Avid Elixir 5 adjustment

[Ispeed_V]

Hi Hubbers

 

Hope someone can shed some light on the topic. I have recently changed pads on my Avid Elixir's and am now experiencing binding of the brakes against the rotor (rear only). Is this something that I can adjust for or will it ease after just riding them in?

 

Any advice will be welcome.

Edited October 10, 2012 by HFS1000

[Guest Omega Man]

Try pushing the pads back and then pumping them until they come back. That always works for me. You might have to re-align the caliper.

 

Be careful not to damage the pads. Use a flat screw driver if you don't have one of those flat pad spacer goodies. Yes you will have to take out the wheel.

 

The whole you don't have to take the wheel off to change pads with Elixirs selling point is bollocks cos the brakes self adjust. That's why they don't get progressively worse as the pads wear out.

[ChUkKy]

Try pushing the pads back and then pumping them until they come back. That always works for me. You might have to re-align the caliper.

 

Be careful not to damage the pads. Use a flat screw driver if you don't have one of those flat pad spacer goodies. Yes you will have to take out the wheel.

 

The whole you don't have to take the wheel off to change pads with Elixirs selling point is bollocks cos the brakes self adjust. That's why they don't get progressively worse as the pads wear out.

Bare in mind if you are going to put a flat head screwdriver in there put your old pads back in and then do it so you rather mess those up and not the new pads.

[Mojoman]

Personally I am begining to think Avid brakes are the worst! It such a easy job aligning my old Tektro and Shimano brakes. The Avids are a nightmare!

[Ispeed_V]

Try pushing the pads back and then pumping them until they come back. That always works for me. You might have to re-align the caliper.

 

Be careful not to damage the pads. Use a flat screw driver if you don't have one of those flat pad spacer goodies. Yes you will have to take out the wheel.

 

The whole you don't have to take the wheel off to change pads with Elixirs selling point is bollocks cos the brakes self adjust. That's why they don't get progressively worse as the pads wear out.

 

Thanks, will give it a try.

[Super_mil]

As SeanN mentioned re -install you old pads before using the screwdriver, that way your new pads cant get trashed. I also then pull brakes a couple times to see that the pistons are moving more or less equally on both sides (using the screwdriver each time to push the pads/pistons back). If they are not moving equally, I apply a drop of brake fluid to the edge of the piston to help lubricate it (clean any excess brake fluid). If one side remains stuck hold the working side piston in with the screw driver & apply brakes again and try to get the seized piston moving again. I have (touch wood) always had success with this method but if you cant get the stuck piston moving it could well be time for a caliper rebuild.

[V12man]

Why not try reading the manual?

 

http://cdn.sram.com/cdn/farfuture/5Pyt9L0OIUi7XDfIWNl65p9qoT3H9ULX2vOahNqzavo/mtime:1330363328/sites/default/files/techdocs/elixir_5_service_manual_rev_b.pdf

[Mojoman]

Why not try reading the manual?

 

http://cdn.sram.com/...anual_rev_b.pdf

This is what I have just done on my Elixir 3 brakes (after bike was fitted with new rotors and brake pads and ridden for a miserable 30km!):

• Mount bike in a stand, remove wheel, remove brake pads
  
• Get a torch, some ear buds, some Mr Min or similar polish
  
• Use an ear bud with some mr min on it (dont spray the caliper unit jusy the ear bud), clean the caliper all good and proper, including (if yours have them), the little grooves in the face of the piston and the side edges of the piston
  
• Using a screwdriver, gently, very gently, with a bit of rag/cushioning under the screwdriver end, lever/press the pistons back into the caliper, work your way slowly around the piston, and again just be gentle as you go. Do both sides of the caliper.
  
