Calling on the Brake Fraternaties.

[Guest Omega Man]

My Slx's were awesome but I sold them right after the one side was replaced under warranty after it leaked at the lever. Got Hope Tech X2's - great brakes and I can actually service/repair them when needed not bin them.

Got to say I love my hopes. I thought my Codes were great until the Hopes went on.

[Sitting slip]

my magura r8 are very nice!you just brake to much.told you you are getting fat but you just dont listen!!!

[Helpmytrap]

my magura r8 are very nice!you just brake to much.told you you are getting fat but you just dont listen!!!

Go and eat a cupcake.

[Helpmytrap]

Unfortunately EvoBikes didn't have the Tech X2's in stock in the end BUT I'll soon be the happy owner of a set of Race X2s.

[Helpmytrap]

Cool, so brakes were delivered this afternoon. Problem, I received the wrong matchmakers. They gave me the ones for the Tech lever and not the Race lever (the mounting angle differs by 90 degrees.)

What I got:

http://www.mtbikers.com/images/products/g23900.jpg

What I need:

http://r2-bike.com/bilder/produkte/gross/Hope-matchmaker-Race-hebel-bremse-Shimano-saint-slx-XT-XTR-schalthebel.jpg

So no new brakes for me just yet.

 

They are super sexy though.

[Skylark]

Are those for shimano shifters?

 

[Helpmytrap]

Are those for shimano shifters?

Yes, specifically the i-spec shifters. (XT M780)

[Skylark]

Yes, specifically the i-spec shifters. (XT M780)

 

Just make sure you get the latest revision not the first version.

I got mine for the X2 evo from CWC and they were the first version which is crap, Hope acknowledge they made them wrong and the shifter can swivel on the mount.

I had to modify mine to make them work better.

CWC have the race shimano mounts if you still looking not sure which version though.

 

Did the incorrect mounts that you got have any numbers stamped on them - that's the revised one you want(obviously in the race version).

Edited November 16, 2013 by Skylark

[Helpmytrap]

Just make sure you get the latest revision not the first version.

I got mine for the X2 evo from CWC and they were the first version which is crap, Hope acknowledge they made them wrong and the shifter can swivel on the mount.

I had to modify mine to make them work better.

CWC have the race shimano mounts if you still looking not sure which version though.

 

Did the incorrect mounts that you got have any numbers stamped on them - that's the revised one you want(obviously in the race version).

Besides for what shifters it is compatible with, it just has "#D".

[Skylark]

Besides for what shifters it is compatible with, it just has "#D".

 

So it has the letters/numbers XTR etc stamped into each mount?

[Helpmytrap]

So it has the letters/numbers XTR etc stamped into each mount?

Yes, "XTR M970-M980" and "XT M-780-I"

[Skylark]

Yes, "XTR M970-M980" and "XT M-780-I"

 

Those are the updated good ones.

If they don't have those stamps on them they are the older k4k ones which I would avoid as they are really no good.

[Helpmytrap]

What is the best tool to use to cut the hose shorter? Will this suffice?

http://home.comcast.net/~massbackwards/husky.jpg

 

edit: and brake fluid, Dot 5.1 or 4? I've got a bottle in the garage that is "4 plus", will it do?

Edited November 19, 2013 by Helpmytrap

[Helpmytrap]

I found this on brake fluid, so it answered my question. ie DOT 4+ will be just fine, it just has a higher dry/wet boiling point that DOT 4.

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/pdfs/tech-articles/Brake-Fluid-Explained.pdf

POLY GLYCOL BRAKE FLUIDS (DOT 3, 4 AND 5.1)

Glycol based DOT 4 fluid is the current mainstream brake fluid, and you will see that the specification is considerably better than DOT 3 which it replaces. DOT 5.1 has higher specification still and is for fast road and occasional track day use. It has a similar spec to DOT4 for the boiling point (>260) but is a lot lower viscosity @ -40C typically 900 centistokes (compared to 1500 - 1800 centistokes for DOT 4 and super DOT 4).

Listed in the table below, are the minimum dry/wet boiling point specifications for each DOT level.

BOILING POINT:

DOT 3 - 205°C (dry) / 140°C (wet)

DOT 4 - 230°C (dry) / 155°C (wet)

DOT 5 (silicone) - 260°C (dry) / 185°C (wet)

DOT 5.1 (PAG) - 260°C (dry) / 185°C (wet)

Super Dot4 * - 300°C (dry) / 195°C (wet)

(racing brake fluid)

* Super DOT4: The main difference between DOT 4 and Super DOT 4 is the dry boiling point. Normal Dot4 is >260C whilst Super DOT 4 is more like >310C

[Skylark]

Buy a small fresh 200ml bottle of dot 4 for each time you bleed, about R20 at any petrol station. When you cut the hose it just needs to be done nice and cleanly so the olive can fit over it easily and make sure you cut it square, that cutter with a stanley knife blade will be perfect, as long as its not braided hose which is a bitch to cut cleanly.

 

You can reuse the hope olive many times if you remove it carefully, take your time they are not cheap!

Edited November 19, 2013 by Skylark

[Skylark]

Just a heads up, if you are shortening the hose on the lever end if you are careful you don't need to rebleed.

 

Either take the pads out or leave the caliper off the bike and pull the lever a few times so the pistons come out about 2 or 3mm each side, if you leave the pads in then the pads must virtually touch each other, basically you want the pistons out as far as they can go without popping out and leaking air. Then carefully cut the hose at the lever end keeping the hose as high up as possible so minimal fluid leaks out. Then when youve connected everything back together you push the pistons back in which will push the air bubble you created when cutting the hose back into the lever/master cylinder and no bleed needed. Ive done it twice before and it worked perfectly, altough once I lost too much fluid and needed a bleed but it's worth a try.

 

Having a park piston retraction tool helps in this instance, though you can use large face screwdrivers etc if you are careful , I wouldn't lever against the pistons, rather put the pads in and lever against those.