I took off my front wheel and now my front disc brake rubs constantly

[EpicFishFingers]

Yesterday my mate was all like "HURR, COME SWIMMING" so I took my bike. I realised when I got there that this was stupid as my bike is very flashy and although my bike lock is a Kryptonite New York, I don't have a cable to secure the front wheel that has a quick release mechanism. Worrying for the front wheel, I got my friend to put it in his car, but when I re-fitted it, the disc brake kept rubbing. I had to ride3 it home like this, and it had a notcieable effect (a constant slowing-down effect, actually). I obviously don't want to have to ride the bike like this, so this morning I've been trying to adjust it, with no luck. I unscrewed the quick release bar completely and turned it around, in the hopes of being abnle to tighten it in the other direction (I can just about see that one of the brake pads is constantly touching the disc, and when I pull the front brake it bends the disc inwards.

The main problem is that the fork stops the quick release 'bar' from freely ritating all the way around (meaning I can only really tighten it on the opposite side) and I cannot loosen the caliper. In order to loosen it, I need some kind of jew-star-shaped screwdriver, which I don't have. Any ideas of how to fix this?

 

[HLaB]

I don't know if disc work the same as calipers this way but I open the QR, pull the brake and whilst holding the brake shut, close the QR.

 

[lpretro1]

Assuming it is a post mount brake , slack off the two bolts that hold the caliper onto the mount, squeeze the brake lever a couple of times and keeping it held on re0tighten the two bolts. This will centralise teh caliper ans should remove the rubbing. If that doesn't work - push the caliper pistons back first and then reset as above.

 

[Globalti]

Er... you're trying to tighten the QR by rotating the bar?

Look at it carefully and you'll probably see "open" and "closed" printed on it. You're supposed to rotate it with "open" visible until the Qr is becoming snug then swing the bar through 180 degrees to cam it until "closed" is visible from the outside. I expect there's a demo on Youtube.

 

[EpicFishFingers]

Er... you're trying to tighten the QR by rotating the bar?

Look at it carefully and you'll probably see "open" and "closed" printed on it. You're supposed to rotate it with "open" visible until the Qr is becoming snug then swing the bar through 180 degrees to cam it until "closed" is visible from the outside. I expect there's a demo on Youtube.

This is what I'm doing, but no matter how tight I get it, it's still rubbing slightly on the side that the QR bar is on. If only I could unscrew it a bit on the QR bar side,then screw it on tighter on the other side. I've got it almost the way I want it now though, through trial and error, thanks for the advice though guys! Yeah, the caliper is mounted to the fork, so I may try dfoing this, but i think my next course of action will be to get a standard bolt fitted to the front

 

[Globalti]

That may not be possible and that's not the answer anyway. Is it a hydraulic brake or cable-operated? If cable, did you pull some of the cable outer out of the brake lever when you were messing around with it? Check that it is fully home because if you pulled it out the brake could be partially "on".

 

[I like Skol]

I have this problem with mine most times I have a wheel out (hydraulic disc brakes) and usualy end up altering the caliper position as described above and if this doesn't sort it then fine tune it by eye (look between the disc and pad for the hairline crack of daylight and make sure it is equal on both sides by slightly loosening the mount and giving a gentle push by hand in the required direction).

I reckon the axle must sit slightly differently everytime it is disturbed as it isn't exactly a close tolerance interface and this is enought to cause the problem you are experiencing.

 

[derrick]

You may have moved the brake lever when you had the wheel of, if so just prise the pads apart, when you put wheel back on have the weight of the bike on the wheel, hold the stem and tighten wheel, if you hold the wheel when you tighten it you may be pulling it of centre.

 

[chugsy]

As others have said, release QR > grab the brake lever > tighten QR. If that doesn't take, release QR > loosen caliper mount > grab the brake lever > tighten mount > tighten QR.

If these are hydraulic disc brakes you should have been provided a plastic wedge/card to wedge into the caliper when the wheel is out. This minimizes the chance of what Derrick is referring to by having a placebo disc in place.

 

[chugsy]

Also... I'm probably wrong but isn't the side on which the QR lever is located on disc hub wheels quite important?

 

[chugsy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx




Never heard them called Jew - Stars before