Just replace my disc pads - lever goes to the handle bar

[justinb]

G'day,

I replaced my rear pads on my bike (shimano BR-M535) with some EBC greenstuff.

I have 2 issues
1. I have pad drag
2. after two heavy applications of the rear brake.. the lever goes to the handlebar

How I did it
I tuned the bike upside down
I left the old pads in and pushed the pistons back (flat)
I removed the old pads
I used my thumb to make sure the pistons were flat to the brake caliper housing
I installed the new pads
I then installed the wheel (ensuring correct installation)
righted the bike the right way up
loosened the locating nuts on the caliper and applied the brake. then tightened the nuts
I then applied the brakes a few times.. push the pistons back
rode a few times.. bedded the brakes

after all of this.. I still noticed the pads dragging and after two heavy applications of the brakes they go to the floor/bar.

Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[jaseh]

there must've been air in the lever. when you have turned it upside down it has traveled to the caliper or most of the way down the hose. and would be causing the lever to go to the bars.Time for a bleed I think.
With the drag, some aftermarket pads have more meat on them than the factory ones, if you have realigned your calipers properly it should stop after a couple of rides.

 

[justinb]

there must've been air in the lever. when you have turned it upside down it has traveled to the caliper or most of the way down the hose. and would be causing the lever to go to the bars.Time for a bleed I think.
With the drag, some aftermarket pads have more meat on them than the factory ones, if you have realigned your calipers properly it should stop after a couple of rides.

Thanks.. I think so too.. I was hoping that wasn't the case.. I wasn't concentrating and I don't have a bike stand... so it was automatic to turn it upside down...

I'm hoping having the bike the right way up for a while will allow the air to move back up the line? or am I hoping too much?

 

[jaseh]

Still probably best to bleed them. Shimano brakes are very easy to do once you have the mineral oil. If you have done the brakes in a car it is basically the same process.

 

[justinb]

Still probably best to bleed them. Shimano brakes are very easy to do once you have the mineral oil. If you have done the brakes in a car it is basically the same process.

ahh ok.. pump lever, then hold level in hard, open bleed nipple, allow flow, close nipple release lever and check fluid level - that simple?

What about the fluid level in the lever? at what point is it full (I assume level to the resiviour?

 

[jaseh]

You got it!!
Just keep it topped up after every pump, then you can't go wrong.

 

[whitey89]

Im unsure of that type of brake however if it is single piston you can move the pad closer in. However if its more of a pressure problem (ie the pads go in but dont clamp even after pressing hard) then yeah bleeding time! With the rubbing you can adjust the actual calipers if it is rubbing on one side, if its rubbing on both, either the disk is bent or the pads are'nt going back in. If this is the case push them back (carefully) with a screw driver.

 

[Juls]

A simple pad change should not have effected your bleed.
Unless the caliper leaked air when the pistons where returned to neutral.

did you re align the brake caliper after replacing the pads? (if it's a post mount you can do this easily)

if it's post mount, you just undo the main post bolts, pull on the brake hard and do up the bolts while holding the brake.

then pump the lever like crazy for 10 or so pumps to reset the pad clearance.

if this doesn't fix it, then it's time to bleed, as described above by someone else, it's piece of cake shimanos are pretty straight forward to bleed, but you will need shimano (or similar) mineral brake oil, you cannot use car or motorbike DOT type brake fluid.

Make sure you remove the pads before you bleed, you don't want fluid on the pads, or your new pads are stuffed. Incidently not sure which pad design your brakes are, but I've found the best pads for shimanos is the XTR M06 sintered pad. Kicks ass over anything aftermarket (including the ones you bought) if you like hard powerful instant braking then the M06 is the way if it fits.

regards
Juls