[mickle]

wot tim sed.

 

[doyler78]

Thanks all - all sorted now. Found the centring screw and that sorted the prob with the brake pad rub. My next problem was with my track pump. Seems the wheels have a deeper rim as there isn't as much of the tube valve coming through the rim and as such it makes it very difficult to get the track pump to lock onto it properly. I think you can get tubes with longer stems so looks like that will be the next thing to sort.

 

[alfablue]

Yes, some tube brands are available with three different length valve stems, Schwalbe presta tubes come with 40mm, 60mm or 80mm stems, for example

 

[doyler78]

Thanks alfablue. Was in the LBS today. The only ones they had with longer stems were nutrak and that came with a 60mm stem. Never heard of them. Anyway got to be worth a whirl. Better than farting about trying to get the track pump to engage.