Hayes Stroker Trouble

[RexFuzzle]

Good Morning everybody

 

So I'm having a little trouble with my brakes... Completely disassembled them and cleaned etc then bled and I am having the same problem.

 

The cylinder that the lever pushes does not get pushed back by the spring when the lever is released, resulting a very long hard 30km (I was winning and didn't want to stop). The specs say to use DOT 3 or 4 and I have used dot 4. Without fluid in etc the levers work very well and the spring pushed back to where they should be, however with fluid in and connected to the pad they get stuck at the bottom.

 

Any suggestions?

Edited July 8, 2013 by RexFuzzle

[dirtrider]

Don't know these brakes (or breaks) but normally a brake return because the little rubber on the top of your reservour returns to its original shape and pull the fluid back . Start there .

[MooZN]

I had the same problem with my Hayes Stroker Carbons a few years ago. After consulting with the guys at the LBS it turned out that this was a known problem with a batch of these brakes and that a rebuild kit was available to fix the problem. I don't recall exactly what the root cause of the problem was, but it was something along the line of the wrong grease being used during assembly at the factory or a defective O-Ring or something like that.

 

In the end though, it was going to take a week or 2 to get the rebuild kit and I wanted to ride that weekend, so I did a deal with the LBS and traded in the Hayes on another set second had brakes, so I don't know what the final outcome of the rebuild was.

 

A Google search for "hayes stroker sticking" will turn up numerous hits for this problem.

[RexFuzzle]

I had the same problem with my Hayes Stroker Carbons a few years ago. After consulting with the guys at the LBS it turned out that this was a known problem with a batch of these brakes and that a rebuild kit was available to fix the problem. I don't recall exactly what the root cause of the problem was, but it was something along the line of the wrong grease being used during assembly at the factory or a defective O-Ring or something like that.

 

In the end though, it was going to take a week or 2 to get the rebuild kit and I wanted to ride that weekend, so I did a deal with the LBS and traded in the Hayes on another set second had brakes, so I don't know what the final outcome of the rebuild was.

 

A Google search for "hayes stroker sticking" will turn up numerous hits for this problem.

 

Thanks MooZN

 

Seems like some silicone spray is in order.

[Johan Bornman]

Don't know these brakes (or breaks) but normally a brake return because the little rubber on the top of your reservour returns to its original shape and pull the fluid back . Start there .

 

Oi, the pull generated by that little bellows is less than what a flea can pull - nothing.

 

The brake lever returns because of a spring attached to the master piston. The only thing I can think of that will prevent it is a swollen piston ring or a weak spring or very gritty lever pivots.

 

@ the OP. As for the mixing of the various fluids, Dot 3 and 4 shouldn't be mixed.

 

Here's a table of the various DOT fluids, the first column is obvious, the second one is the dry boiling point, the third one its composition and the fourth one, whether it can be mixed with other fluids OF THE SAME COMPOSITION. In other words, only mix Dot 4 and 5.1

 

Presentation1.pdf

 

Sorry, can't get the table in here as an image.

 

 

Type

 

Boiling Point

 

Primary Constituent

Edited July 8, 2013 by Johan Bornman

[dirtrider]

Oi, the pull generated by that little bellows is less than what a flea can pull - nothing.

 

The brake lever returns because of a spring attached to the master piston. The only thing I can think of that will prevent it is a swollen piston ring or a weak spring or very gritty lever pivots.

 

@ the OP. As for the mixing of the various fluids, Dot 3 and 4 shouldn't be mixed.

 

Here's a table of the various DOT fluids, the first column is obvious, the second one is the dry boiling point, the third one its composition and the fourth one, whether it can be mixed with other fluids OF THE SAME COMPOSITION. In other words, only mix Dot 4 and 5.1

 

 

Type

 

 

Boiling Point

 

 

Primary Constituent

 

 

Mix?

 

 

Dot 2

 

 

190

 

 

Caster Oil/Alcohol

 

 

No

 

 

Dot 3

 

 

205

 

 

Glycol Ether

 

 

No

 

 

Dot 4

 

 

230

 

 

Glycol Ether/Borate Ester

 

 

Yes

 

 

Dot 5

 

 

260

 

 

Silicon

 

 

No

 

 

Dot 5.1

 

 

260

 

 

Glycol Ether/Borate Ester

 

 

Yes

 

 

Mineral Oil

 

 

190

 

 

Oil - of fossil origin

 

 

No

 

 

EISH! that table didn't import to well, I'll JPG it and try again.

 

True but there are a few things in the assembly that makes the caliper return . Not one of them can do it alone , but I find that starting at the top working down normally works for me .

[RexFuzzle]

Thanks Johan

 

Didn't mix them- cleaned out completely and put dot 4 in... unless there was some dot 3 in some small amounts somewhere I don't think it is the fluid. Odd that it says dot 3 or 4 on the cover though. I see there is a slow lever kit from crc http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24686

Anybody in this country stock hayes spares?

[Johan Bornman]

Thanks MooZN

 

Seems like some silicone spray is in order.

 

No, don't do that. If your spray contains chlorine, it will make the rubber go gooey. You do get chlorine-free sprays but they are slightly more expensive and will specify on the can that they are Chlorine-free.

[RexFuzzle]

So in the end it was a simple fix. There are two seals and the second one doesn't get lubricated much so I got some read grease and lubed it up and all seems hunky dory for now... Seems that the slow lever kit is no longer sold so this was the only solution.