• Once both are in, press your lever twice, or just enough to get a small amount of piston out of the caliper (do not press until the piston pops out! A couple of presses should be enough to expose the working edges of the piston), again clean the piston sides with an ear bud and some mr min. Then again work the piston back into the caliper unit. Need I say be gentle again?! Make sure the caliper unit and piston unit is spotless! You can, as Super_mil says use one end of the scredriver to keep one of the pistons in its position while you 'pump out' the other side a little bit for cleaning
  
• After you have both pistons cleaned and firmly back in the caliper, you can refit the pads.
  
• Loosen the caliper mounting bolts (make sure the CPS washers etc have been fitted in their correct order) and spin the wheel a little bit.
  
• Listen to the awesome ching-ching-ching sound as the wheel spins...
  
• Now depress the brake lever, and keep it held in, slowly tighten up the caliper mounting bolts, a little at a time and equally alternate from top to bottom
  
• Spin the wheel, listen to the swesome ching-ching-ching sound
  
• Use the torch and see if you can see what and where it is catching
  
• Get a cup of coffee etc and take a break, here somes the painful bit!
  
• Keep releasing the caliper mounting bolts and spinning the wheel and making minor adjustments, try to press the lever when the
  ching-ching sound kicks off! And also use the torch to look at the caliper unit in relation to the rotor, you can also make visual corrections as well. Also ensure your rotors are true.
  
• It took me a little time but now there is no catching (ching-ching-ching...) and the brake lever feels a lot firmer
  

I am sure someone will comment on the Mr Min being used to clean the piston but I have done it on my Tektros and Shimano's with no problems at all, I suppose you can also use the brake fluid option as well. Just clean off all residue of whatever you use. You want to clean and polish the piston so it slides in and out of the housing easily. When you look at the gap between rotor and brake pad I think you need to make sure that the piston always retracts fully back into the caliper...unless you like that ching-ching-ching sound!

[CJVDM]

My advice (i know it sounds crap) is to sell the brakes and get shimanos. i bought the elixir 5's a while back and then returned them to the bikeshop a day later because of constant rubbing and got slx's. same thing with my new bike, bought a cannondale which came with elixir R's and returned them to the bikeshop after couple of days as it had the same issue with rubbing, got some xt's and gladly paid the difference

 

also heard a rumour that specialized will nit fit any elixirs on their 2013 range

[Ispeed_V]

Thanks for all the advice.

[Eddy Gordo]

I have elixir 5's I had a rubbing issue but I used it like that for a few kms +-30, I loosen the 2 bolts that hold the caliper to the frame, spun the wheel pulled the brakes, tighten it lightly spinned the wheel pulled the brakes and so on. I did about 3 adjustments. Rubbing is gone.

Edited October 11, 2012 by Riyadh

[Rocket-Boy]

I changed my brake pads last night and I cant even get the rotor between the rear pads.

Im a real noob with maintenance on disk brakes but it looks like the pistons aren't going the whole way back in.

I tried pressing them back in with a screwdriver but they wont go, any advice on what to do next?

[dirtypot]

Take it to your LBS!

Keep your LBS in business 

[droo]

I changed my brake pads last night and I cant even get the rotor between the rear pads.

Im a real noob with maintenance on disk brakes but it looks like the pistons aren't going the whole way back in.

I tried pressing them back in with a screwdriver but they wont go, any advice on what to do next?

 

Yup, they're going to need a bleed. If there's a bubble in the system the pads won't retract all the way and the brakes will bind.

[V12man]

I changed my brake pads last night and I cant even get the rotor between the rear pads.

Im a real noob with maintenance on disk brakes but it looks like the pistons aren't going the whole way back in.

I tried pressing them back in with a screwdriver but they wont go, any advice on what to do next?

Probably need a rebleed - chances are they have been bled at some point without using a brake block - so just using worn pads and the disk or an inapprobriate brake block - this never ends well when changing pads.....

 

Also worthwhile to re-align the caliper after the bleeding - I find the birzman clamshells really useful for helping with.

[Rocket-Boy]

Thanks guys, will have to take it to the LBS to get sorted then.

Was hoping to do it myself but Im not going to buy the syringes etc when Im probably going to replace the bike in the next year or so.