New brakepads on SRAM Apex disk brakes not quite right

[GmanUK65]

My front brake pads wore down to the metal so bought some new ones. The official ones for SRAM Apex are £25, too expensive. I came across some Noah & Theo pads for a much cheaper price so bought them. A friend advised me to buy them as they worked fine on his though I don't know what brand and model brakes he has.

I fitted them, they were a tight squeeze, put the wheel in, spun the wheel and the pads were catching. Maybe they need bedding in I thought. Went for a ride. rode up to 9-10mph and then braked to walking speed and repeated 10 times without stopping. I then moved up to 15-16mph then braked to walking pace and repeated this 6 times. When I got home I spun the wheel and the scraping problem is still there. So, the wheel turns but catches the pads and when I brake they work so think of just riding and when pads wear down a bit the problem will go. Unless anyone else has any suggestions?

 

[Mo1959]

Not something I’ve done myself yet, but do you maybe have to push the pistons back before fitting the new pads so they come back into contact properly? You’ve maybe done that. Sorry if I’m stating the obvious. Lol.

 

[GmanUK65]

Not something I’ve done myself yet, but do you maybe have to push the pistons back before fitting the new pads so they come back into contact properly? You’ve maybe done that. Sorry if I’m stating the obvious. Lol.

I've thought It may be something to do do with the pistons as I had to push the pistons back so I could get the brake pads in. Something I didn't mention was the wheel would not insert at first so I had to prize the pads apart to get the wheel in. I think it may be the pads; may be they are so thick that the spring hasn't enough room to move apart as much as it should. Who knows!

 

[C R]

I've thought It may be something to do do with the pistons as I had to push the pistons back so I could get the brake pads in. Something I didn't mention was the wheel would not insert at first so I had to prize the pads apart to get the wheel in. I think it may be the pads; may be they are so thick that the spring hasn't enough room to move apart as much as it should. Who knows!

I think the most likely thing to have happened is that the pistons weren't pushed back far enough.

I guess there's also the possibility that they are the wrong model pads, but that's highly unlikely, otherwise they probably wouldn't fit at all.

 

[DRM]

Try loosening the callipers, then when they can move whilst still bolted to the mounts apply the brakes, then tighten up the mounting bolts, while the brakes are applied, this will align the callipers with the discs.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Cheap pads do a cheap job