Stuff you learn(t) the hard way by being your own mechanic

[David Marshall]

8 hours ago, MrJacques said:

I would not have thought about checking the limits when replacing a hanger. I assume the old one was skew / broke and may have thrown out the settings? Or maybe the new one installed differently? I think at least one of the limit screws presses against the hanger.

When you fit a new hanger you should align it in the frame with a proper tool which makes it a more challenging DIY task. The limit screws should not need much adjustment unless you are changing the wheel as well.

[droo]

12 minutes ago, David Marshall said:

When you fit a new hanger you should align it in the frame with a proper tool which makes it a more challenging DIY task. The limit screws should not need much adjustment unless you are changing the wheel as well.

Or you've been tweaking them to compensate for a bent hanger...

[Eugene]

On 2/4/2025 at 4:53 PM, droo said:

Or you've been tweaking them to compensate for a bent hanger...

That us probably it

[Eugene]

On 2/4/2025 at 7:49 AM, MrJacques said:

I would not have thought about checking the limits when replacing a hanger. I assume the old one was skew / broke and may have thrown out the settings? Or maybe the new one installed differently? I think at least one of the limit screws presses against the hanger.

The B screw does, but not the limit screws

[MORNE]

A trick i picked up from a Santa Cruz Syndicate post on another platform:

sintered brake pads are a bit more of a mission to bed in as you know. They take about double the amount of time than organics. Plus, if you screw it up…they WILL sound like sram brakes all the time - squealy piggies. 

So, get a bowl of water, take the pads out the package. Probably wear some latex gloves.  

Take the two pads, dip them in the water and rub them together like two coins between you fingers in a circular motion. I guess you can use both hand if you want. 

You’ll see the water going black as the releasing agent gets pulled and removed from the pad material’s surface.

Rinse repeat until the water on the pads runs clear. Thats when they are clean. It takes all of about 3min. You aren't applying any real pressure other than needed to keep them together between your fingers. 

Use either brand new rotors or resurface your current ones by deep cleaning and scuffing up with 150 grit sand paper. You aren't sanding…just keying! Braking compounds don't mix and need new material on there that matches the pad…otherwise the performance will always suck.  
 

Using this process the pads bed in super quick and they are noise free.

Edited March 1, 2025 by MORNE

[love2fly]

2 hours ago, MORNE said:

A trick i picked up from a Santa Cruz Syndicate post on another platform:

sintered brake pads are a bit more of a mission to bed in as you know. They take about double the amount of time than organics. Plus, if you screw it up…they WILL sound like sram brakes all the time - squealy piggies. 

So, get a bowl of water, take the pads out the package. Probably wear some latex gloves.  

Take the two pads, dip them in the water and rub them together like two coins between you fingers in a circular motion. I guess you can use both hand if you want. 

You’ll see the water going black as the releasing agent gets pulled and removed from the pad material’s surface.

Rinse repeat until the water on the pads runs clear. Thats when they are clean. It takes all of about 3min. You aren't applying any real pressure other than needed to keep them together between your fingers. 

Use either brand new rotors or resurface your current ones by deep cleaning and scuffing up with 150 grit sand paper. You aren't sanding…just keying! Braking compounds don't mix and need new material on there that matches the pad…otherwise the performance will always suck.  
 

Using this process the pads bed in super quick and they are noise free.

I've only ever ridden scintered on my Sram brakes. I've ridden OEM and aftermarket and never had noise or effectiveness issues. I fit them then ride them down a bit of a slope, grabbing medium hard for a short distance, then releasing for a bit and repeating 3 or 4 times and I'm done.

[MrJacques]

I had contaminated brake pads and some internet advice was to heat them over an open flame, or in an oven iirc. to get rid of the contamination. They were organic and I think the heat messed up the resin and they crumbled out on the trail. I also tried brake cleaner (solvent) which could have a similar effect. Results may be different with sintered pads, but beware the risk,

Edited March 1, 2025 by MrJacques

[ChrisF]

Question for those that know the SRAM electronic derailures.

 

A gent had a chain snap.  It was next to the quick link, removed one more link wrapped the chain and on his way ...

 

Nope ... we got the chain wrap wrong ... check again ....

 

Took a moment before we saw what happened ....

 

 

The mid idler wheel moved back .... so far back the chain was running from the cassette straight down to the bottom wheel.

 

Checked the locking pin ... fine

 

Just no "pull" on the bottom arm.

 

Is it some function of the electronic mechanism ?

 

Or did something break when the chain let go ?

[droo]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

Question for those that know the SRAM electronic derailures.

 

A gent had a chain snap.  It was next to the quick link, removed one more link wrapped the chain and on his way ...

 

Nope ... we got the chain wrap wrong ... check again ....

 

Took a moment before we saw what happened ....

 

 

The mid idler wheel moved back .... so far back the chain was running from the cassette straight down to the bottom wheel.

 

Checked the locking pin ... fine

 

Just no "pull" on the bottom arm.

 

Is it some function of the electronic mechanism ?

 

Or did something break when the chain let go ?

I'd guess the tension spring has either snapped or popped out of its perch.

Lock cage, remove back stop screw, remove cage pivot bolt, remove cage, and see what's what.

Problem should be reasonably obvious once it's in pieces.

[ChrisF]

44 minutes ago, droo said:

I'd guess the tension spring has either snapped or popped out of its perch.

Lock cage, remove back stop screw, remove cage pivot bolt, remove cage, and see what's what.

Problem should be reasonably obvious once it's in pieces.

 

So not exactly the type of DIY job in the ditch towards the end of Smitswinkel ....

 

But yes, a broken or unhooked spring makes sense.

 

 

Having already lost too much time, I advised him to walk the 1km back to the tech zone.

[droo]

14 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

So not exactly the type of DIY job in the ditch towards the end of Smitswinkel ....

 

But yes, a broken or unhooked spring makes sense.

 

 

Having already lost too much time, I advised him to walk the 1km back to the tech zone.

Simple enough if you've done it before, but a few tiny bits to drop in the grass.

Tech zone was definitely the right call.

[Jono]

So was doing a caliper rebuild on a Shimano 4 pot. Was a bit too relaxed about the process and wasn’t being careful when removing the pistons. Applied compressed air to one of the ports and didn’t have a rag between the pistons. The one piston shot out hit the opposite piston and shattered. 
 

Soooo anyone have a scrapped caliper lying around or a piston? It’s the smaller piston I’m after.

Edited March 23, 2025 by Jono
Added pic and cry for help

[Me rida my bicycle]

@Rouxenator do you think it's time for a new one or good for a couple hundred km's still 😂

[Rouxenator]

10 minutes ago, Me rida my bicycle said:

@Rouxenator do you think it's time for a new one or good for a couple hundred km's still 😂

Nah, that is just providing your pedals with extra shock absorbing. 

Funny enough, I recently had a BB replaced only to find it was actually the crank axle that was worn - you could not see it with the naked eye but after replacing the crank my issue was solved. 

Never had a crank axle wear out on me... 

[MrJacques]

11 hours ago, Rouxenator said:

Nah, that is just providing your pedals with extra shock absorbing. 

Funny enough, I recently had a BB replaced only to find it was actually the crank axle that was worn - you could not see it with the naked eye but after replacing the crank my issue was solved. 

Never had a crank axle wear out on me... 

Did you have a seized bearing at any stage?

[Rouxenator]

24 minutes ago, MrJacques said:

Did you have a seized bearing at any stage?

Nope was running smooth for about 4 years. Still hard to see anything wrong with it, but when it was installed in the bike there was some play not present on a new one.